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INSTITUTES 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


JOHN    CALVIN 


TRANSLATED     FROM     THE     ORIGINAL    LATIN,    AND     COLLATED     AVITH 
THE    author's    LAST    EDITION    IN    FRENCH, 

BY  JOHN   ALLEN. 


Noil  tainen  omnino  potuit  mors  invida  totum 
Tollere  Ciilvinum  terris  ;  iBterna  manebunt 
Ingenii  monumenta  tui  :  et  livoris  iniqui 
Ijanguidii  paulatim  cum  flarama  resoderit,  omnes 
Religio  qua  pura  nitet  se  fundet  in  eras 
Faina  tui Buchanan. 


SIXTH    AMERICAN    EDITION,   REVISED    AND    CORRECTED. 

IN    TWO    VOLUMES. 
VOL.    II. 


PHILADELPHIA; 

PRESBYTERIAN    BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION. 


INSTITUTES 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION 


BOOK    III. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

THE  COMMENCEMENT  AND  CONTINUAL  PROGRESS  OF  JUSTIFICATION. 

For  the  further  elucidation  of  this  subject,  let  us  examine 
what  kind  of  righteousness  can  be  found  in  men  during  the 
whole  course  of  their  lives.  Let  us  divide  them  into  four 
classes.  For  either  they  are  destitute  of  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  immerged  in  idolatry ;  or,  having  been  initiated  by 
the  sacraments,  they  lead  impure  lives,  denying  God  in  their 
actions,  while  they  confess  him  with  their  lips,  and  belong  to 
Christ  only  in  name ;  or  they  are  hypocrites,  concealing  the 
iniquity  of  their  hearts  with  vain  disguises ;  or,  being  regene- 
rated by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  devote  themselves  to  true  holi- 
ness. In  the  first  of  these  classes,  judged  of  according  to  their 
natural  characters,  from  the  crown  of  the  head  to  the  sole  of 
the  foot  there  will  not  be  found  a  single  spark  of  goodness  ; 
unless  we  mean  to  charge  the  Scripture  with  falsehood  in 
these  representations  which  it  gives  of  all  the  sons  of  Adam  — 
that  "the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked  ;  "  (iv)  that  "  every  imagination  of  man's  heart  is  evil 
from  his  youth ;  "  (x)  that  "  the  thoughts  of  man  are  vanity  ; 
that  there  is  no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes;  "  (y)  that  "there 
is  none  that  understandeth,  none  that  seeketh  after  God;  "  (z) 
in  a  word,  "that  he  is  flesh,"  (a)  a  term  expressive  of  all 
those  works  which  are  enumerated  by  Paul  —  "  adultery,  forni- 


(w)  Jer.  xvii.  9.  (x)  Gen.  vi.  5  ;  viii.  21.  (ij)  Psalm  xciv.  11 ;  xxxvi.  1. 

(z)  Psalm  xiv.  1—3.     Rom.  iii.  11.  (a)  Gen.  vi.  3. 


4  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

cation,  uncleanness,  lasciviousncss,  idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred, 
variance,  emulations,  wrath,  strife,  seditions,  heresies,  envyings, 
murders,"  (b)  and  every  impurity  and  abomination  that  can  be 
conceived.  This  is  the  dignity,  in  the  confidence  of  which 
tiiey  must  glory.  But  if  any  among  them  discover  that  in- 
tegrity in  tiieir  conduct  which  among  men  has  some  appear- 
ance of  sanctity,  yet,  since  we  know  that  God  regards  not 
external  splendour,  we  must  penetrate  to  the  secret  springs  of 
these  actions,  if  we  wish  them  to  avail  any  thing  to  justifica- 
tion. We  must  narrowly  examine,  I  say,  from  what  disposi- 
tion of  heart  these  works  proceed.  Though  a  most  extensive 
field  of  observation  is  now  before  us,  yet,  since  the  subject 
may  be  despatched  in  very  few  words,  I  shall  be  as  compendi- 
ous as  possible. 

II.  In  the  first  place,  I  do  not  deny,  that  whatever  excellences 
appear  in  unbelievers,  they  are  the  gifts  of  God.  I  am  not 
so  at  variance  with  the  common  opinion  of  mankind,  as  to  con- 
tend that  there  is  no  difference  between  the  justice,  moderation, 
and  equity  of  Titus  or  Trajan,  and  the  rage,  intemperance,  and 
cruelty  of  Caligula,  or  Nero,  or  Domitian  ;  between  the  obsce- 
nities of  Tiberius  and  the  continence  of  Vespasian  ;  and,  not  to 
dwell  on  particular  virtues  or  vices,  between  the  observance 
and  the  contempt  of  moral  obligation  and  positive  laws.  For 
so  great  is  the  difference  between  just  and  unjust,  that  it  is 
visible  even  in  the  lifeless  image  of  it.  For  what  order  will 
be  left  in  the  world,  if  these  opposites  be  confounded  together  ? 
Such  a  distinction  as  this,  therefore,  between  virtuous  and 
vicious  actions,  has  not  only  been  engraven  by  the  Lord  in 
the  heart  of  every  man,  but  has  also  been  frequently  confirmed 
by  his  providential  dispensations.  We  see  how  he  confers 
many  blessings  of  the  present  life  on  those  who  practise  virtue 
among  men.  Not  that  this  external  resemblance  of  virtue 
merits  the  least  favour  from  him ;  but  he  is  pleased  to  discover 
his  great  esteem  of  true  righteousness,  by  not  permitting  that 
which  is  external  and  hypocritical  to  remain  without  a  tem- 
poral reward.  Whence  it  follows,  as  we  have  just  acknow- 
ledged, that  these  virtues,  whatever  they  may  be,  or  rather 
images  of  virtues,  are  the  gifts  of  God  ;  since  tliere  is  nothing 
in  any  respect  laudable  which  does  not  proceed  from  him. 

III.  Nevertheless  the  observation  of  Augustine  is  strictly 
true  —  that  all  who  are  strangers  to  the  religion  of  the  one  true 
God,  however  they  may  be  esteemed  worthy  of  admiration  for 
their  reputed  virtue,  not  only  merit  no  reward,  but  are  rather 
deserving  of  punishment,  because  they  contaminate  the  pure 
gifts  of  God  with   the   pollution   of  their  own   hearts.     For 

(/;)  Gal.  V.  10,  &c. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  S 

though  they  are  instruments  used  by  God  for  the  preserv^ation 
of  human  society,  by  the  exercise  of  justice,  continence,  friend- 
ship, temperance,  fortitude,  and  prudence,  yet  they  perform 
these  good  works  of  God  very  improperly;  being  restrained 
from  the  commission  of  evil,  not  by  a  sincere  attachment  to 
true  virtue,  but  either  by  mere  ambition,  or  by  self-love,  or  by 
some  other  irregular  disposition.  These  actions,  therefore, 
being  corrnpted  in  their  very  source  by  the  impurity  of  their 
hearts,  are  no  more  entitled  to  be  classed  among  virtues,  than 
those  vices  which  commonly  deceive  mankind  by  their  aliinity 
and  similitude  to  virtues.  Besides,  when  we  remember  that 
the  end  of  what  is  right  is  always  to  serve  God,  whatever  is 
directed  to  any  other  end,  can  have  no  claim  to  that  appella- 
tion. Therefore,  since  they  regard  not  the  end  prescribed  by 
Divine  wisdom,  though  an  act  performed  by  them  be  externally 
and  apparently  good,  yet,  being  directed  to  a  wrong  end,  it 
becomes  sin.  He  concludes,  therefore,  that  all  the  Fabricii, 
Scipios,  and  Catos,  in  all  their  celebrated  actions,  were  guilty 
of  sin,  inasmuch  as,  being  destitute  of  the  light  of  faith,  they 
did  not  direct  those  actions  to  that  end  to  which  they  ought  to 
have  directed  them ;  that  consequently  they  had  no  genuine 
righteousness ;  because  moral  duties  are  estimated  not  by  ex- 
ternal actions,  but  by  the  ends  for  which  such  actions  are 
designed. 

IV.  Besides,  if  there  be  any  truth  in  the  assertion  of  John, 
that  "he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hath  not  life  ;"  (c) 
they  who  have  no  interest  in  Christ,  whatever  be  their  cha- 
racters, their  actions,  or  their  endeavours,  are  constantly  ad- 
vancing, through  the  whole  course  of  their  lives,  towards 
destruction  and  the  sentence  of  eternal  death.  On  this  ar- 
gument is  founded  the  following  observation  of  Augustine  : 
"  Our  religion  discriminates  between  the  righteous  and  the  un- 
righteous, not  by  the  law  of  works,  but  by  that  of  faith,  without 
which  works  apparently  good  are  perverted  into  sins."  Where- 
fore the  same  writer,  in  another  place,  strikingly  compares  the 
exertions  of  such  men  to  a  deviation  in  a  race  from  the  pre- 
scribed course.  For  the  more  vigorously  any  one  runs  out  of 
the  way,  he  recedes  so  much  the  further  from  the  goal,  and 
becomes  so  much  the  more  unfortunate.  Wherefore  he  con- 
tends, that  it  is  better  to  halt  in  the  way,  than  to  run  out  of  the 
way.  Finally,  it  is  evident  that  they  are  evil  trees,  since  with- 
out a  participation  of  Christ  there  is  no  sanctification.  They 
may  produce  fruits  fair  and  beautiful  to  the  eye,  and  even  sweet 
to  the  taste,  but  never  any  that  are  good.  Hence  we  clearly 
perceive  that  all  the  thoughts,  meditations,  and  actions  of  man, 

(c)  1  John  V.  12. 


6  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

antecedent  to  a  reconciliation  to  God  by  faith,  are  accursed, 
and  not  only  of  no  avail  to  justification,  but  certainly  deserving 
of  condemnation.  But  why  do  we  dispute  concerning  it  as  a 
dubious  point,  when  it  is  already  proved  by  the  testimony  of  the 
apostle,  that  "  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God  ? ''  (d) 
V.  But  the  proof  will  be  still  clearer,  if  the  grace  of  God  be 
directly  opposed  to  the  natural  condition  of  man.  The  Scrip- 
ture invariably  proclaims,  that  God  finds  nothing  in  men  which 
can  incite  him  to  bless  them,  but  that  he  prevents  them  by  his 
gratuitous  goodness.  For  what  can  a  dead  man  do  to  recover 
life  ?  But  when  God  illuminates  us  with  the  knowledge  of 
himself,  he  is  said  to  raise  us  from  death,  and  to  make  us  new 
creatures,  (e)  For  under  this  character  we  find  the  Divine 
goodness  towards  us  frequently  celebrated,  especially  by  the 
apostle.  "God,"  says  he,  "  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for  his  great 
love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins, 
hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,"  &c.  (/)  In  another 
place,  when,  under  the  type  of  Abraham,  he  treats  of  the  general 
calling  of  believers,  he  says.  It  is  "  God,  who  quickeneth  the 
dead,  and  calleth  those  things  which  be  not  as  though  they 
were."  (,§•)  If  we  are  nothing,  what  can  we  do?  Wherefore 
God  forcibly  represses  this  presumption,  in  the  Book  of  Job,  in 
the  following  words :  "  Who  hath  prevented  me,  that  I  should 
repay  him  ?  Whatsoever  is  under  the  whole  heaven  is 
mine."(/i)  Paul,  explaining  this  passage,  concludes  from  it, 
that  we  ought  not  to  suppose  we  bring  any  thing  to  the  Lord 
but  ignominious  indigence  and  emptiness,  (i)  Wherefore,  in 
the  passage  cited  above,  in  order  to  prove  that  we  attain  to  the 
hope  of  salvation,  not  by  works,  but  solely  by  the  grace  of  God, 
he  alleges,  that  "  we  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained  that 
we  should  walk  in  them."  (k)  As  though  he  would  say.  Who 
of  us  can  boast  that  he  has  influenced  God  by  his  right- 
eousness, since  our  first  power  to  do  well  proceeds  from  re- 
generation ?  For,  according  to  the  constitution  of  our  nature, 
oil  might  be  extracted  from  a  stone  sooner  than  we  could 
perform  a  good  work.  It  is  wonderful,  indeed,  that  man, 
condemned  to  such  ignominy,  dares  to  pretend  to  have  any 
thing  left.  Let  us  confess,  therefore,  with  that  eminent  servant 
of  the  Lord,  that  "God  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with  a 
holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his 
own  ))urposc  and  grace  ;  "  (l)  and  that  "  the  kindness  and  love 
of  God  our  Saviour  towards  man  appeared,"  because  "  not  by 
works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according  to 


^d)  Heb.  li.  6.  (/)  Eph.  ii.  4,  T).  (/,)  Job  xli.  11.  (A)  Ephes.  ii.  10. 

(e)  John  V.  25.  (g)  Rom.  iv.  17.  (i)  Rom.  xi.  35.  (I)  2  Tim.  i.  9. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  7 

his  mercy  he  saved  us ;  that  being  justified  by  his  grace,  we 
should  be  made  heirs  of  eternal  life."  (m)  By  this  confession 
we  divest  man  of  all  righteousness,  even  to  the  smallest  particle, 
till  through  mere  mercy  he  has  been  regenerated  to  the  hope  of 
eternal  life ;  for  if  a  righteousness  of  works  contributed  any 
thing  to  our  justification,  we  are  not  truly  said  to  be  "justified 
by  grace."  The  apostle,  when  he  asserted  justification  to  be 
by  grace,  had  certainly  not  forgotten  his  argument  in  another 
place,  that  "if  it  be  of  works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace."  (w) 
And  what  else  does  our  Lord  intend,  when  he  declares,  "  I  am 
not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners?"  (o)  If  sinners 
only  are  admitted,  why  do  we  seek  to  enter  by  a  counterfeit 
righteousness  ? 

VI.  The  same  thought  frequently  recurs  to  me,  that  I  am  in 
danger  of  injuring  the  mercy  of  God,  by  labouring  Avith  so 
much  anxiety  in  the  defence  of  this  doctrine,  as  though  it  were 
doubtful  or  obscure.  But  such  being  our  malignity,  that,  unless 
it  be  most  powerfully  subdued,  it  never  allows  to  God  that 
which  belongs  to  him,  I  am  constrained  to  dwell  a  little  longer 
upon  it.  But  as  the  Scripture  is  sufficiently  perspicuous  on 
this  subject,  t  shall  use  its  language  in  preference  to  my  own. 
Isaiah,  after  having  described  the  universal  ruin  of  mankind, 
properly  subjoins  the  method  of  recovery.  "  The  Lord  saw  it, 
and  it  displeased  him  that  there  was  no  judgment.  And  he  saw 
that  there  was  no  man,  and  wondered  that  there  was  no  interces- 
sor :  therefore  his  own  arm  brought  salvation  unto  him  ;  and  his 
righteousness  it  sustained  him."(j3)  Where  are  our  righteous- 
nesses, if  it  be  true,  as  the  prophet  says,  that  no  one  assists  the 
Lord  in  procuring  his  salvation  ?  So  another  prophet  introduces 
the  Lord  speaking  of  the  reconciliation  of  sinners  to  himself,  say- 
ing, "  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  for  ever,  in  righteousness,  and 
in  judgment,  and  in  loving-kindness,  and  in  mercies.  I  will 
have  mercy  upon  her  that  had  not  obtained  mercy."  {q)  If  this 
covenant,  which  is  evidently  our  first  union  with  God,  depend 
on  his  mercy,  there  remains  no  foundation  for  our  righteousness. 
And  I  should  really  wish  to  be  informed  by  those,  who  pretend 
that  man  advances  to  meet  God  with  some  righteousness  of 
works,  whether  there  be  any  righteousness  at  all,  but  that  which 
is  accepted  by  God.  If  it  be  madness  to  entertain  such  a  thought, 
what  that  is  acceptable  to  God  can  proceed  from  his  enemies, 
who,  with  all  their  actions,  are  the  objects  of  his  complete 
abhorrence  ?  And  that  we  are  all  the  inveterate  and  avowed 
enemies  of  our  God,  till  we  are  justified  and  received  into  his 
friendship,  is  an  undeniable  truth,  (r)     If  justification  be  the 

{m)  Titus  iii.  4,  5,  7.         (o)  Matt.  ix.  13.  (?)  Hosea  ii.  19,  23. 

(re)Rom.  xi.  6.  (p)  Isaiah  lix.  15,  16.  (r)  Rom.  v.  6,  10.     Col.  i.  21. 


8  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    III. 


principle  from  which  love  originates,  what  righteousnesses  of 
works  can  precede  it  ?  To  destroy  that  pestilent  arrogance, 
therefore,  John  carefully  apprizes  us  that  "  we  did  not  first  love 
him."  (s)  And  the  Lord  had  by  his  prophet  long  before  taoght 
the  same  truth :  "  I  will  love  them  freely,"  saith  he,  "  for  mine 
anger  is  turned  away."(<)  If  his  love  was  spontaneously  in- 
clined towards  us,  it  certainly  is  not  excited  by  works.  But  the 
ignorant  mass  of  mankind  have  only  this  notion  of  it  —  that  no 
man  has  merited  that  Christ  should  effect  our  redemption ; 
but  that  towards  obtaining  the  possession  of  redemption,  we 
derive  some  assistance  from  our  own  works.  But  however  we 
may  have  been  redeemed  by  Christ,  yet  till  we  are  introduced 
into  communion  with  him  by  the  calling  of  the  Father,  we  are 
both  heirs  of  darkness  and  death,  and  enemies  to  God.  For 
Paul  teaches,  that  we  are  not  purified  and  washed  from  our 
pollutions  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  till  the  Spirit  effects  that 
purification  within  us.  (ii)  This  is  the  same  that  Peter  intends, 
when  he  declares  that  the  " sanctification  of  the  Spirit"  is 
effectual  "  unto  obedience,  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ."  (x)  If  we  are  sprinkled  by  the  Spirit  with  the  blood 
of  Christ  for  purification,  we  must  not  imagine  that  before  this 
ablution  we  are  in  any  other  state  than  that  of  sinners  desti- 
tute of  Christ.  We  may  be  certain,  therefore,  that  the  com- 
mencement of  our  salvation  is,  as  it  were,  a  resurrection  from 
death  to  life;  because,  when  "on  the  behalf  of  Christ  it  is 
given  to  us  to  believe  on  him,"  (y)  we  then  begin  to  experience 
a  transition  from  death  to  life. 

VII.  The  same  reasoning  may  be  applied  to  the  second  and 
third  classes  of  men  in  the  division  stated  above.  For  the 
impurity  of  the  conscience  proves,  that  they  are  neither  of  them 
yet  regenerated  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  their  unregeneracy 
betrays  also  their  want  of  faith :  whence  it  appears,  that  they 
are  not  yet  reconciled  to  God,  or  justified  in  his  sight,  since 
these  blessings  are  only  attained  by  faith.  What  can  be  per- 
formed by  sinners  alienated  from  God,  that  is  not  execrable  in 
liis  view  ?  Yet  all  the  imjiious,  and  especially  hypocrites,  are 
inflated  with  this  foolish  confidence.  Though  they  know  that 
their  heart  is  full  of  impurity,  yet  if  they  perform  any  specious 
actions,  they  esteem  them  too  good  to  be  despised  by  God. 
Hence  that  pernicious  error,  that  though  convicted  of  a  polluted 
and  impious  heart,  they  cannot  be  brought  to  confess  them- 
selves destitute  of  righteousness;  but  while  they  acknowledge 
themselves  to  be  unrighteous,  because  it  cannot  be  denied,  they 
still  arrogate  to  themselves  some  degree  of  righteousness.     This 


(»)  1  John  iv.  Id.  (I)  Hosea  xiv.  4.  (?/)  1  Cor.  vi.  11. 

(X)  1  Peter  i.  2.  (y)  Phil.  i.  29. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  9 

vanity  the  Lord  excellently  refutes  by  the  prophet.  ''Ask 
now,"  saith  he,  "  the  priests,  saying,  If  one  bear  holy  flesh  in 
the  skirt  of  his  garment,  and  with  his  skirt  do  touch  bread,  or 
any  meat,  shall  it  be  holy  ?  And  the  priests  answered  and 
said,  No.  Then  said  Haggai,  If  one  that  is  unclean  by  a  dead 
body  touch  any  of  these,  shall  it  be  unclean  ?  And  the  priests 
answered  and  said.  It  shall  be  unclean.  Then  answered  Hag- 
gai, and  said,  So  is  this  people,  and  so  is  this  nation  before 
me,  saith  the  Lord  ;  and  so  is  every  work  of  their  hands  ;  and 
that  which  they  offer  there  is  unclean."  (z)  I  wish  that  this 
passage  might  either  obtain  full  credit  with  us,  or  be  deeply 
impressed  on  our  memory.  For  there  is  no  one,  however  fla- 
gitious his  whole  life  may  be,  who  can  suffer  himself  to  be 
persuaded  of  what  the  Lord  here  plainly  declares.  The  great- 
est sinner,  as  soon  as  he  has  performed  two  or  three  duties  of 
the  law,  doubts  not  but  they  are  accepted  of  him  for  righteous- 
ness ;  but  the  Lord  positively  denies  that  any  sanctification  is 
acquired  by  such  actions,  unless  the  heart  be  previously  well 
purified  ;  and  not  content  with  this,  he  asserts  that  all  the 
works  of  sinners  are  contaminated  by  the  impurity  of  their 
hearts.  Let  the  name  of  righteousness,  then,  no  longer  be  given 
to  these  works  which  are  condemned  for  their  pollution  by  the 
lips  of  God.  And  by  what  a  fine  similitude  does  he  demon- 
strate this  !  For  it  might  have  been  objected  that  what  the 
Lord  had  enjoined  was  inviolably  holy.  But  he  shov/s,  on  the 
contrary,  that  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  if  those  things  which 
are  sanctified  by  the  law  of  the  Lord,  are  defiled  by  the  pollu- 
tion of  the  wicked  ;  since  an  unclean  hand  cannot  touch  any 
thing  that  has  been  consecrated,  without  profaning  it. 

YIII.  He  excellently  pursues  the  same  argument  also  in 
Isaiah  :  "  Bring  no  more  vain  oblations  ;  incense  is  an  abomina- 
tion unto  me  ;  your  new  moons  and  your  appointed  feasts  my 
soul  hateth ;  they  are  a  trouble  unto  me ;  I  am  weary  to  bear 
them.  When  ye  spread  forth  your  hands,  I  will  hide  mine  eyes 
from  you  ;  yea,  when  ye  make  many  prayers,  I  will  not  hear  : 
your  hands  are  full  of  blood.  Wash  you,  make  you  clean ;  put 
away  the  evil  of  your  doings."  (a)  What  is  the  reason  that 
the  Lord  is  so  displeased  at  an  obedience  to  his  law  ?  But,  in 
fact,  he  here  rejects  nothing  that  arises  from  the  genuine  ob- 
servance of  the  law  ;  the  beginning  of  which,  he  every  where 
teaches,  is  an  unfeigned  fear  of  his  name,  (b)  If  that  be  want- 
ing, all  the  oblations  made  to  him  are  not  merely  trifles,  but 
nauseous  and  abominable  pollutions.  Let  hypocrites  go  now, 
and,  retaining  depravity  concealed  in  their  hearts,  endeavour  by 

(z)  Hag.  ii.  11—14.  (ff)  Isaiah  i.  IJ— IG. 

(h)  Deut.  iv.  6.     Psalm  cxi.  10.     Prov.  i.  7  ;  Ix.  10. 

xrnj        TT  Q. 


•10  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

their  works  to  merit  the  favour  of  God.  But  by  such  means 
they  will  add  provocation  to  provocation  ;  for  "  the  sacrifice  of 
the  wicked  is  an  abomination  to  the  Lord  ;  but  the  prayer  of 
the  ujuight  "  alone  "  is  his  delight."  (c)  We  lay  it  down, 
therefore,  as  an  undoubted  truth,  which  ought  to  be  well  known 
to  such  as  are  but  moderately  versed  in  the  Scriptures,  that 
even  the  most  splendid  works  of  men  not  yet  truly  sanctified, 
are  so  far  from  righteousness  in  the  Divine  view,  that  they  are 
accounted  sins.  And  therefore  they  have  strictly  adhered  to 
the  truth,  who  have  maintained  that  the  works  of  a  man  do 
not  conciliate  God's  favour  to  his  person  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
that  works  are  never  acceptable  to  God,  unless  the  person  who 
performs  them  has  previously  found  favour  in  his  sight.  And 
this  order,  to  which  the  Scripture  directs  us,  is  religiously  to  be 
observed.  Moses  relates,  that  "The  Lord  had  respect  unto 
Abel  and  to  his  otfering;."  [d)  Does  he  not  plainly  indicate 
that  the  Lord  is  propitious  to  men,  before  he  regards  their 
works  ?  Wherefore  the  purification  of  the  heart  is  a  necessary 
prerequisite,  in  order  that  the  works  which  we  perform  may  be 
favourably  received  by  God  ;  for  the  declaration  of  Jeremiah  is 
always  in  force,  that  the  "  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  upon  the 
truth."  (e)  And  the  Holy  Spirit  has  asserted  by  the  mouth  of 
Peter,  that  it  is  "by  faith"  alone  that  the  "heart"  is  "pu- 
rified," (/)  which  proves  that  the  first  foundation  is  laid  in  a 
true  and  living  faith. 

IX.  Let  us  now  examine  what  degree  of  righteousness  is 
possessed  by  those  whom  we  have  ranked  in  the  fourth  class. 
We  admit,  that  when  God,  by  the  interposition  of  the  right- 
eousness of  Christ,  reconciles  us  to  himself,  and  having  granted 
us  the  free  remission  of  our  sins,  esteems  us  as  righteous  per- 
sons, to  this  mercy  he  adds  also  another  blessing  ;  for  he  dwells 
in  us  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  by  whose  power  our  carnal  desires 
are  daily  more  and  more  mortified,  and  we  are  sanctified,  that 
is,  consecrated  to  the  Lord  luito  real  purity  of  life,  having  our 
hearts  moulded  to  obey  his  law,  so  that  it  is  our  prevailing  in- 
clination to  submit  to  his  will,  and  to  promote  his  glory  alone  by 
all  possible  means.  But  even  while,  under  the  guidance  oi  the 
Holy  Spirit,  we  are  walking  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord,  —  that  we 
may  not  forget  ourselves,  and  be  filled  with  pride,  we  feel  such 
remains  of  imperfection,  as  allord  us  abundant  cause  for  hu- 
mility. The  Scripture  declares,  that  "  there  is  not  a  just  man 
upon  earth,  tiiat  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not."  ("•)  What  kind 
ot  righteousness,  then,  will  even  believers  obtain  from  their  own 
works  ?  In  the  first  place,  I  assert,  that  the  best  of  their  per- 
formances are  tarnished  and  corrupted  by  some  carnal  impurity 

(c)  Prov.  XV.  S.  (,/)  Gen.  iv.  4.  (r)  Jer.  r  3 

U)  Acts  XV.  9.  (^)  ficclcs.  v.i.  20. 


CHAP,    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  11 

and  debased  by  a  mixture  of  some  alloy.  Let  any  holy  servant 
of  God  select  from  his  whole  life  that  which  he  shall  conceive 
to  have  been  the  best  of  all  his  actions,  and  let  him  examine  it 
with  attention  on  every  side  ;  he  will  undoubtedly  discover  in 
it  some  taint  of  the  corruption  of  the  flesh  ;  since  our  alacrity 
to  good  actions  is  never  what  it  ought  to  be,  but  our  course  is 
retarded  by  great  debility.  Though  we  perceive  that  the  ble- 
mishes which  deform  the  works  of  the  saints,  are  not  difficult 
to  be  discovered,  yet  suppose  we  admit  them  to  be  very  dimi- 
nutive spots,  will  they  not  be  at  all  offensive  in  the  sight  of  God, 
in  which  even  the  stars  are  not  pure  ?  We  have  now  ascer- 
tained, that  there  is  not  a  single  action  performed  by  the  saints, 
which,  if  judged  according  to  its  intrinsic  merit,  does  not  justly 
deserve  to  be  rewarded  with  shame. 

X.  In  the  next  place,  even  though  it  were  possible  for  us  to 
perform  any  works  completely  pure  and  perfect,  yet  one  sin  is 
sufficient  to  extinguish  and  annihilate  all  remembrance  of  ante- 
cedent righteousness,  as  is  declared  by  the  prophet.  (A)  With 
him  James  also  agrees :  "  Whosoever  shall  offend,"  says  he, 
''  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all."  (i)  Now,  since  this  mortal 
life  is  never  pure  or  free  from  sin,  whatever  righteousness  we 
might  acquire  being  perpetually  corrupted,  overpowered,  and 
destroyed  by  subsequent  sins,  it  would  neither  be  admitted  in 
the  sight  of  God,  nor  be  imputed  to  us  for  righteousness. 
Lastly,  in  considering  the  righteousness  of  works,  we  should 
regard,  not  any  action  commanded  in  the  law,  but  the  com- 
mandment itself.  Therefore,  if  we  seek  righteousness  by  the 
law,  it  is  in  vain  for  us  to  perform  two  or  three  Avorks  ;  a 
perpetual  observance  of  the  law  is  indispensably  necessary. 
Wherefore  God  does  not  impute  to  us  for  righteousness  that 
remission  of  sins,  of  which  we  have  spoken,  once  only,  (as 
some  foolishly  imagine,)  in  order  that,  having  obtained  pardon 
for  our  past  lives,  we  may  afterwards  seek  righteousness  by  the 
law ;  which  would  be  only  sporting  with  us,  and  deluding  us 
by  a  fallacious  hope.  For  since  perfection  is  unattainable  by 
us,  as  long  as  we  are  in  this  mortal  body,  and  the  law  denounces 
death  and  judgment  on  all  whose  works  are  not  completely  and 
universally  righteous,  it  will  always  have  matter  of  accusation 
and  condemnation  against  its,  unless  it  be  prevented  by  the 
Divine  mercy  continually  absolving  us  by  a  perpetual  remission 
of  our  sins.  Wherefore  it  will  ever  be  true,  as  we  asserted  at 
the  beginning,  that  if  we  be  judged  according  to  our  demerits^ 
whatever  be  our  designs  or  undertakings,  we  are  nevertheless 
with  all  our  endeavours  and  all  our  pursuits,  deserving  of  death 
and  destruction. 

(k)  Ezek.  xviii.  24  (i)  James  ii.  10. 


1^  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

XI.  We  must  strenuously  insist  on  these  two  points  —  first, 
chat  there  never  was  an  action  performed  by  a  pious  man, 
which,  if  examined  by  the  scrutinizing  eye  of  Divine  justice, 
would  not  deserve  condemnation  ;  and  secondly,  if  any  such 
thing  be  admitted,  (though  it  cannot  be  the  case  with  any  indi- 
vidual of  mankind,)  yet  being  corrupted  and  contaminated  by 
the  sins,  of  which  its  performer  is  confessedly  guilty,  it  loses 
every  claim  to  the  Divine  favour.  And  this  is  the  principal 
hinge  on  which  our  controversy  [with  the  Papists]  turns.  For 
concerning  the  beginning  of  justification,  there  is  no  dispute 
between  us  and  the  sounder  schoolmen,  but  we  all  agree,  that  a 
sinner  being  freely  delivered  from  condemnation  obtains  right- 
eousness, and  that  by  the  remission  of  his  sins  ;  only  they, 
under  the  term  pistification,  comprehend  that  renovation  in 
•which  we  are  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  an  obedience  to 
the  law,  and  so  they  describe  the  righteousness  of  a  regenerate 
man  as  consisting  in  this  —  that  a  man,  after  having  been  once 
reconciled  to  God  through  faith  in  Christ,  is  accounted  right- 
eous with  God  on  account  of  his  good  works,  the  merit  of 
which  is  the  cause  of  his  acceptance.  But  the  Lord,  on  the 
contrary,  declares,  "  that  faith  was  reckoned  to  Abraham  for 
righteousness,"  {k)  not  during  the  time  while  he  yet  remained 
a  worshipper  of  idols,  but  after  he  had  been  eminent  during 
many  years  for  the  sanctity  of  his  life.  Abraham,  then,  had  for 
a  long  time  worshipped  God  from  a  pure  heart,  and  performed 
all  that  obedience  to  the  law,  which  a  mortal  man  is  capable 
of  performing  ;  yet,  after  all,  his  righteousness  consisted  in  faith. 
Whence  we  conclude,  according  to  the  argument  of  Paul,  that 
it  was  not  of  works.  So  when  the  prophet  says,  "  The  just 
shall  live  by  his  faith,"  (^)  he  is  not  speaking  of  the  impious 
and  profane,  whom  the  Lord  justifies  by  converting  them  to 
the  faith  ;  but  his  address  is  directed  to  believers,  and  they  are 
promised  life  by  faith.  Paul  also  removes  every  doubt,  when, 
iii  confirmation  of  this  sentiment,  he  adduces  the  following 
passage  of  David  :  "  Blessed  are  they  whose  iniquities  are  for- 
given." (m)  But  it  is  certain  that  David  spake  not  of  impious 
men,  but  of  believers,  whose  characters  resembled  his  own  ;  for 
he  spoke  from  the  experience  of  his  own  conscience.  Where- 
fore it  is  necessary  for  us.  not  to  have  this  blessing  for  once 
only,  but  to  retain  it  as  long  as  we  live.  Lastly,  he  asserts, 
that  the  message  of  a  free  reconciliation  with  God,  is  not  only 
promulgated  for  a  day  or  two,  but  is  perpetual  in  the  church,  {n) 
Believers,  therefore,  even  to  the  end  of  their  lives,  have  no 
other  righteousness  than  that  which  is  there  described.  For 
the  mediatorial  office  is  perpetually   sustained  by   Christ,  by 

(A)  Rom.  iv.  9.  (0  Hab.  ii.  4.  (m)  Rom.  iv.  7.  (n)  2  Cor.  v.  18, 19 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  13 

whom  the  Father  is  reconciled  to  us ;  and  the  efficacy  of 
whose  death  is  perpetually  the  same,  consisting  in  ablution, 
satisfaction,  expiation,  and  perfect  obedience,  which  covers  all 
our  iniquities.  And  Paul  does  not  tell  the  Ephesians  that  they 
are  indebted  to  grace  merely  for  the  beginning  of  their  salva- 
tion, but  that  they  "are  saved  by  grace,  not  of  works,  lest  any 
man  should  boast."  (o) 

XII.  The  subterfuges,  by  which  the  schoolmen  endeavour 
to  evade  these  arguments,  are  unavailing.  They  say,  that  the 
sufficiency  of  good  works  to  justification  arises  not  from  their 
intrinsic  merit,  but  from  the  grace  through  which  they  are 
accepted.  Secondly,  because  they  are  constrained  to  acknow- 
ledge the  righteousness  of  works  to  be  always  imperfect  in  the 
present  state,  they  admit,  that  as  long  as  we  live  we  need  the 
remission  of  our  sins,  in  order  to  supply  the  defects  of  our 
works  ;  but  that  our  deficiencies  are  compensated  by  works  of 
supererogation.  I  reply,  that  what  they  denominate  the  grace 
through  which  our  works  are  accepted,  is  no  other  than  the 
free  goodness  of  the  Father,  with  which  he  embraces  us  in 
Christ,  when  he  invests  us  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
and  accepts  it  as  ours,  in  order  that,  in  consequence  of  it,  he 
may  treat  us  as  holy,  pure,  and  righteous  persons.  For  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  (which,  being  the  only  perfect  right- 
eousness, is  the  only  one  that  can  bear  the  Divine  scrutiny) 
must  be  produced  on  our  behalf,  and  judicially  presented,  as  in 
the  case  of  a  surety.  Being  furnished  with  this,  we  obtain  by 
faith  the  perpetual  remission  of  our  sins.  Our  imperfections 
and  impurities,  being  concealed  by  its  purity,  are  not  imputed 
to  us,  but  are  as  it  were  buried,  and  prevented  from  appearing 
in  the  view  of  Divine  justice,  till  the  advent  of  that  hour, 
when  the  old  man  being  slain  and  utterly  annihilated  in  us,  the 
Divine  goodness  shall  receive  us  into  a  blessed  peace  with  the 
new  Adam,  in  that  state  to  wait  for  the  day  of  the  Lord,  when 
we  shall  receive  incorruptible  bodies,  and  be  translated  to  the 
glories  of  the  celestial  kingdom. 

XIII.  If  these  things  are  true,  surely  no  works  of  ours  can 
render  us  acceptable  to  God  ;  nor  can  the  actions  themselves 
be  pleasing  to  him,  any  otherwise  than  as  a  man,  who  is 
covered  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  pleases  God  and 
obtains  the  remission  of  his  sins.  For  God  has  not  promised 
eternal  life  as  a  reward  of  certain  works  ;  he  only  declares, 
that  "he  that  doeth  these  things  shall  live,"  (^)  denouncing, 
on  the  contrary,  that  memorable  curse  against  all  who  continue 
not  in  the  observance  of  every  one  of  his  commands,  (q)  This 
alimidantly  refutes  the  erroneous  notion  of  a  partial  righteous- 

(o)  Ephes.  ii.  8,  9.  (p)  Lev.  xviii.  5.     Rom.  x.  5. 

(o)  Deut.  xxvii.  26.     Gal.  iii.  10. 


14  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    III. 


ness,  since  no  other  righteousness  is  admitted  into  heaven  but 
an  entire  observance  of  the  law.  Nor  is  there  any  more  solidity 
in  their  pretence  of  a  sufficient  compensation  for  imperfections 
by  works  of  supererogation.  For  are  they  not  by  this  perpe- 
tually recurring  to  the  subterfuge,  from  which  they  have  already 
been  driven,  that  the  partial  observance  of  the  law  constitutes, 
as  far  as  it  goes,  a  righteousness  of  works  ?  They  unbliish- 
ingly  assume  as  granted,  what  no  man  of  sound  judgment  will 
concede.  The  Lord  frequently  declares,  that  he  acknowledges 
no  righteousness  of  works,  except  in  a  perfect  obedience  to  his 
law.  What  presumption  is  it  for  us,  who  are  destitute  of  this, 
in  order  that  we  may  not  appear  to  be  despoiled  of  all  our 
glory,  or,  in  other  words,  to  submit  entirely  to  the  Lord  —  what 
presumption  is  it  for  us  to  boast  of  I  know  not  what  fragments 
of  a  few  actions,  and  to  endeavour  to  supply  deficiencies  by 
other  satisfactions  !  Satisfactions  have  already  been  so  com- 
pletely demolished,  that  they  ought  not  to  occupy  even  a 
transient  thought.  I  only  remark,  that  those  who  trifle  in  this 
manner,  do  not  consider  what  an  execrable  thing  sin  is  in  the  sight 
of  God  ;  for  indeed  they  ought  to  know,  that  all  the  righteous- 
ness of  all  mankind,  accumulated  in  one  mass,  is  insufficient  to 
compensate  for  a  single  sin.  We  see  that  man  on  account  of 
one  offence  was  rejected  and  abandoned  by  God,  so  that  he 
lost  all  means  of  regaining  salvation,  (r)  They  are  deprived, 
therefore,  of  the  power  of  satisfaction,  with  which,  however 
they  flatter  themselves,  they  will  certainly  never  be  able  to 
render  a  satisfaction  to  God,  to  whom  nothing  will  be  pleasing 
or  acceptable  that  proceeds  from  his  enemies.  Now,  his  ene- 
mies are  all  those  to  whom  he  determines  to  impute  sin.  Our 
sins,  therefore,  must  be  covered  and  forgiven,  before  the  Lord 
can  regard  any  of  our  works.  Whence  it  follows  that  the 
remission  of  sins  is  absolutely  gratuitous,  and  that  it  is  wick- 
edly blasphemed  by  those  who  obtrude  any  satisfactions.  Let 
us,  therefore,  after  the  example  of  the  apostle,  "  forgetting  those 
things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things 
which  are  before,  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  our 
high  calling."  (s) 

XIV.  But  how  is  the  pretence  of  works  of  supererogation 
consistent  with  this  injunction  —  "  When  ye  shall  have  done 
all  those  things  which  are  commanded  you,  say.  We  are  un- 
profitable servants ;  we  have  done  that  which  was"  our  duty  to 
do?  "  [t)  This  direction  does  not  inculcate  an  act  of  simula- 
tion or  falsehood,  but  a  decision  in  our  mind  respecting  that 
of  which  we  are  certain.  The  Lord,  therefore,  commands  u? 
sincerely  to  think  and  consider  with  ourselves,  that  our  services 

(r)  Gen.  iii.  {s)  Phil.  iii.  13,  14.  (<)  Luke  xvii.  10 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  15 

to  him  are  none  of  them  gratuitous,  but  merely  the  performance 
of  indispensable  duties ;  and  that  justly  ;  for  we  are  servants 
under  such  numerous  obligations  as  we  could  never  discharge  ; 
even  though  all  our  thoughts  and  all  our  members  were  devoted 
to  the  duties  of  the  law.  In  saying,  therefore,  "  When  ye  shall 
have  done  all  those  things  which  are  commanded,"  he  supposes 
a  case  of  one  man  having  attained  to  a  degree  of  righteousness 
beyond  what  is  attained  by  all  the  men  in  the  world.  How, 
then,  while  every  one  of  us  is  at  the  greatest  distance  from  this 
point,  can  we  presume  to  glory  that  we  have  completely  attained 
to  that  perfect  standard?  Nor  can  any  one  reasonably  object, 
that  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  his  efforts  from  going  beyond 
his  necessary  obligations,  who  in  any  respect  fails  of  doing  the 
duty  incumbent  on  him.  For  we  must  acknowledge,  that  we 
cannot  imagine  any  thing  pertaining  either  to  the  service  of 
God  or  to  the  love  of  our  neighbour,  which  is  not  comprehend- 
ed in  the  Divine  law.  But  if  it  is  a  part  of  the  law,  let  us  not 
boast  of  voluntary  liberality,  where  we  are  bound  by  necessity. 
XV.  It  is  irrelevant  to  this  subject,  to  allege  the  boasting 
of  Paul,  (u)  that  among  the  Corinthians  he  voluntarily  receded 
from  what,  if  he  had  chosen,  he  might  have  claimed  as  his 
right,  and  not  only  did  what  was  incumbent  on  him  to  do, 
but  afforded  them  his  gratuitous  services  beyond  the  requisi- 
tions of  duty.  They  ought  to  attend  to  the  reason  there  as- 
signed, that  he  acted  thus,  "  lest  he  should  hinder  the  gospel 
of  Christ."  (w)  For  wicked  and  fraudulent  teachers  recom- 
mended themselves  by  this  stratagem  of  liberality,  by  which 
they  endeavoured,  both  to  conciliate  a  favourable  reception  to 
their  own  pernicious  dogmas,  and  to  fix  an  odium  on  the  gos- 
pel ;  so  that  Paul  was  necessitated  either  to  endanger  the  doc- 
trine of  Christ,  or  to  oppose  these  artifices.  Now,  if  it  be  a 
matter  of  indifference  to  a  Christian  to  incur  an  offence  when 
he  may  avoid  it,  I  confess  that  the  apostle  performed  for  the 
Lord  a  work  of  supererogation  ;  but  if  this  was  justly  required 
of  a  prudent  minister  of  the  gospel,  I  maintain  that  he  did 
what  was  his  duty  to  do.  Even  if  no  such  reason  appeared, 
yet  the  observation  of  Chrysostom  is  always  true  — that  all  that 
we  have  is  on  the  same  tenure  as  the  possessions  of  slaves, 
which  the  law  pronounces  to  be  the  property  of  their  masters. 
And  Christ  has  clearly  delivered  the  same  truth  in  the  parable, 
where  he  inquires  whether  we  thank  a  servant,  when  he  re- 
turns home  in  the  evening,  after  the  various  labours  of  the 
day.  (x)  But  it  is  possible  that  he  may  have  laboured  with 
greater  diligence  than  we  had  ventured  to  require.  This  may 
be  granted ;  yet  he  has  done  no  more  than,  by  the  condition 

(m)  1  Cor.  ix.  (2f)  1  Cor.  ix.  12.  (z)  Luke  xvii.  9. 


IQ  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

of  servitude,  he  was  under  an  obligation  to  do ;  since  he  be- 
longs to  us,  with  all  the  ability  he  has.  I  say  nothing  of  the 
nature  of  the  supererogations  which  these  men  wish  to  boast 
of  before  God ;  for  they  are  contemptible  trifles,  which  he  has 
never  commanded,  which  he  does  not  approve,  nor,  when  they 
render  up  their  account  to  him,  will  he  accept  them.  We 
cannot  admit  that  there  are  any  works  of  supererogation,  ex- 
cept such  as  those  of  which  it  is  said  by  the  prophet,  "  Who 
hath  required  this  at  your  hand  ?  "  (y)  But  let  them  remem- 
ber the  language  of  another  passage  respecting  these  things : 
"  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not  bread  ? 
and  your  labour  for  that  which  satisfieth  not  ?  "  (2;)  It  is  easy, 
indeed,  for  these  idle  doctors  to  dispute  concerning  these  things 
in  easy  chairs  ;  but  when  the  Judge  of  all  shall  ascend  the 
judgment  seat,  all  such  empty  notions  must  vanish  away. 
The  object  of  our  inquiries  ought  to  be,  what  plea  Ave  may 
bring  forward  with  confidence  at  his  tribunal,  not  what  we  can 
invent  in  schools  and  cloisters. 

XVI.  On  this  subject  our  minds  require  to  be  guarded 
chiefly  against  two  pernicious  principles — That  we  place  no 
confidence  in  the  righteousness  of  our  works,  and  that  we 
ascribe  no  glory  to  them.  The  Scriptures  every  where  drive 
us  from  all  confidence,  when  they  declare  that  all  our  right- 
eousnesses are  odious  in  the  Divine  view,  unless  they  are  per- 
fumed with  the  holiness  of  Christ ;  and  that  they  can  only 
excite  the  vengeance  of  God,  unless  they  are  supported  by  his 
merciful  pardon.  Thus  they  leave  us  nothing  to  do,  but  to 
deprecate  the  wrath  of  our  Judge  with  the  confession  of  David, 
"  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant ;  for  in  thy  sight 
shall  no  man  living  be  justified."  (a)  And  where  Job  says, 
"  If  I  be  wicked,  woe  unto  me  ;  and  if  I  be  righteous,  yet  will 
I  not  lift  up  my  head ;  "  (6)  though  he  refers  to  that  consum- 
mate righteousness  of  God,  compared  to  which  even  the  angels 
are  deficient,  yet  he  at  the  same  time  shows,  that  when  God 
comes  to  judgment,  all  men  must  be  dumb.  For  he  not  only 
means  that  he  would  rather  freely  recede,  than  incur  the  dan- 
ger of  contending  with  the  rigour  of  God,  but  signifies  that  he 
experiences  in  himself  no  other  righteousness  than  what  would 
instantaneously  vanish  before  the  Divine  presence.  When 
confidence  is  destroyed,  all  boasting  must  of  necessity  be  re- 
linquished. For  who  can  give  the  praise  of  righteousness  to 
his  works,  in  which  he  is  afraid  to  confide  in  the  presence  of 
God?  We  must  therefore  have  recourse  to  the  Lord,  in  whom 
we  are  assured,  by  Isaiah,  that  *'  all  the  seed  of  Israel  shall  be 
justified,  and  shall  glory ;  "  (c)  for  it  is  strictly  true,  as  he 

(«)  Isaiah  i.  12.  (2)  Isaiah  Iv.  2.  (a)  Psalm  cxliii.  2. 

(b)  Job  X.  15.  (c)  Isaiah  xlv.  25. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  17 

says  in  another  place,  that  we  are  "  the  planting  of  the  Lord, 
that  he  might  be  glorified."  (f^)  Our  minds  therefore  will  then 
be  properly  purified,  when  they  shall  in  no  degree  confide  nor 
glory  in  our  works.  But  foolish  men  are  led  into  such  a  false 
and  delusive  confidence,  by  the  error  of  always  considering 
their  works  as  the  cause  of  their  salvation. 

XVII.  But  if  we  advert  to  the  four  kinds  of  causes,  which 
the  philosophers  direct  us  to  consider  in  the  production  of  effects, 
we  shall  find  none  of  them  consistent  with  works  in  the  accom- 
plishment of  our  salvation.  For  the  Scripture  every  where 
proclaims,  that  the  efficient  cause  of  eternal  life  being  procured 
for  us,  was  the  mercy  of  our  heavenly  Father,  and  his  gra- 
tuitous love  towards  us ;  that  the  material  cause  is  Christ  and 
his  obedience,  by  which  he  obtained  a  righteousness  for  us ; 
and  what  shall  we  denominate  the  formal  and  instrumental 
cause,  unless  it  be  faith  ?  These  three  John  comprehends  in 
one  sentence,  when  he  says,  that  "  God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  (e)  The 
final  cause  the  apostle  declares  to  be,  both  the  demonstration  of 
the  Divine  righteousness  and  the  praise  of  the  Divine  goodness, 
in  a  passage  in  which  he  also  expressly  mentions  the  other  three 
causes.  For  this  is  his  language  to  the  Romans :  "  All  have 
sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  being  justified 
freely  by  his  grace  :  "  (/)  here  we  have  the  original  source  of 
our  salvation,  Avhich  is  the  gratuitous  mercy  of  God  towards  us. 
It  follows,  "through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus:  " 
here  we  have  the  matter  of  our  justification.  "  Through  faith 
in  his  blood :  "  here  he  points  out  the  instrumental  cause,  by 
which  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is  revealed  to  us.  Lastly, 
he  subjoins  the  end  of  all,  when  he  says,  "  To  declare  his 
righteousn(}ss ;  that  he  might  be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him 
which  believeth  in  Jesus."  And  to  suggest,  by  the  way,  that 
this  righteousness  consists  in  reconciliation  or  propitiation,  he 
expressly  asserts  that  Christ  was  "  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation." 
So  also  in  the  first  chapter  to  the  Ephesians,  he  teaches  that 
we  are  received  into  the  favour  of  God  through  his  mere  mercy  ; 
that  it  is  accomplished  by  the  mediation  of  Christ ;  that  it  is 
apprehended  by  faith  ;  and  that  the  end  of  all  is,  that  the  glory 
of  the  Divine  goodness  may  be  fully  displayed,  (g)  When  we 
see  that  every  part  of  our  salvation  is  accomplished  without  us, 
what  reason  have  we  to  confide  or  to  glory  in  our  works  ? 
Nor  can  even  the  most  inveterate  enemies  of  Divine  grace  raise 
any  controversy  Avith  us  concerning  the  efficient  or  the  final 

(d)  Isaiah  Ixi.  3.  (/)  Rom.  iii.  23,  &c. 

(c)   John  iii.  16.  (g)  Jiphes.  i.  5—7, 13. 

VOL.    II.  3 


18  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    HI. 

cause,  unless  they  mean  altogether  to  renounce  the  authority 
of  the  Scripture.  Over  the  material  and  formal  causes  they 
superinduce  a  false  colouring ;  as  if  our  own  works  were  to 
share  the  honour  of  them  with  faith  and  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  But  this  also  is  contradicted  by  the  Scripture,  which 
affirms  that  Christ  is  the  sole  author  of  our  righteousness  and 
life,  and  that  this  blessing  of  righteousness  is  enjoyed  by  faith 
alone. 

XVIII.  The  saints  often  confirm  and  console  themselves 
with  the  remembrance  of  their  own  innocence  and  integrity, 
and  sometimes  even  refrain  not  from  proclaiming  it.  Now,  this 
is  done  for  two  reasons ;  either  that,  in  comparing  their  good 
cause  with  the  bad  cause  of  the  impious,  they  derive  from  such 
comparison  an  assurance  of  victory,  not  so  much  by  the  com- 
mendation of  their  own  righteousness,  as  by  the  just  and 
merited  condemnation  of  their  adversaries ;  or  that,  even  with- 
out any  comparison  with  others,  while  they  examine  them- 
selves before  God,  the  purity  of  their  consciences  affords  them 
some  consolation  and  confidence.  To  the  former  of  these  rea- 
sons we  shall  advert  hereafter ;  let  us  now  briefly  examine 
the  consistency  of  the  latter  with  what  we  have  before  asserted, 
that  in  the  sight  of  God  we  ought  to  place  no  reliance  on  the 
merit  of  works,  nor  glory  on  account  of  them.  The  con- 
sistency appears  in  this  —  that  for  the  foundation  and  accom- 
plishment of  their  salvation,  the  saints  look  to  the  Divine  good- 
ness alone,  without  any  regard  to  works.  And  they  not  only 
apply  themselves  to  it  above  all  things,  as  the  commencement 
of  their  happiness,  but  likewise  depend  upon  it  as  the  con- 
summation of  their  felicity.  A  conscience  thus  founded,  built 
up,  and  established,  is  also  confirmed  by  the  consideration  of 
works  ;  that  is,  as  far  as  they  are  evidences  of  God  dwelling 
and  reigning  in  us.  Now,  this  confidence  of  works  being  found 
in  none  but  those  who  have  previously  cast  all  the  confidence 
of  their  souls  on  the  mercy  of  God,  it  ought  not  to  be  thought 
contrary  to  that  upon  which  it  depends.  Wherefore,  when  we 
exclude  the  confidence  of  works,  we  only  mean  that  the  mind 
of  a  Christian  should  not  be  directed  to  any  merit  of  works  as  a 
mean  of  salvation  ;  but  should  altogether  rely  on  the  gratuitous 
promise  of  righteousness.  We  do  not  forbid  him  to  sujiport 
and  confirm  this  faith  by  marks  of  the  Divine  benevolence  to 
him.  For  if,  when  we  call  to  remembrance  the  various  gifts 
which  God  has  conferred  on  us,  they  are  all  as  so  many  rays 
from  the  Divine  coiuitcnance,  by  Avhich  we  are  illuminated  to 
contemplate  the  full  blaze  of  supreme  goodness,  —  much  more 
the  grace  of  good  works,  which  demonstrates  that  we  have 
received  the  Spirit  of  adoption. 

XIX.  When  the   saints,  therefore,  confirm  their  faith,  or 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  19 

derive  matter  of  rejoicing  from  the  integrity  of  their  con- 
sciences, they  only  conchide,  from  the  fruits  of  vocation,  that 
they  have  been  adopted  by  the  Lord  as  his  children.  The  de- 
claration of  Solomon,  that  "  In  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  strong 
confidence  ;  "  {h)  and  the  protestation  sometimes  used  by  the 
saints  to  obtain  a  favourable  audience  from  the  Lord,  that 
''  they  have  walked  before  "  him  "  in  truth  and  with  a  perfect 
heart ;  "  («')  these  things  have  no  concern  in  laying  the  foun- 
dation for  establishing  the  conscience  ;  nor  are  they  of  any 
value,  except  as  they  are  consequences  of  the  Divine  vocation. 
For  there  nowhere  exists  that  fear  of  God  which  can  establish 
a  full  assurance,  and  the  saints  are  conscious  that  their  integrity 
is  yet  accompanied  with  many  relics  of  corruption.  Bat  as 
the  fruits  of  regeneration  evince  that  the  Holy  Spirit  dwells  in 
them,  this  affords  them  ample  encouragement  to  expect  the  as- 
sistance of  God  in  all  their  necessities,  because  they  experience 
him  to  be  their  Father  in  an  affair  of  such  vast  importance. 
And  even  this  they  cannot  attain,  unless  they  have  first  appre- 
hended the  Divine  goodness,  confirmed  by  no  other  assurance 
but  that  of  the  promise.  For  if  they  begin  to  estimate  it  by 
their  good  works,  nothing  will  be  weaker  or  more  uncertain  ; 
for,  if  their  works  be  estimated  in  themselves,  their  imperfection 
will  menace  them  with  the  wrath  of  God,  as  much  as  their 
purity,  however  incomplete,  testifies  his  benevolence.  In  a 
word,  they  declare  the  benefits  of  God,  but  in  such  a  way  as 
not  to  turn  away  from  his  gratuitous  favour,  in  which  Paul  as- 
sures us  there  is  "  length,  and  breadth,  and  depth,  and  height ;  " 
as  though  he  had  said.  Which  way  soever  the  pious  turn  their 
views,  how  high  soever  they  ascend,  how  widely  soever  they 
expatiate,  yet  they  ought  not  to  go  beyond  the  love  of  Christ, 
but  employ  themselves  wholly  in  meditating  on  it,  because  it 
comprehends  in  itself  all  dimensions.  Therefore  he  says  that  it 
"  passeth  knowledge,"  and  that  when  we  know  how  much 
Christ  has  loved  us,  we  are  "  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of 
God."  {k)  So  also  in  another  place,  when  he  glories  that 
believers  are  victorious  in  every  conflict,  he  immediately  adds, 
as  the  reason  of  it,  "  through  him  that  loved  us."  (/) 

XX.  We  see  now,  that  the  confidence  which  the  saints 
have  in  their  works  is  not  such  as  either  ascribes  any  thing  to 
the  merit  of  them,  (since  they  view  them  only  as  the  gifts  of 
God,  in  which  they  acknowledge  his  goodness,  and  as  marks 
of  their  calling,  whence  they  infer  their  election,)  or  derogates 
the  least  from  the  gratuitous  righteousness  which  we  obtain  in 
Christ ;  since  it  depends  upon  it,  and  cannot  subsist  without  it. 

Qi)  Prov.  xiv.  26.  {h)  Ephes.  iii.  18,  19. 

(i)    2  Kings  XX.  3.  (/)  Rom.  viii.  37. 


20  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

This  is  concisely  and  beautifully  represented  by  Augustine, 
when  he  says,  "  I  do  not  say  to  the  Lord,  Despise  not  the 
works  of  my  hands.  I  have  sought  the  Lord  with  my  hands, 
and  I  have  not  been  deceived.  But  I  commend  not  the  works 
of  my  hands  ;  for  I  fear  that  when  thou  hast  examined  them, 
thou  wilt  find  more  sin  than  merit.  This  only  I  say,  this  I 
ask,  this  I  desire ;  Despise  not  the  works  of  thy  hands.  Be- 
hold in  me  thy  work,  not  mine.  For  if  thou  beholdest  mine, 
thou  condemnest  me  ;  if  thou  beholdest  thine  own,  thou 
crownest  me.  Because  whatever  good  works  I  have,  they  are 
from  thee."  He  assigns  two  reasons  why  he  ventured  not  to 
boast  of  his  works  to  God  ;  first,  that  if  he  has  any  good  ones, 
he  sees  nothing  of  his  own  in  them  ;  secondly,  that  even  these 
are  buried  under  a  multitude  of  sins.  Hence  the  conscience 
experiences  more  fear  and  consternation  than  security.  There- 
fore he  desires  God  to  behold  his  best  performances,  only  that 
he  may  recognize  in  them  the  grace  of  his  own  calhng,  and 
perfect  the  work  which  he  has  begun. 

XXL  The  remaining  objection  is,  that  the  Scripture  repre- 
sents the  good  works  of  believers  as  the  causes  for  which 
the  Lord  blesses  them.  But  this  must  be  understood  so  as  not 
to  afiect  what  we  have  before  proved,  that  the  efficient  cause 
of  our  salvation  is  the  love  of  God  the  Father ;  the  material 
cause,  the  obedience  of  the  Son  ;  the  instrumental  cause,  the 
illumination  of  the  Spirit,  that  is,  faith ;  and  the  final  cause, 
the  glory  of  the  infinite  goodness  of  God.  No  obstacle  arises 
from  these  things  to  prevent  good  Avorks  being  considered  by 
the  Lord  as  inferior  causes.  But  how  does  this  happen  ?  Be- 
cause those  whom  his  mercy  has  destined  to  the  inheritance  of 
eternal  life,  he,  in  his  ordinary  dispensations,  introduces  to  the 
possession  of  it  by  good  works.  That  which,  in  the  order  of  his 
dispensations,  precedes,  he  denominates  the  cause  of  that  which 
follows.  For  this  reason  he  sometimes  deduces  eternal  life 
from  works ;  not  that  the  acceptance  of  it  is  to  be  referred  to 
them  ;  but  because  he  justifies  the  objects  of  his  election,  that 
he  may  finally  glorify  them ;  he  makes  the  former  favour, 
which  is  a  step  to  the  succeeding  one,  in  some  sense  the  cause 
of  it.  But  whenever  the  true  cause  is  to  be  assigned,  he  does 
not  direct  us  to  take  refuge  in  works,  but  confines  our  thoughts 
entirely  to  his  mercy.  For  what  does  he  teach  us  by  the 
apostle  ?  "  The  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  but  the  "gift  of  God  is 
eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  Why  does  he  not 
oppose  righteousness  to  sin,  as  well  as  life  to  death  ?  Why 
does  he  not  make  righteousness  the  cause  of  life,  as  well  as  sin 
the  cause  of  death  ?  For  then  the  antithesis  would  have  been 
complete,  whereas  by  this  variation  it  is  partly  destroyed.  But 
the  apostle  intended  by  this  comparison  to  express  a  certain 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  21 

truth  —  that  death  is  due  to  the  demerits  of  men,  and  that  Hfe 
proceeds  solely  from  the  mercy  of  God.  Lastly,  these  phrases 
denote  rather  the  order  of  the  Divine  gifts,  than  the  cause  of 
them.  In  the  accumulation  of  graces  upon  graces,  God  derives 
from  the  former  a  reason  for  adding  the  next,  that  he  may  not 
omit  any  thing  necessary  to  the  enrichment  of  his  servants. 
And  while  he  thus  pursues  his  liberality,  he  would  have  us 
always  to  remember  his  gratuitous  election,  which  is  the 
source  and  original  of  all.  For  although  he  loves  the  gifts 
which  he  daily  confers,  as  emanations  from  that  fountain,  yet 
it  is  our  duty  to  adhere  to  that  gratuitous  acceptance,  which 
alone  can  support  our  souls,  and  to  connect  the  gifts  of  his 
Spirit,  which  he  afterwards  bestows  on  us,  with  the  first  cause, 
in  such  a  manner  as  will  not  be  derogatory  to  it. 


CHAPTER   XY. 


BOASTING  OF  THE  MERIT  OF  WORKS,  EQUALLY  SUBVERSIVE  OF 
god's  glory  in  the  gift  of  righteousness,  and  of  THE 
CERTAINTY     OF     SALVATION. 

We  have  now  discussed  the  principal  branch  of  this  subject ; 
that  because  righteousness,  if  dependent  on  works,  must  inevi- 
tably be  confounded  in  the  sight  of  God,  therefore  it  is  con- 
tained exclusively  in  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  participation 
of  Christ,  and  consequently  in  faith  alone.  Now,  it  must  be 
carefully  remarked  that  this  is  the  principal  hinge  on  which  the 
argument  turns,  that  we  may  not  be  implicated  in  the  common 
delusion,  which  equally  affects  the  learned  and  the  vulgar. 
For  as  soon  as  justification  by  faith  or  works  becomes  the  sub- 
ject of  inquiry,  they  have  immediate  recourse  to  those  passages 
which  seem  to  attribute  to  works  some  degree  of  merit  in  the 
sight  of  God ;  as  though  justification  by  works  would  be  fully 
evinced,  if  they  could  be  proved  to  be  of  any  value  before 
God.  We  have  already  clearly  demonstrated  that  the  right- 
eousness of  works  consists  only  in  a  perfect  and  complete  ob- 
servance of  the  law.  Whence  it  follows,  that  no  man  is  justified 
by  works,  but  he  who,  being  elevated  to  the  summit  of  perfec- 
tion, cannot  be  convicted  even  of  the  least  transgression.  This, 
therefore,  is  a  different  and  separate  question,  whether,  although 
works  be  utterly  insufficient  for  the  justification  of  men,  they 
do  not,  nevertheless,  merit  the  grace  of  God. 


22  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

II.  In  the  first  place,  with  respect  to  the  term  merit,  it  is 
necessary  for  me  to  premise,  that  whoever  first  applied  it  to 
human  works,  as  compared  with  the  Divine  judgment,  showed 
very  little  concern  for  the  purity  of  the  faith.  I  gladly  abstain 
from  all  controversies  about  mere  words  ;  but  I  could  wish  that 
this  sobriety  had  always  been  observed  by  Christian  writers, 
that  they  had  avoided  the  unnecessary  adoption  of  terms  not 
used  in  the  Scriptures,  and  calculated  to  produce  great  oflence, 
but  very  little  advantage.  For  what  necessity  was  there  for 
the  introduction  of  the  word  inerit,  when  the  value  of  good 
works  might  be  significantly  expressed  without  offence  by  a 
different  term  ?  But  the  great  offence  contained  in  it,  appears 
in  the  great  injury  the  world  has  received  from  it.  The  con- 
summate haughtiness  of  its  import  can  only  obscure  the  Divine 
grace,  and  taint  the  minds  of  men  with  presumptuous  arro- 
gance. I  confess,  the  ancient  writers  of  the  Church  have 
generally  used  it,  and  I  wish  that  their  misuse  of  one  word  had 
not  been  the  occasion  of  error  to  posterity.  Yet  they  also  de- 
clare in  some  places  that  they  did  not  intend  any  thing  preju- 
dicial to  the  truth.  For  this  is  the  language  of  Augustine  in 
one  passage  :  "Let  human  merit,  which  was  lost  by  Adam, 
here  be  silent,  and  let  the  grace  of  God  reign  through  Jesus 
Christ."  Again:  "The  saints  ascribe  nothing  to  their  own 
merits;  they  will  ascribe  all,  O  God,  only  to  thy  mercy."  In 
another  place  :  "  And  when  a  man  sees  that  wiiatever  good  he 
has,  he  has  it  not  from  himself,  but  from  his  God,  he  sees  that 
all  that  is  commended  in  him  proceeds  not  from  his  own  merits, 
but  from  the  Divine  mercy."  We  see  how,  by  divesting  man 
of  the  power  of  performing  good  actions,  he  likewise  destroys 
the  dignity  of  merit.  Chrysostom  says,  "  Our  works,  if  there 
be  any  consequent  on  God's  gratuitous  vocation,  are  a  retribu- 
tion and  a  debt ;  but  the  gifts  of  God  are  grace,  beneficence, 
and  immense  liberality."  Leaving  the  name,  however,  let  us 
rather  attend  to  the  thing.  I  have  before  cited  a  passage  from 
Bernard  :  "  As  not  to  presume  on  our  merits  is  sufticiently 
meritorious,  so  to  be  destitute  of  merits  is  sufficient  for  the 
judgment."  But  by  the  explanation  immediately  annexed,  he 
properly  softens  the  harshness  of  these  expressions,  when  he 
says,  "  Therefore  you  should  be  concerned  to  have  merits  :  and 
if  you  have  them,  you  should  know  that  they  are  .given  to  you  ; 
you  should  hope  for  the  fruit,  the  mercy  of  God  ;  and  you 
have  escaped  all  danger  of  poverty,  ingratitude,  and  presump- 
tion. Happy  the  Church  which  is  not  destitute,  either  of 
merits  without  presumption,  or  of  presumption  without  merits." 
And  just  before  he  had  fully  shown  how  pious  his  meaning 
was.  "  For  concerning  merits,"  he  says,  "  why  should  the 
Church  be  solicitous,  which  has  a  more  firm  and  secure  founda- 


XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


23 


tion  for  glorying  in  the  purpose  of  God  ?  For  God  cannot 
deny  himself;  he  will  perform  what  he  has  promised.  Thus 
you  have  no  reason  for  inquiring,  on  account  of  what  merits 
we  may  hope  for  blessings,  especially  when  you  read,  '  Not  for 
your  sakes,  but  for  my  sake  ; '  (m)  it  is  sufficiently  meritorious 
to  know  that  merits  are  insufficient." 

III.  The  Scripture  shows  what  all  our  works  are  capable  of 
meriting,  when  it  represents  them  as  unable  to  bear  the  Divine 
scrutiny,  because  they  are  full  of  impurity ;  and  in  the  next 
place,  what  would  be  merited  by  the  perfect  observance  of  the 
law,  if  this  could  any  where  be  found,  when  it  dn-ects  us, 
"  When  ye  shall  have  done  all  those  things  which  are  com- 
manded you,  say.  We  are  unprofitable  servants  ;  "  (n)  because 
we  shall  not  have  conferred  any  favour  on  God,  but  only  have 
performed  the  duties  incumbent  on  us,  for  which  no  thanks  are 
due.  Nevertheless,  the  good  works  which  the  Lord  has  con- 
ferred on  us,  he  denominates  our  own,  and  declares  that  he 
will  not  only  accept,  but  also  reward  them.  It  is  our  duty  to 
be  animated  by  so  great  a  promise,  and  to  stir  up  our  mmds 
that  we  "  be  not  weary  in  well  doing,"  (o)  and  to  be  truly 
grateful  for  so  great  an  instance  of  Divine  goodness.  It  is 
beyond  a  doubt,  that  whatever  is  laudable  in  our  works  pro- 
ceeds from  the  grace  of  God  ;  and  that  we  cannot  properly 
ascribe  the  least  portion  of  it  to  ourselves.  If  we  truly  and 
seriously  acknowledge  this  truth,  not  only  all  confidence,  but 
likewise  all  idea  of  merit,  immediately  vanishes.  We,  I  say, 
do  not,  like  the  sophists,  divide  the  praise  of  good  works  be- 
tween God  and  man,  but  we  preserve  it  to  the  Lord  complete, 
entire,  and  uncontaminated.  All  that  we  attribute  to  man,  is, 
that  those  works  which  were  otherwise  good  are  tainted  and 
polluted  by  his  impurity.  For  nothing  proceeds  from  the  most 
perfect  man,  which  is  wholly  immaculate.  Therefore  let  the 
Lord  sit  in  judgment  on  the  best  of  human  actions,  and  he 
will  indeed  recognize  in  them  his  own  righteousness,  but  man's 
disgrace  and  shame.  Good  works,  therefore,  are  pleasing  to 
God,  and  not  unprofitable  to  the  authors  of  them  ;  and  they 
will  moreover  receive  the  most  ample  blessings  from  God  as 
their  reward ;  not  because  they  merit  them,  but  because  the 
Divine  goodness  has  freely  appointed  them  this  reward.  But 
what  wickedness  is  it,  not  to  be  content  with  that  Divine 
liberality  which  remunerates  works  destitute  of  merit  with 
unmerited  rewards,  but  with  sacrilegious  ambition  still  to  aim 
at  more,  that  what  entirely  originates  in  the  Divine  munifi- 
cence may  appear  to  be  a  compensation  of  the  merit  of  works  ! 
Here  I  appeal  to  the  common  sense  of  every  man.     If  he  who, 

(m)  Ezek.  xxxvi.  32.  (n)  Luke  xvii.  10.  (o)  Gal.  vi.  9.    2  Thess.  iii.  13. 


^  INSTITUTES    or    THE  [bOOK    III. 

by  the  liberality  of  another,  enjoys  the  use  and  profit  of  an 
estate,  usurp  to  himself  also  the  title  of  proprietor,  does  he 
not  by  such  ingratitude  deserve  to  lose  the  possession  which  he 
had?  So  also  if  a  slave,  manumitted  by  his  master,  conceal 
his  mean  condition  as  a  freed-man,  and  boast  that  he  was  free 
by  birth,  does  he  not  deserve  to  be  reduced  to  his  former 
servitude  ?  For  this  is  the  legitimate  way  of  enjoying  a  benefit, 
if  we  neither  arrogate  more  than  is  given  us,  nor  defraud  our 
benefactor  of  his  due  praise  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  conduct 
ourselves  in  such  a  manner,  that  what  he  has  conferred  on  us 
may  appear,  as  it  were,  to  continue  with  himself.  If  this 
moderation  ought  to  be  observed  towards  men,  let  every  one 
examine  and  consider  what  is  due  to  God. 

IV.  I  know  that  the  sophists  abuse  some  texts  in  order  to 
prove  that  the  term  merit  is  found  in  the  Scriptures  with  refer- 
ence to  God.  They  cite  a  passage  from  Ecclesiasticus  :  "  Mercy 
shall  make  place  for  every  man  according  to  the  merit  of  his 
works."  (/))  And  from  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews:  "To  do 
good,  and  to  communicate,  forget  not ;  for  with  such  sacrifices 
men  merit  of  God."  (</)  My  right  to  reject  the  authority  of 
Ecclesiasticus  I  at  present  relinquish  ;  but  I  deny  that  they 
faithfully  cite  the  words  of  the  writer  of  Ecclesiasticus,  who- 
ever he  might  be  ;  for  in  the  Greek  copy  it  is  as  follows : 
Ilarfr)  sXfTjjjiorfuvT)  "Troivjrfsi  to'Tov  IxaffTog  ^ap  xa.'ra  ra  spya  auTou  Sopvjfl'Si. 
"  He  shall  make  place  for  every  mercy  ;  and  every  man  shall 
find  according  to  his  works."  And  that  this  is  the  genuine 
reading,  which  is  corrupted  in  the  Latin  version,  appears  both 
from  the  complexion  of  the  words  themselves  and  from  the 
preceding  context.  In  the  passage  quoted  from  the  Epistle  to 
the  Hebrews,  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  endeavour  to 
insnare  us  by  a  single  word,  when  the  apostle's  words  in  the 
Greek  imply  nothing  more  than  that  "with  such  sacrifices  God 
is  well  pleased."  This  alone  ought  to  be  abundantly  sutficient 
to  repress  and  subdue  the  insolence  of  our  pride,  that  we  trans- 
gress not  the  scriptural  rule  by  ascribing  any  dignity  to  human 
works.  Moreover,  the  doctrine  of  the  Scripture  is,  that  our 
good  works  are  perpetually  defiled  with  many  blemishes,  which 
might  justly  otfend  God  and  incense  him  against  us  ;  so  far  are 
they  from  being  able  to  conciliate  his  favour,  or  to  excite  his 
beneficence  towards  us ;  yet  that,  because  in  his  great  mercy 
he  does  not  examine  them  according  to  the  rigour  of  his  justice, 
he  accepts  them  as  though  they  were  inmiaculately  pure,  and 
therefore  rewards  them,  though  void  of  all  merit,  with  infinite 
blessings  both  in  this  life  and  in  that  which  is  to  come.  For  I 
cannot  admit  the  distuiction  laid  down  by  some,  who  are  other- 

{p)  Ecclus.  xvi.  14.  (q)  Hob.  xiii.  16. 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  25 

wise  men  of  learning  and  piety,  that  good  works  merit  the 
graces  which  are  conferred  on  us  in  this  life,  and  that  eternal 
salvation  is  the  reward  of  faith  alone ;  because  the  Lord  almost 
always  places  the  reward  of  labours  and  the  crown  of  victory 
in  heaven.  Besides,  to  ascribe  the  accumulation  of  graces 
upon  graces,  given  us  by  the  Lord,  to  the  merit  of  works,  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  detract  it  from  grace,  is  contrary  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  Scripture.  For  though  Christ  says,  that  *'  to 
every  one  that  hath  shall  be  given,"  and  that  "  the  good  and 
faithful  servant,  who  hath  been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  shall 
be  made  ruler  over  many  things,"  (r)  yet  he  likewise  shows 
in  another  place,  that  the  improvements  of  believers  are  the 
gifts  of  his  gratuitous  kindness.  "  Ho,  every  one  that  thirst- 
eth,"  says  he,  "come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that  hath  no 
money ;  come  ye,  buy,  and  eat ;  yea,  come,  buy  wine  and 
milk  without  money  and  without  price."  (s)  Whatever,  there- 
fore, is  now  conferred  on  believers  to  promote  their  salvation 
as  well  as  their  future  blessedness,  flows  exclusively  from  the 
beneficence  of  God  ;  nevertheless  he  declares,  that  both  in  the 
latter  and  in  the  former,  he  has  respect  to  our  works,  because, 
to  demonstrate  the  magnitude  of  his  love  to  us,  he  dignifies 
with  such  honour,  not  only  ourselves,  but  even  the  gifts  which 
he  has  bestowed  on  us. 

V.  If  these  points  had  been  handled  and  digested  in  proper 
order  in  former  ages,  there  would  never  have  arisen  so  many 
debates  and  dissensions.  Paul  says,  that  in  erecting  the  super- 
structure of  Christian  doctrine,  it  is  necessary  to  retain  that 
foundation  which  he  had  laid  among  the  Corinthians,  other 
than  which  no  man  can  lay,  which  is  Jesus  Christ,  (t)  What 
kind  of  a  foundation  have  we  in  Christ  ?  Has  he  begun  our 
salvation,  that  we  may  complete  it  ourselves?  and  has  he 
merely  opened  a  way  for  us  to  proceed  in  by  our  own  powers  ? 
By  no  means ;  but,  as  the  apostle  before  stated,  when  we  ac- 
knowledge him,  he  is  "made  unto  us  righteousness."  (t^)  No 
man,  therefore,  is  properly  founded  on  Christ,  but  he  who  has 
complete  righteousness  in  him  ;  since  the  apostle  says,  that  he 
was  sent,  not  to  assist  us  in  the  attainment  of  righteousness, 
but  to  be  himself  our  righteousness  ;  that  is  to  say,  that  we 
were  chosen  in  him  from  eternity,  before  the  formation  of  the 
world,  not  on  account  of  any  merit  of  ours,  but  according  to 
the  purpose  of  the  Divine  will  ;  (w)  that  by  the  death  of  Christ 
we  are  redeemed  from  the  sentence  of  death,  and  liberated  from 
perdition ;  (x)  that  in  him  we  are  adopted  as  sons  and  heirs  by 
the  heavenly  Father,  (y)  to  whom  we  have  been  reconciled  by 

(r)  Matt.  XXV.  21,  29.  (s)  Isaiah  Iv.  1.  (t)  I  Cor.  iii.  10,  11. 

(u)  1  Cor.  i.  30.        (w)  Ephes.  i.  3—5.        (x)  Col.  i.  14,  20,  21.        (y)  John  i.  12. 


26  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

his  blood ;  that  bchig  committed  to  his  protection,  we  are  not 
in  the  least  danger  of  perishing  ;  (z)  that  being  thus  ingrafted 
into  him,  we  are  already,  as  it  were,  partakers  of  eternal  life, 
and  entered  by  hope  into  the  kingdom  of  God ;  and  moreover, 
that  having  obtained  such  a  participation  of  him,  however 
foolish  we  may  be  in  ourselves,  he  is  our  wisdom  before  God  ; 
that  however  impure  we  are,  he  is  our  purity  ;  that  though  we 
are  weak  and  exposed  to  Satan,  yet  that  power  is  ours  which  is 
given  to  him  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  (a)  by  which  he  defeats 
Satan  for  us,  and  breaks  the  gates  of  hell ;  that  though  we 
still  carry  about  with  us  a  body  of  death,  yet  he  is  our  life ;  in 
short,  that  all  that  is  his  belongs  to  us,  and  that  we  have  every 
thing  in  him,  but  nothing  in  ourselves.  On  this  foundation,  I 
say,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  build,  if  we  wish  to  "grow  unto 
a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord."  {b) 

VI.  But  the  world  has  long  been  taught  a  different  lesson  ;  for 
1  know  not  what  good  works  of  morality  have  been  invented  to 
render  men  acceptable  to  God,  before  they  are  ingrafted  into 
Christ.  As  though  the  Scripture  were  false  in  asserting,  that 
"  he  that  hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hath  not  life."  (c)  If  they 
are  destitute  of  life,  how  could  they  generate  any  cause  of  life  ? 
As  though  there  were  no  truth  in  the  declaration,  that  "  what- 
soever is  not  of  faith,  is  sin !  "  (d)  as  though  an  evil  tree  could 
produce  good  fruits !  But  what  room  have  these  most  pestilent 
sophists  left  to  Christ  for  the  exertion  of  his  power  ?  They 
say  that  he  has  merited  for  us  the  first  grace  ;  that  is,  the 
opportunity  of  meriting ;  and  that  now  it  is  onr  part  not  to 
miss  the  offered  opportunity.  What  extreme  impudence  and 
impiety !  Who  would  have  expected  that  any  persons  profess- 
ing the  name  of  Christ,  would  presume  thus  to  rob  him  of  his 
power,  and  almost  to  trample  him  under  their  feet  ?  It  is 
every  where  testified  of  him,  that  all  who  believe  in  him  are 
justified :  (e)  these  men  tell  us,  that  the  only  benefit  received 
from  him  is,  that  a  way  is  opened  for  all  men  to  justify  them- 
selves. But  I  wish  that  they  had  experienced  what  is  con- 
tained in  these  passages :  "  He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life  ; "  (/) 
"  he  that  believeth  is  passed  from  death  unto  life  ;  "  (g)  "'jus- 
tified by  his  grace,"  that  we  might  "be  made  heirs  of  eternal 
life  ;  "  (/i)  that  believers  have  Christ  abiding  in  them,  by  whom 
they  are  united  to  God  ;  (i)  that  they  are  partakers  of  his  life, 
and  sit  with  him  "in  heavenly  places;"  (k)  that  they  are 
translated  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  have  obtained  salva- 
tion ;  (l)  and  innumerable  places  of  similar  import.     For  they 

(:)  John  X.  28.  29.  C'')  Rom.  xiv.  23.  (A)  Rom.  iii.  24. 

(«)  Malt,  xxviii.  18.  (0  Acts  xiii.  30.  (i)  1  John  iii.  24. 

(b)  Ephcs.  ii  21.    Titus  iii.  7.  (/)  1  John  v.  12.  {k)  Ephcs.  ii.  6. 

(c)  1  John  V.  12.  (g-)  John  v.  24.  (/)  Col.  i.  13. 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  27 

do  not  signify  that  by  faith  in  Christ  we  merely  gain  the 
abihty  to  attain  righteousness  or  effect  our  salvation,  but  that 
both  are  bestowed  on  us.  Therefore,  as  soon  as  we  are 
ingrafted  into  Christ  by  faith,  we  are  already  become  sons  of 
God,  heirs  of  heaven,  partakers  of  righteousness,  possessors  of 
life,  and  (the  better  to  refute  their  falsehoods)  we  have  attained, 
not  the  opportunity  of  meriting,  but  all  the  merits  of  Christ ; 
for  they  are  all  communicated  to  us. 

VII.  Thus  the  Sorbonic  schools,  those  sources  of  all  kinds 
of  errors,  have  deprived  us  of  justification  by  faith,  which  is 
the  substance  of  all  piety.  They  grant,  indeed,  in  words,  that 
a  man  is  justified  by  faith  formed ;  but  this  they  afterwards 
explain  to  be,  because  faith  renders  good  works  effectual  to 
justification  ;  so  that  their  mention  of  faith  has  almost  the 
appearance  of  mockery,  since  it  could  not  be  passed  over  in 
silence,  while  the  Scripture  is  so  full  of  it,  without  exposing 
them  to  great  censure.  And  not  content  with  this,  they  rob 
God  of  part  of  the  praise  of  good  works,  and  transfer  it  to  man. 
Perceiving  that  good  works  avail  but  little  to  the  exaltation  of 
man,  and  that  they  cannot  properly  be  denominated  merits  if 
they  be  considered  as  the  effects  of  Divine  grace,  they  derive 
them  from  the  power  of  free-will ;  which  is  like  extracting  oil 
from  a  stone.  They  contend,  that  though  grace  be  the  princi- 
pal cause  of  them,  yet  that  this  is  not  to  the  exclusion  of  free- 
will, from  which  all  merit  originates.  And  this  is  maintained 
not  only  by  the  latter  sophists,  but  likewise  by  their  master, 
Lombard,  whom,  when  compared  with  them,  we  may  pro- 
nounce to  be  sound  and  sober.  Truly  wonderful  was  their 
blindness,  with  Augustine  so  frequently  in  their  mouths,  not  to 
see  how  solicitously  he  endeavoured  to  prevent  men  from  arro- 
gating the  least  degree  of  glory  on  account  of  good  works. 
Before,  when  we  discussed  the  question  of  free-will,  we  cited 
from  him  some  testimonies  to  this  purpose  ;  and  similar 
ones  frequently  recur  in  his  writings  ;  as  when  he  forbids  us 
ever  to  boast  of  our  merits,  since  even  they  are  the  gifts  of 
God ;  and  when  he  says,  "  that  all  our  merit  proceeds  from 
grace  alone ;  that  it  is  not  obtained  by  our  sufficiency,  but  is 
produced  entirely  by  grace,"  &c.  That  Lombard  was  blind  to 
the  light  of  Scripture,  in  which  he  appears  not  to  have  been 
so  well  versed,  need  not  excite  so  much  surprise.  Yet  nothing 
could  be  wished  for  more  explicit,  in  opposition  to  him  and 
his  disciples,  than  this  passage  of  the  apostle  ;  who,  having 
interdicted  Christians  from  all  boasting,  subjoins  as  a  reason 
why  boasting  is  unlawful,  that  "we  are  his  (God's)  workman- 
ship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath 
before  ordained  that  we  should   walk  in   them."  (m)     Since 

(m)  Ephes.  ii.  10. 


28  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    III. 


nothing  good,  then,  can  proceed  from  us  but  as  we  are  regene- 
rated, and  our  regeneration  is,  without  exception,  entirely  of  God, 
we  have  no  right  to  arrogate  to  ourselves  the  smallest  particle 
of  our  good  works.  Lastly,  while  they  assiduously  inculcate 
good  works,  they  at  the  same  time  instruct  the  consciences  of 
men  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  can  never  dare  to  be  confi- 
dent that  God  is  propitious  and  favourable  to  their  works. 
But,  on  the  contrary,  our  doctrine,  without  any  mention  of 
merit,  animates  the  minds  of  believers  with  peculiar  consola- 
tion, while  we  teach  them  that  their  works  are  pleasing  to 
God,  and  that  their  persons  are  undoubtedly  accepted  by  him. 
And  we  likewise  require,  that  no  man  attempt  or  undertake 
any  work  without  faith ;  that  is,  unless  he  can  previously 
determine,  with  a  certain  confidence  of  mind,  that  it  will  be 
pleasing  to  God. 

VIII.  Wherefore  let  us  not  suffer  ourselves  to  be  seduced 
even  a  hair's  breadth  from  the  only  foundation,  on  which, 
when  it  is  laid,  wise  architects  erect  a  firm  and  regular  super- 
structure. For  if  there  be  a  necessity  for  doctrine  and  exhor- 
tation, they  apprize  us,  that  "for  this  purpose  the  Son  of  God 
was  manifested,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil : 
whosoever  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin:"(7?)  "the 
time  past  of  our  life  may  suffice  us  to  have  wrought  the  will 
of  the  Gentiles ;  "  (o)  the  elect  of  God  are  vessels  of  mercy 
selected  to  honour,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  cleansed  from  all 
impurity,  (p)  But  every  thing  is  said  at  once,  when  it  is 
shown  that  Christ  chooses  such  for  his  disciples  as  will  deny 
themselves,  take  up  their  cross,  and  follow  him.  (q)  He  who  has 
denied  himself,  has  laid  the  axe  to  the  root  of  all  evils,  that  he 
may  no  longer  seek  those  things  which  are  his  own ;  he  who 
has  taken  up  his  cross,  has  prepared  himself  for  all  patience  and 
gentleness.  But  the  example  of  Christ  comprehends  not  only 
these,  but  all  other  duties  of  piety  and  holiness.  He  was 
obedient  to  his  Father,  even  to  death ;  he  was  entirely  occu- 
pied in  performing  the  works  of  God ;  he  aspired  with  his 
whole  soul  to  promote  the  glory  of  his  Father ;  he  laid  down 
his  life  for  his  brethren ;  he  both  acted  and  prayed  for  the 
benefit  of  his  enemies.  But  if  there  be  need  of  consolation, 
these  passages  will  atibrd  it  in  a  wonderful  degree  :  "  We  are 
troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  distressed ;  we  are  perplexed, 
but  not  in  despair ;  persecuted,  but  not  forsaken ;  cast  down, 
but  not  destroyed ;  always  bearing  about  in  the  body  the 
dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus  might  be 
made  manifest  in  our  body."(r)     "If  we  be  dead  with  him. 


(n)  1  John  iii.  8,  0.  (o)  1  Peter  iv.  3.  (p)  2  Tim.  ii.  20.     Rom.  ix.  23. 

(?)  Luke  ix.  23.  (r)'«  Cor.  iv.  8—10. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  29 

we  shall  also  live  with  him ;  if  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign 
with  him."  (t)  "  Being  made  conformable  unto  his  death  ;  if 
by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead."  (w)  The  Father  has  predestinated  all  whom  he  has 
chosen  in  his  Son  "  to  be  conformed  to  his  image,  that  he 
might  be  the  first-born  among  many  brethren  ;  "  and  therefore 
''  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come, 
shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ 
Jesus  ;  "  {w)  but  ''  all  things  shall  work  together  for  good  "  (x) 
to  us,  and  conduce  to  our  salvation.  We  do  not  justify  men 
by  works  before  God ;  but  we  say,  that  all  who  are  of  God  are 
regenerated  and  made  new  creatures,  that  they  may  depart 
from  the  kingdom  of  sin  into  the  kingdom  of  righteousness ; 
and  that  by  this  testimony  they  ascertain  their  vocation,  (y)  and, 
hke  trees,  are  judged  by  their  fruits. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


A    REFUTATION    OF     THE    INJURIOUS     CALUMNIES    OF     THE     PAPISTS 
AGAINST    THIS    DOCTRINE. 

The  observation  with  which  we  closed  the  preceding  chap- 
ter is,  of  itself,  sufficient  to  refute  the  impudence  of  some 
impious  persons,  who  accuse  us,  in  the  first  place,  of  destroying 
good  works,  and  seducing  men  from  the  pursuit  of  them,  when 
we  say  that  they  are  not  justified  by  works,  nor  saved  through 
their  own  merit ;  and  secondly,  of  making  too  easy  a  road  to 
righteousness,  when  we  teach  that  it  consists  in  the  gratuitous 
remission  of  sins ;  and  of  enticing  men,  by  this  allurement,  to 
the  practice  of  sin,  to  which  they  have  naturally  too  strong  a 
propensity.  These  calumnies,  I  say,  are  sufficiently  refuted  by 
that  one  observation  ;  yet  I  will  briefly  reply  to  them  both. 
They  allege  that  justification  by  faith  destroys  good  works.  I 
forbear  any  remarks  on  the  characters  of  these  zealots  for  good 
works,  who  thus  calumniate  us.  Let  them  rail  with  impunity 
as  licentiously  as  they  infest  the  whole  world  Avith  the  im- 
purity of  their  lives.  They  affect  to  lament  that  while  faith  is 
so  magnificently  extolled,  works  are  degraded  from  their  proper 
rank.  What  if  they  be  more  encouraged  and  established  ? 
For  we  never  dream  either  of  a  faith  destitute  of  good  works, 

(0  2  Tim.  ii.  11,  12.  (u)  Phil.  iii.  10,  11.  (?o)  Rom.  viii.  29,  38,  39. 

(z)  Rom.  viii.  28.  (y)  2  Peter  i.  10. 


30  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

or  of  a  justification  unattended  by  them  :  this  is  the  sole  dif- 
ference, that  while  we  acknowledge  a  necessary  connection 
between  faith  and  good  works,  we  attribute  justification,  not 
to  works,  but  to  faith.  Our  reason  for  this  we  can  readily 
explain,  if  we  only  turn  to  Christ,  towards  whom  faith  is 
directed,  and  from  whom  it  receives  all  its  virtue.  Why,  then, 
are  we  justified  by  faith  ?  Because  by  faith  we  apprehend  the 
righteousness  of  Christ,  which  is  the  only  medium  of  our  re- 
conciliation to  God.  But  this  you  cannot  attain,  without  at  the 
same  time  attaining  to  sanctification  ;  for  he  "  is  made  unto  us 
wisdom  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification  and  redemp- 
tion." (z)  Christ  therefore  justifies  no  one  whom  he  does  not 
also  sanctify.  For  these  benefits  are  perpetually  and  indissolu- 
bly  connected,  so  that  whom  he  illuminates  with  his  wisdom, 
them  he  redeems ;  whom  he  redeems,  he  justifies ;  whom 
he  justifies,  he  sanctifies.  But  as  the  present  question  re- 
lates only  to  righteousness  and  sanctification,  let  us  in- 
sist upon  them.  We  may  distinguish  between  them,  but 
Christ  contains  both  inseparably  in  himself  Do  you  wish, 
then,  to  obtain  righteousness  in  Christ  ?  You  must  first  pos- 
sess Christ ;  but  you  cannot  possess  him  without  becoming  a 
partaker  of  his  sanctification  ;  for  he  cannot  be  divided.  Since, 
then,  the  Lord  aftords  us  the  enjoyment  of  these  blessings  only 
in  the  bestowment  of  himself,  he  gives  them  both  together, 
and  never  one  without  the  other.  Thus  we  see  how  true  it  is 
that  we  are  justified,  not  without  works,  yet  not  by  works  ; 
since  union  with  Christ,  by  which  we  are  justified,  contains 
sanctification  as  well  as  righteousness. 

II.  It  is  also  exceedingly  false,  that  the  minds  of  men  are 
seduced  from  an  inclination  to  virtue,  by  our  divesting  them 
of  all  ideas  of  merit.  Here  the  reader  must  just  be  informed, 
that  they  impertinently  argue  from  reward  to  merit,  as  I  shall 
afterwards  more  fully  explain  ;  because,  in  fact,  they  are  igno- 
rant of  this  principle,  that  God  is  equally  liberal  in  assigning  a 
reward  to  good  works,  as  in  imparting  an  ability  to  perform 
them.  But  this  I  would  rather  defer  to  its  proper  place.  It 
will  suffice,  at  present,  to  show  the  weakness  of  their  objection, 
which  shall  be  done  two  ways.  For,  first,  when  they  say  that 
there  will  be  no  concern  about  the  proper  regulation  of  our  life 
without  a  hope  of  reward  being  proposed,  they  altogether  de- 
ceive themselves.  If  they  only  mean  that  men  serve  God  in 
expectation  of  a  reward,  and  hire  or  sell  their  services  to  him, 
they  gain  but  little  ;  for  he  will  be  freely  worshipped  and 
freely  loved,  and  he  approves  of  that  worshipper  who,  after 
being  deprived  of  all  hope  of  receiving  any  reward,  still  ceases 

(i)  1  Cor.  i.  30.     - 


CHAP.    XVI 


]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  31 


not  to  worship  him.  Besides,  if  men  require  to  be  stimulated, 
it  is  impossible  to  urge  more  forcible  arguments  than  those 
which  arise  from  the  end  of  our  redemption  and  calling ; 
such  as  the  word  of  God  adduces,  when  it  inculcates,  that  it 
is  the  greatest  and  most  impious  ingratitude  not  reciprocally  to 
"  love  him  who  first  loved  us ;  "  (a)  that  "  by  the  blood  of 
Christ  our  consciences  are  purged  from  dead  works,  to  serve 
the  living  God  ;  "  (b)  that  it  is  a  horrible  sacrilege,  after  having 
been  once  purged,  to  defile  ourselves  with  new  pollutions,  and 
to  profane  that  sacred  blood;  (c)  that  we  have  been  "delivered 
out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies,"  that  we  "might  serve  him 
without  fear,  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before  him,  all  the 
days  of  our  life ;  "  (d)  that  we  are  made  "  free  from  sin," 
that  with  a  free  spirit  we  might  "  become  the  servants  of 
righteousness  ;  "  (e)  "  that  our  old  man  is  crucified,"  that  "  we 
should  walk  in  newness  of  life."  (/)  Again  :  "  If  ye  be  risen 
with  Christ,"  as  his  members  indeed  are,  "  seek  those  things 
which  are  al30ve,"  and  conduct  yourselves  as  "  pilgrims  on  the 
earth ; "  that  you  may  aspire  towards  heaven,  where  your 
treasure  is.  (g)  That  "  the  grace  of  God  hath  appeared, 
teaching  us,  that  denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we 
should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present 
world  ;  looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the  glorious  appear- 
ing of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour."  [h)  Wherefore  "  God 
hath  not  appointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation  by 
Christ."  (i)  That  we  are  the  "  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost," 
which  it  is  unlawful  to  profane ;  (k)  that  we  are  not  darkness, 
"  but  light  in  the  Lord,"  whom  it  becomes  to  "  walk  as  chil- 
dren of  the  light  ;"(Z)  that  "God  hath  not  called  us  unto 
uncleanness,  but  unto  holiness ;  for  this  is  the  will  of  God, 
even  our  sanctification,  that  we  should  abstain  from  fornica- 
tion ;  "  (m)  that  our  calling  is  a  holy  one,  which  should  be 
followed  by  a  correspondent  purity  of  life  ;  (n)  that  we  are 
"made  free  from  sin,"  that  we  might  "become  servants  of 
righteousness."  (o)  Can  we  be  incited  to  charity  by  any 
stronger  argument  than  that  of  John,  "  If  God  so  loved  us,  we 
ought  also  to  love  one  another?  "  "  in  this  the  children  of  God 
are  manifest,  and  the  children  of  the  devil ;  "  (p)  hereby  the 
children  of  light,  by  their  abiding  in  love,  are  distinguished  from 
the  children  of  darkness  ;  or  that  of  Paul,  That  if  we  be  united 
to  Christ,  we  are  members  of  one  body,  and  ought  to  afford 
each  other  mutual  assistance  }  (q)     Or  can  we  be  more  power- 

(«)  1  John  iv.  10, 19.  (g)  Col.  iii.  1.    Heb.  xi.  13.  (/)  Eplies.  v.  8. 

(t)   Heb.  ix.  14.  1  Peter  ii.  11.  (m)  1  Tliess.  iv.  3,  7. 

(c)  Heb.  X.  29.  (/<)  Titus  ii.  11—13.  (n)  2  Tim.  i.9.    1  Peter  i.  15. 

(d)  Luke  i.  74,  75.  (i)  1  Tiiess.  v.  9.  (o)  Rom.  vi.  18. 

(e)  Rom.  vi.  18.  {k}  1  Cor.  iii.  16, 17;  vi.  19.  (7^)  1  John  iv.  11  ;  iii.  10. 
(/)  Rom.  vi.  4,  6.                       Ephes.  ii.  21.  (<?)  1  Cor.  xii.  12,  &c. 


'32  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

fully  excited  to  holiness,  than  when  we  are  informed  by  John, 
that  "every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in  him  purifieth  him- 
self, even  as  God  is  pure  ?  "  (r)  Or  when  Paul  says,  "  Hav- 
ing therefore  these  promises,  (relative  to  our  adoption,)  let 
us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and 
spirit  ?"(s)  or  than  when  we  hear  Christ  proposing  himself 
as  our  example,  that  we  should  follow  his  steps?  {t) 

III.  These  few  instances,  indeed,  I  have  given  as  a  speci- 
men ;  for  if  I  were  disposed  to  quote  every  particular  passage, 
I  should  produce  a  large  volume.  The  apostles  are  quite  full 
of  admonitions,  exhortations,  and  reproofs,  to  "  furnish  the  man 
of  God  unto  all  good  works,"  (u)  and  that  without  any  men- 
tion of  merit.  But  they  rather  deduce  their  principal  exhorta- 
tions from  this  consideration.  That  our  salvation  depends  not 
on  any  merit  of  ours,  but  merely  on  the  mercy  of  God.  As 
Paul,  after  having  very  largely  shown  that  we  can  have  no 
hope  of  life,  but  from  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  when  he 
proceeds  to  exhortations,  beseeches  us  "by  the  mercies  of 
God  "  with  which  we  have  been  favoured,  (v)  And  indeed 
this  one  reason  ought  to  be  enough  ;  that  God  may  be  glori- 
fied in  lis.  (w)  But  if  any  persons  be  not  so  powerfully  af- 
fected by  the  glory  of  God,  yet  the  remembrance  of  his  benefits 
should  be  amply  sufficient  to  incite  them  to  rectitude  of  con- 
duct. But  these  men,  who  by  the  obtrusion  of  merit  extort 
some  servile  and  constrained  acts  of  obedience  to  the  law,  are 
guilty  of  falsehood  when  they  affirm  that  we  have  no  argu- 
ments to  enforce  the  practice  of  good  works,  because  we  do 
not  proceed  in  the  same  way ;  as  though,  truly,  such  obedi- 
ence were  very  pleasing  to  God,  who  declares  that  he  "  loveth 
a  cheerful  giver  ;  "  and  forbids  any  thing  to  be  given  "  grudg- 
ingly, or  of  necessity."  {x)  Nor  do  I  say  this,  because  I  either 
reject  or  neglect  that  kind  of  exhortation,  which  the  Scripture 
frequently  uses,  that  no  method  of  animating  us  to  our  duty 
may  be  omitted.  It  mentions  the  reward  which  "  God  will 
render  to  every  man  according  to  his  works ;  "  (y)  but  that 
this  is  the  only  argument,  or  the  principal  one,  I  deny.  In 
the  next  place,  I  assert  that  we  ought  not  to  begin  with  it. 
Moreover,  I  contend  that  it  has  no  tendency  to  establish  the 
merit  preached  by  these  men,  as  we  shall  afterwards  see  ;  and, 
lastly,  that  it  is  entirely  useless,  unless  preceded  by  this  doc- 
trine. That  we  are  justified  solely  on  account  of  the  merit  of 
Christ,  apprehended  by  faith,  and  not  on  account  of  any  merit 
in  our  own  works ;  because  none  can  be  capable  of  the  pursuit 
of  holiness,  but  such  as  have  previously  imbibed  this  doctrine. 

(r)  1  John  iii.  3.  (u)  2  Tim.  iii.  17.  (r)  2  Cor.  ix.  7. 

(s)  2  Cor.  vii.  1.  (r)  Rom.  xii.  1.  (ij)  Matt.  xvi.  27. 

(0  Matt.  xi.  29.     John  xiii.  15.  (ic)  Matt.  v.  1(5.  Rom.  li.  6. 


CHAP.    XVT.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  S3 

This  sentiment  is  beautifully  suggested  by  the  Psalmist  when 
he  thus  addresses  the  Lord  :  "  There  is  forgiveness  with  thee, 
that  thou  mayest  be  feared;  "  (z)  for  he  shows  that  there  is  no 
worship  of  God  without  an  acknowledgment  of  his  mercy,  on 
which  alone  it  is  both  founded  and  established.  And  this  well 
deserves  to  be  remarked,  in  order  that  we  may  know,  not  only 
that  the  true  worship  of  God  arises  from  a  re'Aance  on  his 
mercy,  but  that  the  fear  of  God  (which  the  Papists  hold  to  be 
meritorious)  cannot  be  dignified  with  the  title  of  merit,  because 
it  is  founded  in  the  pardon  and  remission  of  sins. 

lY.  But  the  most  futile  of  all  their  calumnies  is,  that  men 
are  encouraged  to  the  practice  of  sin  by  our  maintaining  the 
gratuitous  remission  of  sins,  in  which  we  make  righteousness  to 
consist.  For  we  say  that  so  great  a  blessing  could  never  be 
compensated  by  any  virtue  of  ours,  and  that  therefore  it  could 
never  be  obtained,  unless  it  were  gratuitously  bestowed ;  more- 
over, that  it  is  gratuitous  to  us  indeed,  but  not  so  to  Christ, 
whom  it  cost  so  much,  even  his  own  most  sacred  blood,  beside 
which  no  price  sufficiently  valuable  could  be  paid  to  Divine 
justice.  When  men  are  taught  in  this  manner,  they  are  ap- 
prized that  it  is  not  owing  to  them  that  this  most  sacred  blood 
is  not  shed  as  often  as  they  sin.  Besides,  we  learn  that  such 
is  our  pollution,  that  it  can  never  be  washed  away,  except  in 
the  fountain  of  this  immaculate  blood.  Must  not  persons  who 
hear  these  things  conceive  a  greater  horror  of  sin,  than  if  it 
were  said  to  be  cleansed  by  a  sprinkling  of  good  works  ?  And 
if  they  have  any  fear  of  God,  will  they  not  dread,  after  being 
once  purified,  to  plunge  themselves  again  into  the  mire,  and 
thereby  to  disturb  and  infect,  as  far  as  they  can,  the  purity  of 
this  fountain?  "I  have  washed  my  feet,"  (says  the  believing 
soul  in  Solomon,)  "  how  shall  I  defile  them  ?  "  (a)  Now,  it  is 
plain  which  party  better  deserves  the  charge  of  degrading  the 
value  of  remission  of  sins,  and  prostituting  the  dignity  of 
righteousness.  They  pretend  that  God  is  appeased  by  their 
frivolous  satisfactions,  which  are  no  better  than  dang ;  we 
assert,  that  the  guilt  of  sin  is  too  atrocious  to  be  expiated  by 
such  insignificant  trifles  ;  that  the  displeasure  of  God  is  too 
great  to  be  appeased  by  these  worthless  satisfactions ;  and 
therefore  that  this  is  the  exclusive  prerogative  of  the  blood  of 
Christ.  They  say,  that  righteousness,  if  it  ever  be  defective, 
is  restored  and  repaired  by  works  of  satisfaction.  We  think  it 
so  valuable  that  no  compensation  of  works  can  be  adequate  to 
it ;  and  therefore  that  for  its  restitution  we  must  have  recourse 
to  the  mercy  of  God  alone.  The  remaining  particulars  that 
pertain  to  the  remission  of  sins  may  be  found  in  the  next 
chapter. 

(2)  Psalm  cxxx.  4.  (a)  Cant.  v.  3. 

VOL.    II.  5 


34  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    II). 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE      HARMONY      BETWEEN      THE      PROMISES      OF      THE      LAW     AND 
THOSE    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

Let  us  now  pursue  the  other  arguments  with  which  Satan  by 
his  satellites  attempts  to  destroy  or  to  weaken  justification  by 
faith.  I  think  we  have  already  gained  this  point  with  these 
calumniators  —  that  they  can  no  longer  accuse  us  of  being  ene- 
mies to  good  works.  For  we  reject  the  notion  of  justification 
by  works,  not  that  no  good  works  may  be  done,  or  that  those 
which  are  performed  may  be  denied  to  be  good,  but  that  we 
may  neither  confide  in  them,  nor  glory  in  them,  nor  ascribe 
salvation  to  them.  For  this  is  our  trust,  this  is  our  glory,  and 
the  only  anchor  of  our  salvation,  That  Christ  the  Son  of  God  is 
ours,  and  that  we  are  likewise,  in  him,  sons  of  God  and  heirs 
of  the  celestial  kingdom  ;  being  called,  not  for  our  worthiness, 
but  by  the  Divine  goodness,  to  the  hope  of  eternal  felicity. 
But  since  they  assail  us  besides,  as  we  have  observed,  with 
other  weapons,  let  us  also  proceed  to  the  repulsion  of  them. 
In  the  first  place,  they  return  to  the  legal  promises  which  the 
Lord  gave  to  the  observers  of  his  law,  and  inquire  whether  we 
suppose  them  to  be  entirely  vain,  or  of  any  validity.  As  it 
would  be  harsh  and  ridiculous  to  say  they  are  vain,  tliey  take 
it  for  granted  that  they  have  some  efficacy.  Hence  they 
argue,  that  we  are  not  justified  by  faith  alone.  For  thus  saith 
the  Lord,  "  Wherefore  it  shall  come  to  pass,  if  ye  hearken  to 
these  judgments,  and  keep  and  do  them,  that  the  Lord  thy 
God  shall  keep  unto  thee  the  covenant  and  the  mercy  which  he 
swarc  unto  thy  fathers  ;  and  he  will  love  thee,  and  bless  thee, 
and  multiply  thee."  (i)  Again:  "If  ye  thoroughly  amend 
your  ways  and  your  doings ;  if  ye  thoroughly  execute  judg- 
ment between  a  man  and  his  neighbour ;  if  ye  oppress  not, 
neither  walk  after  other  gods  ;  then  will  I  cause  you  to  dwell 
in  this  place,"  Sec.  (c)  I  am  not  willing  to  recite  a  thousand  pas- 
sages of  the  same  kind,  which,  not  being  different  in  sense,  will 
be  elucidated  by  an  explanation  of  these.  The  sum  of  all  is 
declared  by  Moses,  who  says  that  in  the  law  are  proposed  "a 
blessing  and  a  curse,  life  and  death."  (d)  Now,  they  argue, 
either  that  this  blessing  becomes  inefficacious  and  nugatory,  or 
that  justification  is  not  by  faith  alone.  We  have  already 
shown,  how,  if  we  adhere  to  the  law,  being  destitute  of  every 

(6)  Deut.  vij.  12,  13.  (c)  Jer.  vii.  5—7.  {d)  Deut.  xi.  26;  xxx.  15. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  SS^ 

blessing,  we  are  obnoxious  to  the  curse  which  is  denounced  on 
all  transgressors.  For  the  Lord  promises  nothing,  except  fb 
the  perfect  observers  of  his  law,  of  which  description  not  one 
can  be  found.  The  consequence  then  is,  that  all  mankind  are 
proved  by  the  law  to  be  obnoxious  to  the  curse  and  wrath  of 
God  ;  in  order  to  be  saved  from  which,  they  need  deliverance 
from  the  power  of  the  law,  and  emancipation  from  its  servi- 
tude ;  not  a  carnal  liberty,  which  would  seduce  us  from  obedi- 
ence to  the  law,  invite  to  all  kinds  of  licentiousness,  break 
down  the  barriers  of  inordinate  desire,  and  give  the  reins  to 
every  lawless  passion  ;  but  a  spiritual  liberty,  which  will  con- 
sole and  elevate  a  distressed  and  dejected  conscience,  showing 
it  to  be  delivered  from  the  curse  and  condemnation  under 
which  it  was  held  by  the  law.  This  liberation  from  subjection 
to  the  law,  and  manumission,  (if  I  may  use  the  term.)  we 
attain,  when  we  apprehend  by  faith  the  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ,  by  which  we  are  assured  of  the  remission  of  sins,  by 
the  sense  of  which  the  law  penetrated  us  with  compunction 
and  remorse. 

II.  For  this  reason  all  the  promises  of  the  law  would  be 
ineffectual  and  vain,  unless  we  were  assisted  by  the  goodness 
of  God  in  the  gospel.  For  the  condition  of  a  perfect  obe- 
dience to  the  law,  on  which  they  depend,  and  in  consequence 
of  wh'ch  alone  they  are  to  be  fulfilled,  will  never  be  performed. 
Now,  the  Lord  affords  this  assistance,  not  by  leaving  a  part  of 
righteousness  in  our  works,  and  supplying  part  from  his  mercy, 
but  by  appointing  Christ  alone  for  the  completion  of  right- 
eousness. For  the  apostle,  having  said  that  he  and  other  Jews, 
"  knowing  that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of  the  law, 
believed  in  Christ,"  adds  as  a  reason,  not  that  they  might  be 
assisted  to  obtain  a  complete  righteousness  by  faith  in  Christ, 
but  "  that  they  might  be  justified  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and 
not  by  the  works  of  the  law."  (e)  If  the  faithful  pass  from  the 
law  to  faith,  to  find  righteousness  in  the  latter,  which  they 
perceive  to  be  wanting  in  the  former,  they  certainly  renounce 
the  righteousness  of  the  law.  Therefore  let  whosoever  will 
now  amplify  the  rewards  which  are  said  to  await  the  observer 
of  the  law ;  only  let  him  remark,  that  our  depravity  prevents 
us  from  receiving  any  benefit  from  them,  till  we  have  obtained 
by  faith  another  righteousness.  Thus  David,  after  having 
mentioned  the  reward  which  the  Lord  has  prepared  for  his 
servants,  immediately  proceeds  to  the  acknowledgment  of  sins, 
by  which  it  is  annulled.  In  the  nineteenth  psalm,  likewise,  he 
magnificently  celebrates  the  benefits  of  the  law  ;  but  imme- 
diately exclaims,  ''  Who  can  understand  his  errors  ?     cleanse 

(e)  Gal.  ii.  16 


36  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    III. 


thou  me  from  secret  faults."  (/)  This  passage  perfectly  ac- 
cords with  that  before  referred  to,  where,  after  having  said, 
"All  the  paths  of  the  Lord  are  mercy  and  truth  unto  such  as 
keep  his  covenant  and  his  testimonies,"  he  adds,  "  For  thy 
name's  sake,  O  Lord,  pardon  mme  iniquity  ;  for  it  is  great."  (g-) 
So  we  ought  also  to  acknowledge,  that  the  Divine  favour  is 
offered  to  us  in  the  law,  if  we  could  purchase  it  by  our  works ; 
but  that  no  merit  of  ours  can  ever  obtain  it. 

in.  What,  then,  it  will  be  said,  were  those  promises  given,  to 
vanish  away  without  producing  any  effect  ?  I  have  already 
declared  that  this  is  not  my  opinion.  I  assert,  indeed,  that 
they  have  no  efficacy  with  respect  to  us  as  long  as  they  are 
referred  to  the  merit  of  works  ;  wherefore,  considered  in  them- 
selves, they  are  in  some  sense  abolished.  Thus  that  grand 
promise,  "  Keep  my  statutes  and  judgments ;  which  if  a  man 
do,  he  shall  live  in  them ;  "(A)  the  apostle  maintains  to  be  of 
no  value  to  us,  if  we  rest  upon  it,  and  that  it  will  be  no  more 
beneficial  to  us  than  if  it  had  never  been  given ;  because  it  is 
inapplicable  to  the  holiest  of  God's  servants,  who  are  all  far 
from  fulfilling  the  law,  and  are  encompassed  with  a  multitude  of 
transgressions,  (i)  But  when  these  are  superseded  by  the  evan- 
gelical promises,  which  proclaim  the  gratuitous  remission  of 
sins,  the  consequence  is,  that  not  only  our  persons,  but  also  our 
works,  are  accepted  by  God ;  and  not  accepted  only,  but  fol- 
lowed by  those  blessings,  which  were  due  by  the  covenant 
to  the  observance  of  the  law,  I  grant,  therefore,  that  the 
works  of  believers  are  rewarded  by  those  things  which  the 
Lord  has  promised  in  his  law  to  the  followers  of  righteousness 
and  holiness ;  but  in  this  retribution  it  is  always  necessary  to 
consider  the  cause,  which  conciliates  such  favour  to  those 
works.  Now,  this  we  perceive  to  be  threefold:  The  first  is, 
That  God,  averting  his  eyes  from  the  actions  of  his  servants, 
which  are  invariably  more  deserving  of  censure  than  of  praise, 
receives  and  embraces  them  in  Christ,  and  by  the  intervention 
of  faith  alone  reconciles  them  to  himself  without  the  assistance 
of  works.  The  second  is.  That  in  his  paternal  benignity  and 
indulgence,  he  overlooks  the  intrinsic  worth  of  these  works, 
and  exalts  them  to  such  honour,  that  he  esteems  them  of  some 
degree  of  value.  The  third  cause  is.  That  he  pardons  these 
works  as  he  receives  them,  not  imputing  the  imperfection  with 
which  they  are  all  so  defiled,  that  they  might  otherwise  be 
accounted  rather  sins  than  virtues.  Hence  it  appears  how 
great  has  been  the  delusion  of  the  sophists,  who  thought  that 
they  had  dexterously  avoided  all  absurdities  by  saying  that 
works  are  suflicient  to  merit  salvation,  not  on  account  of  their 

(/)  Psalm  xix   12.  (//)  Lev.  xviii.  5. 

(^)  Psalm  XXV.  10,  11.  V     (*)  Rom.  x.  5,  «!tc. 


CHAP.   XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  37 

own  intrinsic  goodness,  but  by  reason  of  the  covenant,  because 
the  Lord  in  his  mercy  has  estimated  them  so  highly.  But  at 
the  same  time,  they  had  not  observed  how  far  the  works, 
which  they  styled  meritorious^  fell  short  of  the  condition  of  the 
promise ;  unless  they  were  preceded  by  justification  founded 
on  faith  alone,  and  by  remission  of  sins,  by  which  even  good 
works  require  to  be  purified  from  blemishes.  Therefore,  of  the 
three  causes  of  the  Divine  goodness,  in  consequence  of  which 
the  works  of  believers  are  accepted,  they  only  noticed  one, 
and  suppressed  two  others,  and  those  the  principal. 

IV.  They  allege  the  declaration  of  Peter,  which  Luke  recites 
in  the  Acts  :  "  Of  a  truth  I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of 
persons ;  but  in  every  nation  he  that  worketh  righteousness  is 
accepted  with  him."  {k)  And  hence  they  conclude,  what 
they  think  admits  of  no  doubt,  that  if  a  man  by  rectitude  of 
conduct  conciliate  to  himself  the  favour  of  God,  the  grace  of 
God  is  not  the  sole  cause  of  his  salvation ;  moreover,  that  God 
of  his  own  mercy  assists  a  sinner  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  be 
influenced  to  the  exercise  of  mercy  by  his  works.  But  we 
cannot  by  any  means  reconcile  the  Scriptures  with  themselves, 
unless  we  observe  a  twofold  acceptance  of  man  with  God. 
For  God  finds  nothing  in  man,  in  his  native  condition,  to 
incline  him  to  mercy,  but  mere  misery.  If,  then,  it  is  evident 
that  man  is  entirely  destitute  of  all  good,  and  full  of  every  kind 
of  evil,  when  he  is  first  received  by  God,  by  what  good  qualities 
shall  we  pronounce  him  entitled  to  the  heavenly  calling  ?  Let 
us  reject,  therefore,  all  vain  imagination  of  merits,  where  God 
so  evidently  displays  his  unmerited  clemency.  The  declaration 
of  the  angel  to  Cornelius  in  the  same  passage,  "  Thy  prayers 
and  thine  alms  are  come  up  for  a  memorial  before  God," 
they  most  wickedly  pervert  to  prove  that  the  practice  of  good 
works  prepares  a  man  to  receive  the  grace  of  God.  For 
Cornelius  must  have  been  already  illuminated  with  the  Spirit 
of  wisdom,  since  he  was  endued  with  the  fear  of  God,  which 
is  true  wisdom  ;  and  he  must  have  been  sanctified  by  the  same 
Spirit,  since  he  was  a  follower  of  righteousness,  which  the 
apostle  represents  as  one  of  the  Spirit's  most  certain  fruits.  {I) 
It  was  from  the  grace  of  God,  then,  that  he  derived  all  these 
things  in  which  he  is  said  to  have  pleased  him ;  so  far  was  he 
from  preparing  himself  to  receive  it  by  the  exercise  of  his  own 
powers.  There  cannot  indeed  be  adduced  a  single  syllable  of  the 
Scripture,  which  is  not  in  harmony  with  this  doctrine  ;  That  there 
is  no  other  cause  for  God's  reception  of  man  into  his  love,  than 
his  knowledge  that  man,  if  abandoned  by  him,  would  be  utterly 
lost ;  and  because  it  is  not  his  will  to  abandon  him  to  perdition, 

(k)  Acts  X.  34,  35.  (/)  Gal.  v.  5 


'33  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

he  displays  his  mercy  in  his  deliverance.  Noav,  we  see  that 
this  acceptance  is  irrespective  of  the  righteousness  of  man,  but 
is  an  unequivocal  proof  of  the  Divine  goodness  towards  mise- 
rable sinners,  who  are  infinitely  unworthy  of  so  great  a  favour. 
V.  After  the  Lord  has  recovered  a  man  from  the  abyss  of 
perdition,  and  separated  him  to  himself  by  the  grace  of  adop- 
tion, —  because  he  has  regenerated  him,  and  raised  him  to  a  new 
life,  he  now  receives  and  embraces  him,  as  a  new  creature,  with 
the  gifts  of  his  Spirit.  This  is  the  acceptance  mentioned  by 
Peter,  in  which  even  the  works  of  believers  after  their  voca- 
tion are  approved  by  God ;  for  the  Lord  cannot  but  love  and 
accept  those  good  effects  which  are  produced  in  them  by  his 
Spirit.  But  it  must  always  be  remembered,  that  they  are 
accepted  by  God  in  consequence  of  their  works,  only  because, 
for  their  sakes  and  the  favour  which  he  bears  to  them,  he 
deigns  to  accept  whatever  goodness  he  has  liberally  communi- 
cated to  their  works.  For  whence  proceeds  the  goodness  of 
their  works,  but  from  the  Lord's  determination  to  adorn  with 
true  purity  those  whom  he  has  chosen  as  vessels  of  honour  ? 
And  how  is  it  that  they  are  accounted  good,  as  though  tliey 
were  free  from  all  imperfection,  except  from  the  mercy  of  their 
Father,  who  pardons  the  blemishes  which  adhere  to  them  ?  In 
a  word,  Peter  intends  nothing  else  in  this  passage,  but  that  God 
accepts  and  loves  his  children,  in  whom  he  beholds  the  marks 
and  lineaments  of  his  own  countenance  ;  for  we  have  elsewhere 
shown  that  regeneration  is  a  reparation  of  the  Divine  image  in 
us.  Wherever  the  Lord  contemplates  his  own  likeness,  he 
iustly  both  loves  and  honours  it.  The  life  of  his  children, 
therefore,  being  devoted  to  holiness  and  righteousness,  is  truly 
represented  as  pleasing  to  him.  But  as  the  faithful,  while  they 
are  surrounded  with  mortal  flesh,  are  still  sinners,  and  all  their 
works  are  imperfect,  and  tainted  with  the  vices  of  the  flesh,  he 
cannot  be  propitious  either  to  their  persons  or  to  their  works, 
without  regarding  them  in  Christ  rather  than  in  themselves. 
It  is  in  this  sense  that  those  passages  must  be  understood, 
which  declare  God  to  be  merciful  and  compassionate  to  the 
followers  of  righteousness.  Moses  said  to  the  Israelites,  "  The 
Lord  thy  God,  which  keepeth  covenant  and  mercy  with  them 
that  love  him  and  keep  his  commandments,  to  a  thousand 
generations  "  (w)  —  a  sentence  which  was  afterwards  in  frequent 
use  among  that  people.  Thus  Solomon,  in  his  solemn  prayer : 
"  Lord  God  of  Israel,  who  kecpest  covenant  and  mercy  with 
thy  servants  that  walk  before  thee  with  all  tlieir  heart."  (n) 
The  same  language  is  also  repeated  by  Ncliemiah.  (o)  For  as, 
m  all  the  covenants  of  his  mercy,  the  Lord  stipulates  with  his 

(m)  Deut.  vii.  9.  (n)  1  Kings  viii.  23.  (o)  Neh  i.  5. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  39 

servants  for  integrity  and  sanctity  in  their  lives,  that  his  good- 
ness may  not  become  an  object  of  contempt,  and  that  no  man 
infected  with  a  vain  confidence  in  his  mercy,  (p)  may  bless 
himself  in  his  mind  while  walking  in  the  depravity  of  his 
heart,  so  he  designs  by  these  means  to  confine  to  their  dnty 
all  that  are  admitted  to  the  participation  of  his  covenant ;  yet, 
nevertheless,  the  covenant  is  originally  constituted  and  perpetu- 
ally remains  altogether  gratuitous.  For  this  reason,  David, 
though  he  declares  that  he  had  been  rewarded  for  the  purity  of 
his  hands,  does  not  overlook  that  original  source  which  I  have 
mentioned  :  "  He  delivered  me.  because  he  delighted  in  me  ;  "  (q) 
where  he  commends  the  goodness  of  his  cause,  so  as  not  to 
derogate  from  the  gratuitous  mercy  which  precedes  all  the 
gifts  that  originate  from  it. 

VI.  And  here  it  will  be  useful  to  remark,  by  the  way,  what 
difference  there  is  between  such  forms  of  expression  and  the 
legal  promises.  By  legal  promises  I  intend,  not  all  those  which 
are  contained  in  the  books  of  Moses,  —  since  in  those  books  there 
likewise  occur  many  evangelical  ones,  —  but  such  as  properly 
pertain  to  the  ministry  of  the  law.  Such  promises,  by  what- 
ever appellation  they  may  be  distinguished,  proclaim  that  a 
reward  is  ready  to  be  bestowed,  on  condition  that  we  perform 
what  is  commanded.  But  when  it  is  said  that  "  the  Lord 
keepeth  covenant  and  mercy  with  them  that  love  him,"  this 
rather  designates  the  characters  of  his  servants,  who  have  faith- 
fully received  his  covenant,  than  expresses  the  causes  of  his 
beneficence  to  them.  Now,  this  is  the  way  to  prove  it  :  As  the 
Lord  favours  us  with  the  hope  of  eternal  life,  in  order  that  he 
may  be  loved,  reverenced,  and  worshipped  by  us,  therefore  all 
the  promises  of  mercy  contained  in  the  Scriptures  are  justly 
directed  to  this  end,  that  we  may  revere  and  worship  the 
Author  of  our  blessings.  Whenever,  therefore,  we  hear  of  his 
beneficence  to  them  who  observe  his  laws,  let  us  remember  that 
the  children  of  God  are  designated  by  the  duty  in  which  they 
ought  always  to  be  found  ;  and  that  we  are  adopted  as  his  chil- 
dren, in  order  that  we  may  venerate  him  as  our  Father.  There- 
fore, that  we  may  not  renounce  the  privilege  of  our  adoption, 
we  ought  to  aim  at  that  which  is  the  design  of  our  vocation. 
On  the  other  hand,  however,  we  may  be  assured,  that  the 
accomplishment  of  God's  mercy  is  independent  of  the  works 
of  believers ;  but  that  he  fulfils  the  promise  of  salvation  to 
them  whose  vocation  is  followed  by  a  correspondent  rectitude 
of  life,  because  in  them  who  are  directed  by  his  Spirit  to  good 
works,  he  recognizes  the  genuine  characters  of  his  children. 
To  this  must   be  referred   what  is   said  of  the  citizens  of  the 

(;;)  Deut.  xxix.  19,  20.  (q)  2  Sam.  xxii.  20,  21. 


40  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [rOOK  III. 

Church  :  "  Lord,  Avho  shall  abide  in  thy  tabcrnaclo  ?  who  shall 
dwell  in  thy  holy  hill?  He  that  walketh  uprightly,  and 
worketh  righteousness,  "  &c.  (r)  And  in  Isaiah  :  "  Who  shall 
dwell  with  the  devouring  fire  ?  He  that  walketh  righteously, 
and  speaketh  uprightly,"  &c.  (s)  P^r  these  passages  describe, 
not  the  foundation  which  supports  the  faithful  before  God,  but 
the  manner  in  which  their  most  merciful  Father  introduces 
them  into  communion  with  him,  and  preserves  and  confirms 
them  in  it.  For  as  he  detests  sin,  and  loves  righteousness, 
those  whom  he  unites  to  him  he  purifies  by  his  Spirit,  in  order 
to  conform  them  to  himself  and  his  kingdom.  Therefore,  if  it 
be  inquired  what  is  the  first  cause  which  gives  the  saints  an 
entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  which  makes  their 
continuance  in  it  permanent,  the  answer  is  ready  ;  Because 
the  Lord  in  his  mercy  has  once  adopted  and  perpetually 
defends  them.  But  if  the  question  relate  to  the  manner  in 
which  he  does  this,  it  will  then  be  necessary  to  advert  to 
regeneration  and  its  fruits,  which  are  enumerated  in  the  psalm 
that  we  have  just  quoted. 

VH.  But  there  appears  to  be  much  greater  difficulty  in  those 
places  which  dignify  good  works  with  the  title  of  ris^hteous- 
ness,  and  assert  that  a  man  is  justified  by  them.  Of  the  former 
kind  there  are  many,  where  the  observance  of  the  commands 
is  denominated  justijication  or  righteousness.  An  example  of 
the  other  kind  we  find  in  Moses  :  "  And  it  shall  be  our  right- 
eousness, if  we  observe  to  do  all  these  commandments."  {t)  If 
it  be  objected  that  this  is  a  legal  promise,  which,  having  an 
impossible  condition  annexed  to  it,  proves  nothing,  —  there  are 
other  passages  which  will  not  admit  of  a  similar  reply ;  such 
as,  "In  case  thou  shalt  deliver  him  the  pledge,  &c.,  it  shall  be 
righteousness  unto  thee  before  the  Lord."  (»)  Similar  to  this 
is  what  the  Psalmist  says,  that  the  zeal  of  Phinehas  in  aveng- 
ing the  disgrace  of  Israel,  "was  counted  unto  him  for  right- 
eousness." (w)  Therefore  the  Pharisees  of  our  day  suppose 
that  these  passages  afford  ample  ground  for  their  clamour 
against  us.  For  when  we  say,  that  if  the  righteousness  of 
faith  be  established,  there  is  an  end  of  justification  by  works, — 
they  argue,  in  the  same  manner,  that  if  righteousness  be  by 
works,  then  it  is  not  true  that  we  are  justified  by  faith  alone. 
Though  I  grant  that  the  precepts  of  the  law  are  termed  rig}it- 
eousitess,  there  is  nothing  surprising  in  this  ;  for  they  are  so  in 
reality.  The  reader,  however,  ought  to  be  apprized  that  the 
Hebrew  word  CD'pn  {commandments)  is  not  well  translated  by 
the  Greek  word  ^ixaiwfAaTot,  [righteousness.)     But  I  readily  relin- 


(r)  Psalm  xv.  1,  2.  (.<:)  Isaiah  xx.xiii.  1-1,  ir>.  (t)  Dcut.  vi.  25. 

(m)  Deut.  xxiv.  13.  (j/-)  *salm  cvi.  30,  31. 


CHAP.    XVII. ]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  41 

quish  all  controversy  respecting  the  word.  Nor  do  we  deny 
that  the  Divme  law  contains  perfect  righteousness.  For  al- 
though, being  nnder  an  obligation  to  fulfil  all  its  precepts,  we 
should,  even  after  a  perfect  obedience  to  it,  only  be  unprofitable 
servants,  —  yet,  since  the  Lord  has  honoured  the  observance  of 
it  with  the  title  of  righteousness,  we  would  not  detract  from 
what  he  has  given.  We  freely  acknowledge,  therefore,  that 
the  perfect  obedience  of  the  law  is  righteousness,  and  that  the 
observance  of  every  particular  command  is  a  part  of  righteons- 
ness ;  since  complete  righteousness  consists  of  all  the  parts. 
But  we  deny  that  snch  a  kind  of  righteousness  any  where  ex- 
ists. And  therefore  we  reject  the  righteousness  of  the  law  ,• 
not  that  it  is  of  itself  defective  and  mutilated,  but  because,  on 
account  of  the  debility  of  our  flesh,  {x)  it  is  no  where  to  be 
found.  It  may  be  said,  that  the  Scripture  not  only  calls  the 
Divine  precepts  righteousnesses,  but  gives  this  appellation  also  to 
the  works  of  the  saints.  As  where  it  relates  of  Zacharias  and 
his  wife,  that  "  they  were  both  righteous  before  God,  walking  in 
all  his  commandments  :  "  (y)  certainly,  when  it  speaks  thus,  it 
estimates  their  works  rather  according  to  the  nature  of  the  law, 
than  according  to  the  actual  condition  of  the  persons.  Here  it  is 
necessary  to  repeat  the  observation  which  I  have  just  made, 
that  no  rule  is  to  be  drawn  from  the  incautiousness  of  the 
Greek  translator.  But  as  Luke  has  not  thought  proper  to  alter 
the  common  version,  neither  will  I  contend  for  it.  Those 
things  which  are  commanded  in  the  law,  God  has  enjoined 
upon  man  as  necessary  to  righteousness  ;  but  that  righteousness 
we  do  not  fulfil  without  observing  the  whole  law,  which  is 
broken  by  every  act  of  transgression.  Since  the  law,  there- 
fore, only  prescribes  a  righteousness,  if  we  contemplate  the 
law  itself,  all  its  distinct  commands  are  parts  of  righteousness  ; 
if  we  consider  men,  by  whom  they  are  performed,  they  cannot 
obtain  the  praise  of  righteousness  from  one  act,  while  they  are 
transgressors  in  many,  and  while  that  same  act  is  partly  vicious 
by  reason  of  its  imperfection. 

VIII.  But  I  proceed  to  the  second  class  of  texts,  in  which 
the  principal  difficulty  lies.  Paul  urges  nothing  more  forcible 
in  proof  of  justification  by  faith,  than  what  is  stated  respecting 
Abraham  —  that  he  "believed  God,  audit  was  counted  unto 
him  for  righteousness."  {z)  Since  the  action  of  Phinehas, 
therefore,  is  said  to  have  been  "counted  unto  him  for  right- 
eousness," («)  we  may  also  use  the  same  argument  concerning 
works,  which  Paul  insists  on  respecting  faith.  Therefore  our 
adversaries,  as  though  they  had  established  the  point,  determine 


(z)  Rom.  viii.  3.  (z)  Rom.  iv.  3.     Gal.  iii.  6. 

ly)  Luke  i.  6.  (a)  Psalm  cvi.  31. 

,.  II.  6 


,42  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IIL 

that  we  are  justified  neither  without  faith,  nor  by  faith  alone  ; 
and  that  our  righteousness  is  completed  by  works.  Therefore 
I  conjure  believers,  if  they  know  that  the  true  rule  of  righteous- 
ness is  to  be  sought  in  the  Scripture  alone,  to  accompany  me 
in  a  serious  and  solemn  examination  how  the  Scrij)ture  may  be 
properly  reconciled  with  itself  without  any  sophistry.  Paul, 
knowing  the  righteousness  of  faith  to  be  the  refuge  of  those 
who  are  destitute  of  any  righteousness  of  their  own,  boldly 
infers  that  all  who  are  justified  by  faith,  are  excluded  from 
the  righteousness  of  vvorks.  It  being  likewise  evident,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  this  is  common  to  all  believers,  he  with 
equal  confidence  concludes  that  no  man  is  justified  by  works, 
but  rather,  on  the  contrary,  that  we  are  justified  independently 
of  all  works.  But  it  is  one  thing  to  dispute  concerning  the 
intrinsic  value  of  works,  and  another,  to  argue  respecting  the 
place  they  ought  to  hold  after  the  establishment  of  the  right- 
eousness of  faith.  If  we  are  to  determine  the  value  of  works 
by  their  own  worthiness,  we  say  that  they  are  unworthy  to 
appear  in  the  sight  of  God  ;  that  there  is  nothing  in  our  works 
of  which  we  can  glory  before  God  ;  and  consequently,  that 
being  divested  of  all  assistance  from  works,  we  are  justified  by 
faith  alone.  Now,  we  describe  this  righteousness  in  the  follow- 
ing manner :  That  a  sinner,  being  admitted  to  communion 
with  Christ,  is  by  his  grace  reconciled  to  God  ;  while,  being 
purified  by  his  blood,  he  obtains  remission  of  sins,  and  being 
clothed  with  his  righteousness,  as  if  it  were  his  own,  he  stands 
secure  before  the  heavenly  tribunal.  Where  remission  of  sins 
has  been,  previously  received,  the  good  works  which  succeed 
are  estimated  far  beyond  their  intrinsic  merit  ;  for  all  their 
imperfections  are  covered  by  the  perfection  of  Christ,  and  all 
their  blemishes  are  removed  by  his  purity,  that  they  may  not 
be  scrutinized  by  the  Divine  judgment.  The  guilt,  therefore, 
of  all  transgressions,  by  which  men  arc  prevented  from  oflering 
any  thing  acceptable  to  God  being  obliterated,  and  the  imperfec- 
tion, which  universally  deforms  even  the  good  works  of  believers, 
being  buried  in  oblivion,  their  works  are  accounted  righteous, 
or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  are  imputed  for  righteousness. 

IX.  Now,  if  any  one  urge  this  to  me  as  an  objection,  to 
oppose  the  righteousness  of  faith,  I  will  first  ask  him,  Whether 
a  man  is  reputed  righteous  on  account  of  one  or  two  holv 
works,  who  is  in  the  other  actions  of  his  life  a  transgressor  of 
the  law.  This  would  be  too  absurd  to  be  pretended.  I  shall 
next  inquire.  If  he  is  rejnited  righteous  on  account  of  many 
good  works,  while  he  is  found  guilty  of  any  instance  of  trans- 
gression. This,  likewise,  my  adversary  will  not  presume  to 
maintain,  in  opposition  to  the  sanction  of  the  law,  which  de- 
nounces a  curse  on  all  those  who  do  not  fulfil  every  one  of  its 


CHAP.   XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  43 

precepts,  (b)  I  will  further  inquire,  If  there  is  any  work 
which  does  not  deserve  the  charge  of  impurity  or  imperfec- 
tion, (c)  But  how  could  this  be  possible  before  those  eyes,  in 
which  the  stars  are  not  sufficiently  pure,  nor  the  angels  suffi- 
ciently righteous  ?  Thus  he  will  be  compelled  to  concede,  that 
there  is  not  a  good  work  to  be  found,  which  is  not  too  much 
polluted,  both  by  its  own  imperfection  and  by  the  transgressions 
with  which  it  is  attended,  to  have  any  claim  to  the  honourable 
appellation  of  righteousness.  Now,  if  it  be  evidently  in  con- 
sequence of  justification  by  faith,  that  works,  otherwise  impure 
and  imperfect,  unworthy  of  the  sight  of  God,  and  much  more  of 
his  approbation,  are  imputed  for  righteousness,  —  why  do  they 
attempt,  by  boasting  of  the  righteousness  of  works,  to  destroy  the 
righteousness  of  faith,  from  which  all  righteousness  of  works  pro- 
ceeds? But  do  they  wish  to  produce  a  viperous  offspring  to  de- 
stroy the  parent  ?  For  such  is  the  true  tendency  of  this  impious 
doctrine.  They  cannot  deny  that  justification  by  faith  is  the  be- 
ginning, foundation,  cause,  motive,  and  substance  of  the  right- 
eousness of  works  ;  yet  they  conclude,  that  a  man  is  not  justified 
by  faith  because  good  works  also  are  imputed  for  righteousness. 
Let  us  therefore  leave  these  impertinences,  and  acknowledge 
the  real  state  of  the  case  ;  if  all  the  righteousness  which  can  be 
attributed  to  works  depends  on  justification  by  faith,  the  latter  is 
not  only  not  diminished,  but,  on  the  contrary,  is  confirmed  by  it ; 
since  its  influence  appears  the  more  extensive.  But  let  us  not 
suppose  that  works,  subsequent  to  gratuitous  justification,  are 
so  highly  esteemed,  that  they  succeed  to  the  office  of  justifying 
men,  or  divide  that  office  with  faith.  For  unless  justification 
by  faith  remain  always  unimpaired,  the  impurity  of  their  works 
will  be  detected.  Nor  is  there  any  absurdity  in  saying,  that  a 
man  is  so  justified  by  faith,  that  he  is  not  only  righteous  him- 
self, but  that  even  his  works  are  accounted  righteous  beyond 
what  they  deserve. 

X.  In  this  way  we  will  admit,  not  only  a  partial  righteous- 
ness of  works,  which  our  opponents  maintain,  but  such  as  is 
approA'^ed  by  God,  as  though  it  were  perfect  and  complete.  A 
remembrance  of  the  foundation  on  which  it  stands  will  solve 
every  difficulty.  For  no  work  is  ever  acceptable,  till  it  be 
received  with  pardon.  Now,  whence  proceeds  pardon,  but  from 
God's  beholding  us  and  all  our  actions  in  Christ  ?  When  we 
are  ingrafted  into  Christ,  therefore,  as  our  persons  appear  right- 
eous before  God,  because  our  iniquities  are  covered  by  his 
righteousness,  so  our  works  are  accounted  righteous,  because 
the  sinfulness  otherwise  belonging  to  them  is  not  imputed,  be- 
ing all  buried  in  the  purity  of  Christ.     So   we  may  justly 

(i)  Deut.  xxvii.  26.  (c)  Job  iv.  18;  xv.  15;  xxv.  5. 


44  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

assert,  that  not  only  our  persons,  but  even  our  works,  are  justi- 
fied by  faith  alone.  Now,  if  this  righteousness  of  works, 
whatever  be  its  nature,  is  consequent  and  dependent  on  faith 
and  gratuitous  justification,  it  ought  to  be  included  under  it, 
and  subordinated  to  it,  as  an  effect  to  its  cause  ;  so  far  is  it 
from  deserving  to  be  exalted,  either  to  destroy  or  to  obscure 
the  righteousness  of  faith.  Thus  Paul,  to  evince  that  oui 
blessedness  depends  on  the  mercy  of  God,  and  not  on  om 
works,  chiefly  urges  this  declaration  of  David :  "  Blessed  are 
they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins  are  covered. 
Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom  the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin."  (d) 
If,  in  opposition  to  this,  the  numerous  passages  be  adduced 
where  blessedness  seems  to  be  attributed  to  works ;  such  as, 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  that  feareth  the  Lord ;  (e)  that  hath  mercy 
on  the  poor ;(/)  that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel  of  the  un- 
godly ;  (g)  that  endureth  temptation  ;  "  (h)  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  keep  judgment ;  (i)  the  undefiled,  (k)  the  poor  in  spirit, 
the  meek,  the  merciful,"  &c.  ;  (l)  they  will  not  at  all  weaken 
the  truth  of  what  is  advanced  by  Paul.  For  since  no  man 
ever  attains  all  these  characters,  so  as  thereby  to  gain  the  Divine 
approbation,  it  appears  that  men  are  always  miserable  till  they 
are  delivered  from  misery  by  the  pardon  of  their  sms.  Since  all 
the  beatitudes  celebrated  in  the  Scriptures  are  of  no  avail,  and 
no  man  can  derive  any  benefit  from  them,  till  he  has  obtained 
blessedness  by  the  remission  of  his  sins,  which  then  makes 
room  for  the  other  beatitudes,  it  follows  that  this  is  not 
merely  the  noblest  and  principal,  but  the  only  blessedness ; 
unless,  indeed,  we  suppose  it  to  be  diminished  by  those  which 
are  dependent  on  it.  Now,  we  have  much  less  reason  to  be 
disturbed  by  the  appellation  of  righteous,  which  is  generally 
given  to  believers.  I  acknowledge  that  they  are  denomi- 
nated righteous  from  the  sanctity  of  their  lives ;  but  as  they 
rather  devote  themselves  to  the  pursuit  of  righteousness  than 
actually  attain  to  righteousness  itself,  it  is  proper  that  this 
righteousness,  such  as  it  is,  should  be  subordinate  to  justifica- 
tion by  faith,  from  which  it  derives  its  origin. 

XI.  But  our  adversaries  say  that  we  have  yet  more  difficulty 
with  James,  since  he  contradicts  us  in  express  terms.  For  he 
teaches,  that  "Abraham  was  justified  by  works,"  and  that  we 
are  all  "justified  by  works,  and  not  by  faith  only."  {m)  What 
then?  Will  they  draw  Paul  into  a  controversy  with  James? 
If  they  consider  James  as  a  minister  of  Christ,  his  declarations 
must  be  understood  in  some  sense  not  at  variance  with  Christ 


(rf)    Rom.  iv.  7,  8.    Psalm  xxxii.  1,  2.       {s)  Psalm  i.  1.  (/.)  Psalm  cxix.  1. 

(c)    Psalm  cxii   1.  (/«)  James  i.  12.  (/)  Matt.  v.  3,  5,  7. 

(/)  Prov.  xiv.  21.  (0  Psahn  cvi.  3.      (7«)  James  ii.  21,  24. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  45 

when  speaking  by  the  mouth  of  Paul.  The  Spirit  asserts,  by 
the  mouth  of  Paul,  that  Abraham  obtained  righteousness  by 
faith,  not  by  works  ;  we  likewise  teach,  that  we  are  all  justified 
by  faith  without  the  works  of  the  law.  The  same  Spirit 
affirms  by  James,  that  both  Abraham's  righteousness  and  ours 
consists  in  works,  and  not  in  faith  only.  That  the  Spirit  is  not 
inconsistent  with  himself  is  a  certain  truth.  But  what  harmony 
can  there  be  between  these  two  apparently  opposite  assertions  ? 
Our  adversaries  would  be  satisfied,  if  they  could  totally  subvert 
the  righteousness  of  faith,  which  we  wish  to  be  firmly  es- 
tablished :  but  to  aff'ord  tranquillity  to  the  disturbed  conscience, 
they  feel  very  little  concern.  Hence  we  perceive,  that  they 
oppose  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith,  but  at  the  same 
time  fix  no  certain  rule  of  righteousness,  by  which  the  con- 
science may  be  satisfied.  Let  them  triumph  then  as  they  please, 
if  they  can  boast  no  other  victory  but  that  of  having  removed 
all  certainty  of  righteousness.  And  this  miserable  victory, 
indeed,  they  will  obtain,  where,  after  having  extinguished  the 
light  of  truth,  they  are  permitted  by  the  Lord  to  spread  the 
shades  of  error.  But,  wherever  the  truth  of  God  remains,  they 
will  not  prevail.  I  deny,  therefore,  that  the  assertion  of  James, 
which  they  hold  up  against  us  as  an  impenetrable  shield,  affords 
them  the  least  support.  To  evince  this,  we  shall  first  examine 
the  scope  of  the  apostle,  and  then  remark  wherein  they  are  de- 
ceived. Because  there  were  many  persons  at  that  time,  and  the 
Church  is  perpetually  infested  with  similar  characters,  who,  by 
neglecting  and  omitting  the  proper  duties  of  believers,  manifest- 
ly betrayed  their  real  infidelity,  while  they  continued  to  glory  in 
the  false  pretence  of  faith,  James  here  exposes  the  foolish  con- 
fidence of  such  persons.  It  is  not  his  design,  then,  to  diminish, 
in  any  respect,  the  virtue  of  true  faith,  but  to  show  the  folly  of 
these  triflers,  who  were  content  with  arrogathig  to  themselves 
the  vain  image  of  it,  and  securely  abandoned  themselves  to 
every  vice.  This  statement  being  premised,  it  will  be  easy 
to  discover  where  lies  the  error  of  our  adversaries.  For  they 
fall  into  two  fallacies  ;  one  respecting  the  word  "  faith,"  the 
other  respecting  the  word  "justification."  When  the  apostle 
gives  the  appellation  oi  faith  to  a  vain  notion,  widely  diflerent 
from  true  faith,  it  is  a  concession  which  derogates  nothing  from 
the  argument ;  this  he  shows  from  the  beginning  in  these  words : 
"  What  doth  it  profit,  my  brethren,  though  a  man  say  he  hath 
faith,  and  have  not  works  ?  "  [n)  He  does  not  say,  If  any  one 
have  faith  without  works  ;  but.  If  any  one  boast  of  having  it. 
He  speaks  still  more  plainly  just  after,  where  he  ridicules  it  by 
representing  it  as  worse  than  the  knowledge  of  devils;  and  lastly, 

(w)  James  ii.  14. 


46  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III 

when  he  calls  it  dead.  But  his  meaning  may  be  sufficiently 
understood  from  the  definition  he  gives  :  "  Thou  believest," 
says  he,  "that  tliere  is  one  God."  Indeed,  if  nothing  be  con- 
tained in  this  creed  but  a  behef  of  the  Divine  existence,  it  is 
not  at  all  surprising  that  it  is  inadequate  to  justification.  And 
we  must  not  suppose  this  denial  to  be  derogatory  to  Christian 
faith,  the  natiu-e  of  which  is  widely  different.  For  how  docs 
true  faith  justify,  but  by  uniting  us  to  Christ,  that,  being  made 
one  with  him,  we  may  participate  his  righteousness  ?  It  does 
not,  therefore,  justify  us,  by  attaining  a  knowledge  of  God's 
existence,  but  by  a  reliance  on  the  certainty  of  his  mercy. 

XII.  But  we  shall  not  have  ascertained  the  whole  scope  of 
the  apostle,  till  we  have  exposed  the  other  fallacy  ;  for  he  at- 
tributes justification  partly  to  works.  If  we  wish  to  make 
James  consistent  with  the  rest  of  the  Scriptures,  and  even  with 
himself,  we  must  understand  the  word  "justify"  in  a  different 
signification  from  that  in  which  it  is  used  by  Paul.  For  we  are 
said  by  Paul  to  be  justified,  when  the  memory  of  our  unright- 
eousness is  obliterated,  and  we  are  accounted  righteous.  If 
James  had  alluded  to  this,  it  would  have  been  preposterous  for 
him  to  make  that  quotation  from  Moses  :  "  Abraham  believed 
God,"  &c.  (o)  For  he  introduces  it  in  the  following  manner : 
Abraham  obtained  righteousness  by  works,  because  he  hesitated 
not  to  sacrifice  his  son  at  the  command  of  God.  And  thus  was 
the  Scripture  fulfilled,  which  saith,  Abraham  believed  God,  and 
it  was  imputed  unto  him  for  righteousness.  If  an  effect  ante- 
cedent to  its  cause  be  an  absurdity,  either  Moses  falsely  asserts 
in  that  place,  that  Abraham's  faith  was  imputed  to  him  for 
righteousness,  or  Abraham  did  not  obtain  righteousness  by  his 
obedience,  displayed  in  the  oblation  of  his  son.  Abraham  was 
justified  by  faith,  while  Ishmael,  who  arrived  at  adolescence 
before  the  birth  of  Isaac,  was  not  yet  conceived.  How,  then, 
can  we  ascribe  his  justification  to  an  act  of  obedience  performed 
so  long  after  ?  Wherefore,  either  James  improperly  inverted 
the  order  of  events,  (which  it  is  unlawful  to  imagine,)  or,  by 
saying  that  Abraham  was  justified,  he  did  not  mean  that  the 
patriarch  deserved  to  be  accounted  righteous.  What,  then,  was 
his  meaning  ?  He  evidently  appears  to  speak  of  a  declaration 
of  righteousness  before  men,  and  not  of  an  imputation  of  it  in 
the  sight  of  God  ;  as  though  he  had  said.  They  who  are  jus- 
tified by  true  faith,  prove  their  justification,  not  by  a  barren 
and  imaginary  resemblance  of  faith,  but  by  obedience  and  good 
works.  In  a  word,  he  is  not  disputing  concerning  the  method 
of  justification,  but  requiring  of  believers  a  righteousness 
manifested  in  good  works.     And  as  Paul  contends  for  justi- 

(o)  James  ii.  21—23.     Gen.  xv.  G. 


CHAP.    XVII. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  47 

fication  independent  of  works,  so  James  will  not  allow  those  to 
be  accounted  righteous,  who  are  destitute  of  good  works.  The 
consideration  of  this  object  will  extricate  us  from  every  diffi- 
culty. For  the  principal  mistake  of  our  adversaries  consists  in 
supposing,  that  James  describes  the  method  of  justification, 
while  he  only  endeavours  to  destroy  the  corrupt  security  of 
those  who  make  vain  pretences  to  faith,  in  order  to  excuse  their 
contempt  of  good  works.  Into  whatever  forms,  therefore,  they 
pervert  the  words  of  James,  they  will  extort  nothing  bat  these 
two  truths  —  that  a  vain  notion  of  faith  cannot  justify ;  and  that 
the  faithful,  not  content  with  such  an  imagination,  manifest 
their  righteousness  by  their  good  works. 

XIII.  Nor  can  they  derive  the  least  support  from  a  similar 
passage  which  they  cite  from  Paul,  that  "Not  the  hearers  of  the 
law,  but  the  doers  of  the  law,  shall  be  justified."  (p)  I  have  no 
wish  to  evade  it  by  the  explanation  of  Ambrose,  that  this  is 
spoken,  because  faith  in  Christ  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law.  For 
this  I  conceive  to  be  a  mere  subterfuge,  which  is  totally  un- 
necessary. The  apostle  in  that  place  is  demolishing  the  foolish 
confidence  of  the  Jews,  who  boasted  of  possessing  the  exclusive 
knowledge  of  the  law,  whilst  at  the  same  time  they  were  the 
greatest  despisers  of  it.  To  prevent  such  great  self-complacence 
on  account  of  a  mere  acquaintance  with  the  laAV,  he  admonishes 
them,  that  if  righteousness  be  sought  by  the  law,  it  is  re(|uisite 
not  only  to  know  but  to  observe  it.  We  certainly  do  not 
question  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law  consists  in  works, 
nor  that  this  righteousness  consists  in  the  worthiness  and 
merit  of  works.  But  still  it  cannot  be  proved  that  we  are 
justified  by  works,  unless  some  person  be  produced  who  has 
fulfilled  the  law.  That  Paul  had  no  other  meaning,  is 
sufficiently  evident  from  the  context.  After  having  con- 
demned the  Gentiles  and  Jews  indiscriminately  for  unright- 
eousness, he  proceeds  particularly  to  inform  us,  that  "  as  many 
as  have  sinned  without  law  shall  also  perish  without  law ;  " 
which  refers  to  the  Gentiles ;  and  that  "  as  many  as  have 
sinned  in  the  law  shall  be  judged  by  the  law  ;  "  which  belongs 
to  the  Jews.  Moreover,  because  they  shut  their  eyes  against 
their  transgressions,  and  gloried  in  their  mere  possession  of  the 
law,  he  adds,  what  is  exceedingly  applicable,  that  the  law  was 
not  given  that  men  might  be  justified  merely  by  hearing  its 
voice,  but  by  obeying  it ;  as  though  he  had  said,  Do  you  seek 
righteousness  by  the  law  ?  Plead  not  your  having  heard  it,  which 
of  itself  is  a  very  small  advantage,  but  produce  works  as  an  evi- 
dence that  the  law  has  not  been  given  to  you  in  vain.  Since 
in  this  respect  they  were  all  deficient,  they  were  consequently 
deprived  of  their  glorying  in  the  law.     The  meaning  of  Paul, 

(p)  Rom.  ii.  13. 


48  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

therefore,  rather  furnishes  an  opposite  argument  :  Legal  right- 
eousness consists  in  perfect  works  ;  no  man  can  boast  of  having 
satisfied  the  law  by  his  works ;  therefore  there  is  no  right- 
eousness by  the  law. 

XIV.  Our  adversaries  proceed  to  adduce  those  passages  iu 
which  the  faithful  boldly  offer  their  righteousness  to  the  ex- 
amination of  Divine  justice,  and  desire  to  be  judged  according 
to  it.  Such  are  the  following  :  "'Judge  me,  O  Lord,  according 
to  my  righteousness,  and  according  to  mine  integrity  that  is  in 
me."  (q)  Again  :  "  Hear  the  right,  0  Lord.  Thou  hast  proved 
mine  heart ;  thou  hast  visited  me  in  the  night ;  thou  hast  tried 
me,  and  shalt  find  nothing."  (r)  Again  :  "  I  have  kept  the  ways 
of  the  Lord,  and  have  not  wickedly  departed  from  my  God.  I 
was  also  upright  before  him,  and  I  kept  myself  from  mine 
iniquity.  Therefore  hath  the  Lord  recompensed  me  according 
to  my  righteousness,  according  to  the  cleanness  of  my  hands."  (s) 
Again:  "  Judge  me,  O  Lord,  foi  I  have  walked  in  mine  integ- 
rity. I  have  not  sat  with  vain  persons ;  neither  will  I  go  in 
with  dissemblers.  Gather  not  my  soul  with  sinners,  nor  my 
life  with  bloody  men  ;  in  whose  hands  is  mischief,  and  their 
right  hand  is  full  of  bribes.  But  as  for  me,  I  will  walk  in  mine 
integrity."  (t)  I  have  already  spoken  of  the  confidence  which 
the  saints  appear  to  derive  from  tlieir  works.  The  passages 
now  adduced  will  form  no  objection  to  our  doctrine,  when  they 
are  explained  according  to  the  occasion  of  them.  Now,  this  is 
twofold.  For  believers  who  have  expressed  themselves  in 
this  manner,  have  no  wish  to  submit  to  a  general  examination, 
to  be  condemned  or  absolved  according  to  the  whole  tenor  of 
their  lives,  but  they  bring  forward  a  particular  cause  to  be 
judged  ;  and  they  attribute  righteousness  to  themselves,  not 
with  reference  to  the  Divine  perfection,  but  in  comparison 
with  men  of  impious  and  abandoned  characters.  In  the 
first  place,  in  order  to  a  man's  being  justified,  it  is  requisite 
that  he  should  have,  not  only  a  good  cause  in  some  particular 
instance,  but  a  perpetual  consistency  of  righteousness  through 
life.  But  the  saints,  wlien  they  implore  the  judgment  of  God 
in  approbation  of  their  innocence,  do  not  present  themselves  as 
free  from  every  charge,  and  absolutely  guiltless ;  but  having 
fixed  their  dependence  on  his  goodness  alone,  and  confiding 
in  his  readiness  to  avenge  the  poor  who  are  unlawfully  and 
unjustly  afiiicted,  they  supplicate  his  regard  to  the  cause  in 
which  the  innocent  are  oppressed.  But  when  they  place  them- 
selves and  their  adversaries  before  the  Divine  tribunal,  they 
boast  not  an  innocence,  which,  on  a  severe  examination,  would 


((/)  Psalm  vii.  8.  (s)  Psalm  xviii.  21,  23,  24. 

(r)  Psalm  xvii.  1,  3.  (»)  Psalm  xxvi.  1,  4,  9—11. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  49 

be  found  correspondent  to  the  purity  of  God ;  but  knowing 
that  their  sincerity,  justice,  simplicity,  and  purity,  are  pleasing 
and  acceptable  to  God,  in  comparison  with  the  malice,  wicked- 
ness, fraud,  and  iniquity  of  their  enemies,  they  are  not  afraid  to 
invoke  Him  to  judge  between  them.  Thus,  when  David  said 
to  Saul,  "  The  Lord  render  to  every  man  his  righteousness  and 
his  faithfulness,"  (v)  he  did  not  mean  that  the  Lord  should  ex- 
amine every  individual  by  himself,  and  reward  him  according 
to  his  merits  ;  but  he  called  the  Lord  to  witness  the  greatness 
of  his  innocence  in  comparison  with  the  iniquity  of  Saul  Nor 
did  Paul,  when  he  gloried  in  having  "  the  testimony  ot "  his 
"conscience"  that  he  had  conducted  himself  in  the  Church 
"  with  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,"  (w)  intend  to  rely  on  this 
before  God ;  but  the  calumnies  of  the  impious  constrained  him 
to  oppose  all  their  slanderous  aspersions  by  asserting  his  fidelity 
and  probity,  which  he  knew  to  be  acceptable  to  the  Divine  good- 
ness. For  we  know  what  he  says  in  another  place  :  "  I  am  con- 
scious to  myself  of  nothing  ;  yet  am  I  not  hereby  justified."  (x) 
Because,  indeed,  he  was  certain,  that  the  judgment  of  God  far 
transcended  the  narrow  comprehension  of  man.  However, 
therefore,  the  pious  may  vindicate  their  innocence  against  the 
hypocrisy  of  the  impious,  by  invoking  God  to  be  their  witness 
and  judge,  yet  in  their  concerns  with  God  alone,  they  all  with 
one  voice  exclaim,  "  If  thou,  Lord,  shouldst  mark  iniquiti(!s,  O 
Lord,  who  shall  stand  ?  "  (y)  Again:  "  Enter  not  into  judg- 
ment with  thy  servant,  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be 
justified."  (z)  And,  diffident  of  their  own  works,  they  gladly 
sing,  "  Thy  loving-kindness  is  better  than  life."  (a) 

XV.  There  are  likewise  other  passages,  similar  to  the  prece- 
ding, on  which  some  person  may  yet  insist.  Solomon  says, 
"  The  just  man  walketh  in  his  integrity."  (b)  Again :  "  In  the 
way  of  righteousness  there  is  life  ;  and  in  the  pathway  thereof 
there  is  no  death."  (c)  Thus  also  Ezekiel  declares,  that  he  who 
"doth  that  which  is  lawful  and  right,  shall  surely  live."  ((Z) 
We  neither  deny  nor  obscure  any  of  these.  But  let  one  of  the 
sons  of  Adam  produce  such  an  integrity.  If  no  one  can,  they 
must  either  perish  from  the  presence  of  God,  or  flee  to  the 
asylum  of  mercy.  Nor  do  we  deny,  that  to  believers  their 
integrity,  however  imperfect,  is  a  step  toward  immortality. 
But  what  is  the  cause  of  this,  unless  it  be  that  when  the  Lord 
has  admitted  any  persons  into  the  covenant  of  his  grace,  he 
does  not  scrutinize  their  works  according  to  their  intrinsic 
merit,  but  embraces  them  with  paternal  benignity  ?     By  this 


(r)    1  Sam.  xxvi.  23.  (?/)  Psalm  cxxx.  3.  (h)  Prov.  xx.  7. 

(w)  2  Cor.  i.  12.  (;)  Psalm  cxllii.  2.  (f)  Prov.  xii.  28. 

(x)    1  Cor.  iv.  4.  (a)  Psalm  Ixiii.  3.  (rf)  Ez.  xxxiii.  14,  15. 

VOL.    II.  7 


50  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III, 

we  mean,  not  merely  what  is  taught  by  the  schoolmen,  "  that 
works  receive  their  vahie  from  the  grace  which  accepts  them  ;  " 
for  they  suppose,  that  works,  otherwise  inadequate  to  the  at- 
tainment of  salvation  by  the  legal  covenant,  are  rendered  suf- 
ficient for  this  by  the  Divine  acceptance  of  them.  But  I  assert, 
that  they  are  so  defiled,  both  by  other  transgressions  and  by 
their  own  blemishes,  that  they  are  of  no  value  at  all,  except  as 
the  Lord  pardons  both;  and  this  is  no  other  than  bestowing 
on  a  man  gratuitous  righteousness.  It  is  irrelevant  to  this 
subject,  to  allege  those  prayers  of  the  apostle,  in  which  he 
desires  such  perfection  for  believers,  that  they  may  be  un- 
blamable and  irreprovable  in  the  day  of  Christ,  (e)  These 
passages,  indeed,  the  Celestines  formerly  perverted,  in  order  to 
prove  a  perfection  of  righteousness  in  the  present  life.  We 
think  it  sufficient  briefly  to  reply,  with  Augustine,  "  that  all 
the  pious  ought,  indeed,  to  aspire  to  this  object,  to  appear  one 
day  immaculate  and  guiltless  before  the  presence  of  God ;  but 
since  the  highest  excellency  in  this  life  is  nothing  more  than 
a  progress  towards  perfection,  we  shall  never  attain  it,  till, 
being  divested  at  once  of  mortality  and  sin,  we  shall  fully 
adhere  to  the  Lord."  Nevertheless,  I  shall  not  pertinaciously 
contend  with  any  person  who  chooses  to  attribute  to  the  saints 
the  character  of  perfection,  provided  he  also  defines  it  in  the 
words  of  Augustine  himself;  who  says,  "When  we  denomi- 
nate the  virtue  of  the  saints  perfect,  to  this  perfection  itself 
belongs  the  acknowledgment  of  imperfection,  both  in  truth 
and  in  humility." 


CHAPTER    XVIIL 


JUSTIFICATION     BY     WORKS      NOT     TO     BE      INFERRED      FROM      THE 
PROMISE    OF    A    REWARD. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  those  passages  which  affirm  that 
"God  will  render  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds  ;  "  (/) 
that  "every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  ac- 
cording to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad."  (g-) 
"  Tribulation  and  anguish  upon  every  soul  that  doeth  evil ; 
but  glory,  honour,  and  peace,  to  every  man  that  worketh 
good."(/t)  And,  "All  shall  come  forth;  they  that  have  done 
good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that  have  done 
evil,  unto  the    resurrection   of  damnation."  (i)      "  Come,  ye 

(r)  1  Thess.  iii.  13,  et  alibi.  (/)  ,Rom.  ii.  6.     Matt.  xvi.  27. 

C?)  2  Cor.  V.  JO.  (/i)  Rom.  ii.lt,  10.  (i)  John  v.  29. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  51 

blessed  of  my  Father ;  for  I  was  a  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me 
meat :  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink,"  &:c.  [k)  And 
with  these  let  us  also  connect  those  which  represent  eternal 
life  as  the  reward  of  works,  such  as  the  following :  "  The  re- 
compense of  a  man's  hands  shall  be  rendered  unto  him."  {I) 
"  He  that  feareth  the  commandment  shall  be  rewarded."  (w) 
"  Rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad  ;  for  great  is  your  reward  in 
heaven."  (?i)  "Every  one  shall  receive  his  own  reward,  ac- 
cording to  his  own  labour."  (o)  The  declaration,  that  God 
will  render  to  every  one  according  to  his  works,  is  easily  ex- 
plained. For  that  phrase  indicates  the  order  of  events,  rather 
than  the  cause  of  them.  But  it  is  beyond  all  doubt,  that  the 
Lord  proceeds  to  the  consummation  of  our  salvation  by  these 
several  gradations  of  mercy  :  "  Whom  he  hath  predestinated, 
them  he  calls ;  whom  he  hath  called,  he  justifies ;  and  whom 
he  hath  justified,  he  finally  glorifies."  {p)  Though  he  receives 
his  children  into  eternal  life,  therefore,  of  his  mere  mercy,  yet 
since  he  conducts  them  to  the  possession  of  it  through  a  course 
of  good  works,  that  he  may  fulfil  his  work  in  them  in  the  order 
he  has  appointed,  we  need  not  wonder  if  they  are  said  to  be 
rewarded  according  to  their  works,  by  which  they  are  un- 
doubtedly prepared  to  receive  the  crown  of  immortality.  And 
for  this  reason,  they  are  properly  said  to  "  work  out  their  own 
salvation,"  {q)  while,  devoting  themselves  to  good  works,  they 
aspire  to  eternal  life  ;  just  as  in  another  place  they  are  com- 
manded to  "  labor  for  the  meat  which  perisheth  not,"  when 
they  obtain  eternal  life  by  believing  in  Christ  ;  and  yet  it  is 
immediately  added,  "  which  the  Son  of  man  shall  give  unto 
you."  (r)  Whence  it  appears  that  the  word  work  is  not  op- 
posed to  grace,  but  refers  to  human  endeavours  ;  and  there- 
fore it  does  not  follow,  either  that  believers  are  the  authors  of 
their  own  salvation,  or  that  salvation  proceeds  from  their  works. 
But  as  soon  as  they  are  introduced,  by  the  knowledge  of  the 
gospel  and  the  illumination  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  into  commu- 
nion with  Christ,  eternal  life  is  begun  in  them.  Now,  "  the 
good  work  which"  God  "hath  begun  in"  them,  "he  will  per- 
form until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ."  (s)  And  it  is  performed, 
when  they  prove  themselves  to  be  the  genuine  children  of  God 
by  their  resemblance  to  their  heavenly  Father  in  righteousness 
and  holiness. 

H.  We  have  no  reason  to  infer  from  the  term  I'eicard,  that 
good  works  are  the  cause  of  salvation.  First,  let  this  truth  be 
established  in   our  minds,   that  the   kins-dom  of  heaven   is  not 


(A)  Matt.  XXV.  34—36.  («)  Matt.  v.  12.    Luke  vi.  23.  (y)  Phil.  ii.  12. 

(0    Prov.  xii.  14.  (o)  1  Cor.  iii.  8.  (r)  John  vi.  27. 

(m)  Prov.  liii.  13.  (,p)  Rom.  viii.  30.  {s)  Phil.  i.  G. 


52  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III 

the  stipend  of  servants,  but  the  inheritance  of  children,  which 
will  be  enjoyed  only  by  those  whom  the  Lord  adopts  as  his 
children,  and  for  no  other  cause  than  on  account  of  this  adop- 
tion. "  For  the  son  of  the  bond-woman  shall  not  be  heir  with 
the  son  of  the  free-woman."  (t)  And,  therefore,  in  the  same 
passages  in  which  the  Holy  Spirit  promises  eternal  life  as  the  re- 
ward of  works,  by  expressly  denominating  it  "  an  inheritance," 
he  proves  it  to  proceed  from  another  cause.  Thus  Christ  enu- 
merates the  works  which  he  compensates  by  the  reward  of 
heaven,  when  he  calls  the  elect  to  the  possession  of  it  ;  but  at 
the  same  time  adds,  that  it  is  to  be  enjoyed  by  right  of  inherit- 
ance, (v)  So  Paul  encourages  servants,  who  faithfully  discharge 
their  duty,  to  hope  for  a  reward  from  the  Lord  ;  but  at  the  same 
time  calls  it  "  the  rcAvard  of  the  inheritance."  {w)  We  see  how 
they,  almost  in  express  terms,  caution  us  against  attributing 
eternal  life  to  works,  instead  of  ascribing  it  to  Divine  adoption. 
Why,  then,  it  may  be  asked,  do  they  at  the  same  time  make 
mention  of  works  ?  This  question  shall  be  elucidated  by  one 
example  from  the  Scripture.  Before  the  nativity  of  Isaac, 
there  had  been  promised  to  Abraham  a  seed  in  whom  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed,  a  multiplication  of  his 
posterity,  which  would  equal  the  stars  of  heaven  and  the  sands 
of  the  sea,  and  other  similar  blessings,  (x)  Many  years  after, 
in  consequence  of  a  Divine  command,  Abraham  prepares  to 
sacrifice  his  son.  After  this  act  of  obedience,  he  receives  this 
promise  :  "  By  myself  have  I  sworn,  saith  the  Lord,  for  because 
thou  hast  done  this  thing,  and  hast  not  withheld  thy  son,  thine 
only  son ;  that  in  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and  in  multiplying 
I  will  multiply  thy  seed  as  the  stars  of  the  heaven,  and  as  the 
sand  which  is  upon  the  sea-shore ;  and  thy  seed  shall  possess 
the  gate  of  his  enemies ;  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  be  blessed ;  because  thou  hast  obeyed  my 
voice."  (y)  What?  did  Abraham  by  his  obedience  merit  that 
blessing  which  had  been  promised  him  before  the  command 
was  delivered?  Here,  then,  it  appears,  beyond  all  doubt,  that 
the  Lord  rewards  the  works  of  believers  with  those  blessings 
which  he  had  already  given  them  before  their  works  were 
thought  of,  and  while  he  had  no  reason  for  his  beneficence, 
but  his  own  mercy. 

HI.  Nor  does  the  Lord  deceive  or  trifle  with  us,  when  he 
says  that  he  will  requite  works  with  what  he  had  freely  giv- 
en previously  to  the  performance  of  them.  For  since  it  is 
his  pleasure  that  we  be  employed  in  good  works,  while  as- 
piring after  the  manifestation  or  enjoyment  of  those  things 


(0  Gal.  iv.  30.  (r)  Matt.  xxv.  34.  (w)  Col.  iii.  24. 

(x)  Gen.  xii.  2,  3;  xiii.  16  ;  xv.  5.  (y)  Gen.  xxii.  16—18. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  53 

which  he  has  promised,  and  that  they  constitute  the  road  in 
which  we  should  travel  to  endeavour  to  attain  the  blessed  hope 
proposed- to  us  in  heaven,  therefore  the  fruit  of  the  promises,  to 
the  perfection  of  which  fruit  those  works  conduct  us,  is  justly- 
assigned  to  them.  The  apostle  beautifully  expressed  both  those 
ideas,  when  he  said  that  the  Colossians  applied  themselves  to 
the  duties  of  charity,  ''  for  the  hope  which  was  laid  up  for 
them  in  heaven,  whereof  they  heard  before  in  the  word,  of  the 
truth  of  the  gospel."  (z)  For  his  assertion,  that  they  knew 
from  the  gospel,  that  there  was  hope  laid  up  for  them  in  hea- 
ven, is  equivalent  to  a  declaration  that  it  depended  not  on  any 
works,  but  on  Christ  alone  ;  which  perfectly  accords  with  the 
observation  of  Peter,  that  believers  "  are  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  through  faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be  revealed  in  the 
last  time."  (a)  When  it  is  said  that  they  must  labour  for  it,  it 
implies,  that  in  order  to  attain  to  it,  believers  have  a  race  to  run, 
which  terminates  only  with  their  lives.  But  that  we  might 
not  suppose  the  reward  promised  us  by  the  Lord  to  be  regula- 
ted according  to  the  proportion  of  merit,  he  proposes  a  parable, 
in  which  he  has  represented  himself  under  the  character  of  a 
householder,  who  employs  all  the  persons  he  meets  in  the  cul- 
tivation of  his  vineyard ;  some  he  hires  at  the  first  hour 
of  the  day,  others  at  the  second,  others  at  the  third,  and  some 
even  at  the  eleventh  hour ;  in  the  evening  he  pays  them  all 
the  same  wages,  (b)  A  brief  and  just  explanation  of  this 
parable  is  given  by  the  ancient  writer,  whoever  he  was,  of  the 
treatise  "  On  the  Calling  of  the  Gentiles,"  which  bears  the 
name  of  Ambrose.  I  shall  adopt  his  words  in  preference  to 
my  own.  ''By  the  example  of  this  comparison,  (says  he,)  the 
Lord  has  shown  a  variety  of  manifold  vocation  pertaining  to 
the  same  grace.  They  who,  having  been  admitted  into  the 
vineyard  at  the  eleventh  hour,  are  placed  on  an  equality  with 
them  who  had  laboured  the  whole  day,  represent  the  state  of 
those  whom,  to  magnify  the  excellence  of  grace,  God,  in  his 
mercy,  has  rewarded  in  the  decline  of  the  day,  and  at  the  con- 
clusion of  life  ;  not  paying  them  the  wages  due  to  their  labour, 
but  sending  down  the  riches  of  his  goodness,  in  copious  effa- 
sions,  on  them  whom  he  has  chosen  without  works ;  that  even 
they  who  have  laboured  the  most,  and  have  received  no  more 
than  the  last,  may  understand  theirs  to  be  a  reward  of  grace, 
not  of  works."  Lastly,  it  is  also  worthy  of  being  observed, 
that  in  those  places  where  eternal  life  is  called  a  reward  of 
works,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  simply  of  that  communion 
which  we  have  with  God,  as  the  prelude  to  a  happy  immor- 
tality, when  he  embraces  us  in  Christ  with  paternal  benevo- 

(2)  Col.  i.  4,  5.  (a)  1  Peter  i.  5.  (i)  Matt.  xx.  1,  &c. 


64  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

leiice  ;  but  of  the  possession  or  fruition  of  ultimate  blessedness, 
as  the  very  words  of  Christ  import  —  "  in  the  world  to  come, 
eternal  life."  (c)  And  in  another  place,  "  Come,  inherit  the 
kingdom,-'  &c.  (d)  For  the  same  reason,  Paul  applies  the 
term  adoption  to  the  revelation  of  adoption,  which  shall  be 
made  in  the  resurrection  ;  and  afterwards  explains  it  to  be 
"the  redemption  of  our  body."  (e)  Otherwise,  as  alienation 
from  God  is  eternal  death,  so  when  a  man  is  received  into  the 
favour  of  God  so  as  to  enjoy  communion  with  him  and  become 
united  to  him,  he  is  translated  from  death  to  life  ;  which  is 
solely  the  fiaiit  of  adoption.  And  if  they  insist,  with  their  ac- 
customed pertinacity,  on  the  reward  of  works,  we  may  retort 
against  them  that  passage  of  Peter,  where  eternal  life  is  called 
"  the  end  (or  reward)  of  faith."  (/) 

IV.  Let  us  not,  therefore,  imagine,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  by 
these  promises  commends  the  worthiness  of  our  works,  as 
though  they  merited  such  a  reward.  For  the  Scripture  leaves 
us  nothing  that  can  exalt  us  in  the  Divine  presence.  Its  whole 
tendency  is  rather  to  repress  our  arrogance,  and  to  inspire  us 
with  humility,  dejection,  and  contrition.  But  such  promises 
assist  our  weakness,  which  otherwise  would  immediately  slide 
and  fall,  if  it  did  not  sustain  itself  by  this  expectation,  and  al- 
leviate its  sorrows  by  this  consolation.  First,  let  every  one  re- 
flect, how  difficult  it  is  for  a  man  to  relinquish  and  renounce, 
not  only  all  that  belongs  to  him,  but  even  himself.  And  yet 
this  is  the  first  lesson  which  Christ  teaches  his  disciples,  that 
is  to  say,  all  the  pious.  Afterwards  he  gives  them  such  tuition 
during  the  remainder  of  their  lives,  under  the  discipline  of  the 
cross,  that  their  hearts  may  not  fix  either  their  desires  or  their 
dependence  on  present  advantages.  In  short,  he  generally  ma- 
nages them  in  such  a  manner,  that  whithersoever  they  turn 
their  views  throughout  the  world,  nothing  but  despair  presents 
itself  to  them  on  every  side  ;  so  that  Paul  says,  "  If  in  this  life 
only  we  have  hope  in  Christ,  we  are  of  all  men  most  mise- 
rable." {g)  To  preserve  them  from  sinking  under  these  afflic- 
tions, they  have  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  who  encourages 
them  to  raise  their  heads  higher,  and  to  extend  their  views 
further,  by  assurances  that  they  will  find  in  him  that  blessed- 
ness which  they  cannot  see  in  the  world.  This  blessedness 
he  calls  a  reward^  a  recompense ;  not  attributing  any  merit 
to  their  works,  but  signifying  that  it  is  a  compensation  for 
their  oppressions,  sutlerings,  and  disgrace.  Wherefore  there 
is  no  objection  against  our  following  the  example  of  the  Scrip- 
ture in  calling  eternal  life  a  reward ;  since  in  that  state  the 


(f)  Mark  X.  30.  (</)  Matt.  xxv.  34.  (c)  Rom.  viii.  23. 

(/)  1  Peter  i.  9.  {g)  1  Cor.  xv.  19. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  55 

Lord  receives  his  people  from  labor  into  rest ;  from  affliction  into 
prosperity  and  happiness;  from  sorrow  into  joy;  from  poverty 
into  affluence  ;  from  ignominy  into  glory  ;  and  commutes  all  the 
evils  which  they  have  endured  for  blessings  of  superior  magni- 
tude. So,  hkewise,  it  will  occasion  no  inconvenience,  if  we  con- 
sider holiness  of  life  as  the  way,  not  which  procures  our  admis- 
sion into  the  glory  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  but  through  which 
the  elect  are  conducted  by  their  God  to  the  manifestation  of  it ; 
since  it  is  his  good  pleasure  to  glorify  them  whom  he  has 
sanctified.  Only  let  us  not  imagine  a  reciprocal  relation  of 
merit  and  reward,  which  is  the  error  into  which  the  sophists 
fell,  for  want  of  considering  the  end  which  we  have  stated. 
But  how  preposterous  is  it,  when  the  Lord  calls  our  attention 
to  one  end,  for  us  to  direct  our  views  to  another !  Nothing  is 
clearer,  than  that  the  promise  of  a  reward  to  good  works  is  de- 
signed to  afford  some  consolation  to  the  weakness  of  our  flesh, 
but  not  to  inflate  our  minds  with  vain-glory.  Whoever,  there- 
fore, infers  from  this,  that  there  is  any  merit  in  works,  or  ba- 
lances the  work  against  the  reward,  errs  very  widely  from  the 
true  design  of  God. 

V.  Therefore,  when  the  Scripture  says,  that  "  the  Lord,  the 
righteous  Judge,  shall  give  "  to  his  people  ''  a  crown  of  right- 
eousness," (h)  I  not  only  reply  with  Augustine  —  "To  whom 
could  the  righteous  Judge  have  given  a  crown,  if  the  Father 
of  mercies  had  never  given  grace  ?  and  how  would  it  have 
been  an  act  of  righteousness,  if  not  preceded  by  that  grace 
which  justifies  the  ungodly  ?  how  could  these  due  rewards  be 
rendered,  unless  those  unmerited  blessings  were  previously 
bestowed?"  but  I  further  inquire — How  could  he  impute 
righteousness  to  our  works,  unless  his  indulgent  mercy  had 
concealed  their  unrighteousness  ?  How  could  he  esteem  them 
worthy  of  a  reward,  unless  his  infinite  goodness  had  abolished 
all  their  demerit  of  punishment?  Augustine  is  in  the  habit 
of  designating  eternal  life  by  the  word  grace,  because,  when  it 
is  given  as  the  reward  of  works,  it  is  conferred  on  the  gratui- 
tous gifts  of  God.  But  the  Scripture  humbles  us  more,  and  at 
the  same  time  exalts  us.  For  beside  prohibiting  us  to  glory  in 
works,  because  they  are  the  gratuitous  gifts  of  God,  it  likewise 
teaches  us  that  they  are  always  defiled  by  some  pollutions  ;  so 
that  they  cannot  satisfy  God,  if  examined  according  to  the  rule 
of  his  judgment ;  but  it  is  also  added,  to  prevent  our  despon- 
dency, that  they  please  him  merely  through  his  mercy.  Now, 
though  Augustine  expresses  himself  somewhat  differently  from 
us,  yet  that  there  is  no  real  diflerence  of  sentiment  will  appear 
from  his  language  to  Boniface.     After  a  comparison  between 

(h)  "  Tim.  iv.  8. 


56  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

two  men,  the  one  of  a  life  holy  and  perfect  even  to  a  miracle, 
the  other  a  man  of  probity  and  integrity,  yet  not  so  perfect  but 
that  many  defects  might  be  discovered,  he  at  length  makes 
this  inference:  "The  latter,  whose  character  appears  inferior 
to  the  former,  on  account  of  the  true  faith  in  God  by  which  he 
lives,  and  according  to  which  he  accuses  himself  in  all  his  de- 
linquencies, and  in  all  his  good  works  praises  God,  ascribing 
the  glory  to  him,  the  ignominy  to  himself,  and  deriving  from 
him  both  the  pardon  of  his  sins  and  the  love  of  virtue  ;  this 
man,  I  say,  when  delivered  from  this  life,  removes  into  the 
presence  of  Christ.  Wherefore,  but  on  account  of  faith  ?  which, 
though  no  man  be  saved  by  it  without  works,  (for  it  is  not  a 
reprobate  faith,  but  such  as  works  by  love,)  yet  produces  re- 
mission of  sins,  for  the  just  lives  by  faith ;  (?)  but  without  it, 
works  apparently  good  are  perverted  into  sins."  Here  he 
avows,  without  any  obscurity,  that  for  which  we  so  streiuiously 
contend  —  that  the  righteousness  of  good  works  depends  on 
their  acceptance  by  the  Divine  mercy. 

VI.  Very  similar  to  the  foregoing  passages  is  the  import 
of  the  following  :  "  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the  mammon 
of  unrighteousness ;  that,  when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you 
into  everlastnig  habitations."  (k)  "  Charge  them  that  are  rich 
in  this  world,  that  they  be  not  high-minded,  nor  trust  in  uncer- 
tain riches,  but  in  the  living  God ;  that  they  do  good,  that 
they  be  rich  in  good  works ;  laying  up  in  store  for  themselves 
a  good  foundation  against  the  time  to  come,  that  they  may  lay 
hold  on  eternal  life."  (l)  Here  good  works  are  compared  to 
riches,  which  we  may  enjoy  in  the  happiness  of  eternal  life. 
I  reply,  that  we  shall  never  arrive  at  the  true  meaning  of  these 
passages,  unless  we  advert  to  the  design  of  the  Spirit  in  such 
language.  If  Christ's  declaration  be  true,  that  "  where  our 
treasure  is,  there  Avill  our  heart  be  also,"  (m)  —  as  the  children 
of  this  world  are  generally  intent  on  the  acquisition  of  those 
things  which  conduce  to  the  comfort  of  the  present  life,  so  it 
ought  to  be  the  concern  of  believers,  after  they  have  been 
taught  that  this  life  will  ere  long  vanish  like  a  dream,  to  trans- 
mit those  things  which  they  really  wish  to  enjoy,  to  that  place 
where  they  shall  possess  a  perfect  and  permanent  life.  It 
behoves  us,  therefore,  to  imitate  the  conduct  of  those  who 
determine  to  migrate  to  any  new  situation,  where  they  have 
chosen  to  reside  during  the  remainder  of  their  lives  ;  they  send 
their  property  before  them,  without  regarding  the  inconveni- 
ence of  a  temporary  absence  from  it ;  esteeming  their  happiness 
the  greater  in  proportion  to  the  wealth  which  they  possess  in 
the  place  which  they  intend  for  their  permanent  residence.     If 

(j)  Hcb.  X.  38.         (k)  Luke  xvi.  9.         (/)  1  Tim.  vi.  17—19.        (m)  Matt.  vi.  21. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  67 

we  believe  heaven  to  be  our  country,  it  is  better  for  us  to 
transmit  our  wealth  thither,  than  to  retain  it  here,  where  we 
may  lose  it  by  a  sudden  removal.  But  how  shall  we  transmit 
it  ?  Why,  if  we  communicate  to  the  necessities  of  the  poor  ; 
wliatever  is  bestowed  on  them,  the  Lord  considers  as  given  to 
himself  (n)  Whence  that  celebrated  promise,  "He  that  hath 
pity  upon  the  poor,  lendeth  unto  the  Lord."  (o)  Again:  "He 
which  soweth  bountifully  shall  reap  also  bountifully."  (p)  For 
all  things  that  are  bestowed  on  our  brethren  in  a  way  of 
charity,  are  so  many  deposits  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  ;  which 
he,  as  a  faithful  depositary,  will  one  day  restore  with  ample 
interest.  Are  our  acts  of  duty,  then,  it  will  be  asked,  so  valu- 
able in  the  sight  of  God,  that  they  are  like  riches  reserved 
in  his  hand  for  us?  And  who  can  be  afraid  to  assert  this, 
when  the  Scripture  so  frequently  and  plainly  declares  it  ?  But 
if  any  one,  from  the  mere  goodness  of  God,  would  infer  the 
merit  of  works,  these  testimonies  will  afford  no  countenance  to 
such  an  error.  For  we  can  infer  nothing  from  them  except 
the  indulgence  which  God  in  his  mercy  is  disposed  to  show 
us,  since,  in  order  to  animate  us  to  rectitude  of  conduct,  though 
the  duties  we  perform  are  unworthy  of  the  least  notice  from 
him,  yet  he  suffers  not  one  of  them  to  go  unrewarded. 

Vn.  But  they  insist  more  on  the  words  of  the  apostle,  who, 
to  console  the  Thessalonians  under  their  tribulations,  tells  them 
that  the  design  of  their  infliction  is,  "  that  they  may  be  count- 
ed worthy  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  for  which  they  also  suffer. 
Seeing,"  says  he,  "  it  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  recom- 
pense tribulation  to  them  that  trouble  you  ;  and  to  you  who  are 
troubled,  rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed 
from  heaven."  (q)  And  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  says,  "  God  is  not  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  and 
labour  of  love,  which  ye  have  showed  toward  his  name,  in  that 
ye  have  ministered  to  the  saints."  (r)  To  the  first  passage  I 
reply,  That  it  indicates  no  worthiness  of  merit ;  but  since  it 
is  the  will  of  God  the  Father,  that  those  whom  he  has  chosen 
as  his  children  be  conformed  to  Christ  his  first  begotten  Son  ;  (s) 
as  it  was  necessary  for  him  first  to  suffer  and  then  to  enter 
into  the  glory  destined  for  him ;  (i)  so  "  we  must  through 
much  tribulation  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  (m)  The 
tribulations,  therefore,  which  we  suffer  for  the  name  of  Christ, 
are,  as  it  were,  certain  marks  impressed  on  us  by  which  God 
usually  distinguishes  the  sheep  of  his  flock.  For  this  reason, 
then,  we  are  accounted  worthy  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  because 

(n)  Matt.  XXV.  40.     (p)  2  Cor.  ix.  6.  (r)  Heb.  vi.  10.  («)  Luke  xxiv.  26 

(o)  Prov.  xix.  17.      (q)  2  Thess.  i.  5—7.     (s)  Rom.  viii.  29.     (m)  Acts  xiv.  22. 


68  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

we  bear  in  our  body  the  mai'ks  of  our  Lord  and  Master,  {w) 
which  are  the  badges  of  the  children  of  God.  The  same 
sentiment  is  conveyed  in  the  following  passages:  "Bearing 
about  in  the  body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also 
of  Jesus  might  be  made  manifest  in  our  body."  {x)  "  Being  made 
conformable  unto  his  death,  if  by  any  means  I  might  attain 
unto  the  resurrection  of  the  dead."(y)  The  reason  which  the 
apostle  subjoins  tends  not  to  establish  any  merit,  but  to  confirm 
the  hope  of  the  kingdom  of  God ;  as  though  he  had  said.  As  it  is 
consistent  with  the  judgment  of  God  to  avenge  on  your  enemies 
those  vexations  with  which  they  have  harassed  you,  so  it  is 
also  to  grant  you  respite  and  repose  from  those  vexations.  Of 
the  other  passage,  which  represents  it  as  becoming  the  right- 
eousness of  God  not  to  forget  our  services,  so  as  almost  to  im- 
ply tliat  he  would  be  unrighteous  if  he  did  forget  them,  the 
meaning  is,  that  in  order  to  arouse  our  indolence,  God  has  as- 
sured us  that  the  labour  which  we  undergo  for  the  glory  of  his 
name  shall  not  be  in  vain.  And  we  should  always  remember 
that  this  promise,  as  well  as  all  others,  would  be  fraught  ^vith  no 
benefit  to  us,  unless  it  were  preceded  by  the  gratuitous  cove- 
nant of  mercy,  on  which  the  whole  certainty  of  our  salvation 
must  depend.  But  relying  on  that  covenant,  we  may  securely 
confide,  that  our  services,  however  unworthy,  will  not  go  with- 
out a  reward  from  the  goodness  of  God.  To  confirm  us  in  that 
expectation,  the  apostle  asserts  that  God  is  not  unrighteous, 
but  will  perform  the  promise  he  has  once  made.  This  right- 
eousness, therefore,  refers  rather  to  the  truth  of  the  Divine 
promise,  than  to  the  equity  of  rendering  to  us  any  thing  that  is 
our  due.  To  this  purpose  there  is  a  remarkable  observation  of 
Augustine  ;  and  as  that  holy  man  has  not  hesitated  frequently 
to  repeat  it  as  deserving  of  remembrance,  so  I  deem  it  not  un- 
worthy of  a  constant  place  in  our  minds.  "  The  Lord,"  says 
he,  "  is  faithful,  who  has  made  himself  our  debtor,  not  by 
receiving  any  thing  from  us,  but  by  promising  all  things  to  us." 
YIII.  Our  Pharisees  adduce  the  following  passages  of  Paul : 
"  Though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  removo  mountains, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing."  Again  :  "Now  abidclh 
faith,  hope,  charity,  these  three  ;  but  the  greatest  of  these  is 
charity."  {z)  Again  :  "  Above  all  these  things,  put  on  charity, 
Avhich  IS  the  bond  of  perfectness."  (a)  From  the  first  two  pas- 
sages they  contend  that  we  are  justified  rather  by  charity  than 
by  faith ;  that  is,  by  the  superior  virtue,  as  they  express  it. 
But  this  argument  is  easily  overturned.  For  we  have  already 
shown,  that  what  is  mentioned  in  the  first  passage,  has  no 


(»r)  Gal.  vi.  17.  (.r)  2  Cor.  iv.  10.  (?/)  Phil.  iii.  10,  11. 

(:)  1  Cor.  xiii.  2,  13.  (a)  Col.  iii.  14. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  59; 

reference  to  true  faith.  The  second  we  explain  to  signify  true 
faith,  than  which  he  caUs  charity  greater,  not  as  being  more 
meritorious,  but  because  it  is  more  fruitful,  more  extensive, 
more  generally  serviceable,  and  perpetual  in  its  duration ; 
whereas  the  use  of  faith  is  only  temporary.  In  respect  of  ex- 
cellence, the  preeminence  must  be  given  to  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  not  in  this  place  the  subject  of  Paul's  discourse.  For 
the  only  point  which  he  urges  is,  that  with  reciprocal  charity 
we  mutually  edify  one  another  in  the  Lord.  But  let  us  suppose 
that  charity  excels  faith  in  all  respects,  yet  what  person  pos- 
sessed of  sound  judgment,  or  even  of  the  common  exercise  of 
reason,  would  argue  from  this  that  it  has  a  greater  concern  in 
justification  ?  The  power  of  justifying,  attached  to  faith,  con- 
sists not  in  the  worthiness  of  the  act.  Our  justification  depends 
solely  on  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  merit  of  Christ,  which 
when  faith  apprehends,  it  is  said  to  justify  us.  Now,  if  we  ask 
our  adversaries  in  what  sense  they  attribute  justification  to 
charity,  they  will  reply,  that  because  it  is  a  duty  pleasing  to 
God,  the  merit  of  it,  being  accepted  by  the  Divine  goodness,  is 
imputed  to  us  for  righteousness.  Here  we  see  how  curiously 
their  argument  proceeds.  We  assert  that  faith  justifies,  not  by 
procuring  us  a  righteousness  through  its  own  merit,  but  as 
the  instrument  by  which  we  freely  obtain  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  These  men,  passing  over  in  silence  the  mercy  of  God, 
and  making  no  mention  of  Christ,  in  whom  is  the  substance  of 
righteousness,  contend  that  we  are  justified  by  the  virtue  of 
charity,  because  it  is  more  excellent  than  faith  ;  just  as  though 
any  one  should  insist  that  a  king,  in  consequence  of  his  superior 
rank,  is  more  expert  at  making  a  shoe  than  a  shoemaker.  This 
one  argument  affords  an  ample  proof  that  all  the  Sorbonic 
schools  are  destitute  of  the  least  experience  of  justification  by 
faith.  But  if  any  wrangler  should  yet  inquire,  why  we  un- 
derstand Paul  to  use  the  word  faith  in  different  acceptations  in 
the  same  discourse,  I  am  prepared  with  a  substantial  reason  for 
such  an  interpretation.  For  since  those  gifts  which  Paul  enu- 
merates, are  in  some  respect  connected  with  faith  and  hope, 
because  they  relate  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  he  summarily 
comprises  them  all  under  those  two  words ;  as  though  he  had 
said.  The  end  of  prophecy,  and  of  tongues,  of  knowledge,  and  of 
the  gift  of  interpretation,  is  to  conduct  us  to  the  knowledge  of 
God.  But  we  know  God  in  this  life  only  by  hope  and  faith. 
Therefore,  when  I  mention  faith  and  hope,  I  comprehend  all 
these  thirfgs  under  them.  "  And  now  abideth  faith,  hope, 
charity,  these  three  ;  "  that  is,  all  gifts,  whatever  may  be  their 
variety,  are  referred  to  these.  "  But  the  greatest  of  these  is 
charity."  From  the  third  passage  they  infer,  that  if  "charity 
is  the  bond  of  perfectness,"  it  is  therefore  the  bond  of  right- 


60  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

eousness,  which  is  no  other  than  perfection.  Now,  to  refrain 
from  observing  that  what  Paul  calls  perfecttiess,  is  the  mutual 
connection  which  subsists  between  the  members  of  a  well-con- 
stituted church,  and  to  admit  that  charity  constitutes  our  per- 
fection before  God  ;  yet  what  new  advantage  will  they  gain  ? 
On  the  contrary,  I  shall  always  object,  that  we  never  arrive 
at  that  perfection,  unless  we  fulfil  all  the  branches  of  charity ; 
and  hence  I  shall  infer,  that  since  all  men  are  at  an  immense 
distance  from  complete  charity,  they  are  destitute  of  all  hope 
of  perfection. 

IX.  I  have  no  inclination  to  notice  all  the  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  the  folly  of  the  modern  Sorbonists  seizes  as  they 
occur,  and  without  any  reason  employs  against  us.  For  some 
of  them  are  so  truly  ridiculous,  that  I  could  not  even  mention 
them,  unless  I  wished  to  be  accounted  a  fool.  I  shall  therefore 
conclude  this  subject  after  having  explained  a  sentence  uttered 
by  Christ,  with  which  they  are  wonderfully  pleased.  To  a 
lawyer,  who  asked  him  what  was  necessary  to  salvation,  he 
replied,  "  If  thou  wilt  enter  into  life,  keep  the  command- 
ments." (6)  What  can  we  wish  more,  say  they,  when  the 
Author  of  grace  himself  commands  to  obtain  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  by  an  observance  of  the  commandments  ?  As  though 
it  were  not  evident,  that  Christ  adapted  his  replies  to  those  with 
whom  he  conversed.  Here  a  doctor  of  the  law  inquires  the 
method  of  obtaining  happiness,  and  that  not  simply,  but  what 
men  must  do  in  order  to  attain  it.  Both  the  character  of  the 
speaker  and  the  inquiry  itself  induced  the  Lord  to  make  this 
reply.  The  inquirer,  persuaded  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
possessed  a  blind  confidence  in  his  works.'  Besides,  he  only 
inquired  what  were  those  works  of  righteousness  by  which  sal- 
vation might  be  procured.  He  is  therefore  justly  referred  to 
the  law,  which  contains  a  perfect  mirror  of  righteousness.  We 
also  explicitly  declare,  that  if  life  be  sought  by  works,  it  is  indis- 
pensably requisite  to  keep  the  commandments.  And  this  doctrine 
is  necessary  to  be  known  by  Christians ;  for  how  should  they 
flee  for  refuge  to  Christ,  if  they  did  not  acknowledge  themselves 
to  have  fallen  from  the  way  of  life  upon  the  precipice  of  death  ? 
And  how  could  they  know  how  far  they  have  wandered  from 
the  way  of  life,  without  a  previous  knowledge  of  what  that 
way  of  life  is  ?  It  is  then,  therefore,  that  Christ  is  presented  to 
them  as  the  asylum  of  salvation,  when  they  perceive  the  vast 
difference  between  their  own  lives  and  the  Divine  righteousness, 
which  consists  in  the  observance  of  the  law.  The  sum  of  the 
whole  is,  that  if  we  seek  salvation  by  works,  we  must  keep  the 
commandments,  by  which  we  are  taught  perfect  righteousness. 

(b)  Matt.  XIX.  17... 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  61 

But  to  stop  here,  would  be  failing  in  the  midst  of  our  course ; 
for  to  keep  the  commandments  is  a  task  to  which  none  of  us 
are  equal.  Being  excluded,  then,  from  the  righteousness  of  the 
law,  we  are  under  the  necessity  of  resorting  to  some  other  refuge, 
namely,  to  faith  in  Christ.  Wherefore,  as  the  Lord,  knowing 
this  doctor  of  the  law  to  be  inflated  with  a  vain  confidence  in  his 
works,  recalls  his  attention  to  the  law,  that  it  may  teach  him 
his  own  character  as  a  sinner,  obnoxious  to  the  tremendous 
sentence  of  eternal  death,  so,  in  another  place,  addressing  those 
who  have  already  been  humbled  under  this  knowledge,  he 
omits  all  mention  of  the  law,  and  consoles  them  with  a  promise 
of  grace  —  "Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy 
laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest ;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto 
your  souls."  (c) 

X.  At  length,  after  our  adversaries  have  wearied  themselves 
with  perversions  of  Scripture,  they  betake  themselves  to  sub- 
tleties and  sophisms.  They  cavil,  that  faith  is  in  some  places 
called  a  work,  (d)  and  hence  they  infer  that  we  improperly 
oppose  faith  to  works.  As  though  faith  procured  righteousness 
for  us  by  its  intrinsic  merit,  as  an  act  of  obedience  to  the  Divine 
will,  and  not  rather  because,  by  embracing  the  Divine  mercy,  it 
seals  to  our  hearts  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  which  that  mercy 
ofTers  to  us  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  The  reader  will 
pardon  me  for  not  dwelling  on  the  confutation  of  such  follies ; 
for  they  require  nothing  to  refute  them  but  their  own  weakness. 
But  I  wish  briefly  to  answer  one  objection,  which  has  some  ap- 
pearance of  reason,  to  prevent  its  being  the  source  of  any  dif- 
ficulty to  persons  who  have  had  but  little  experience.  Since 
common  sense  dictates  that  opposites  are  subject  to  similar 
rules,  and  as  all  sins  are  imputed  to  us  for  unrighteousness, 
they  maintain  it  to  be  reasonable,  on  the  other  hand,  that  all 
good  works  should  be  imputed  to  us  for  righteousness.  Those 
who  reply,  that  the  condemnation  of  men  proceeds  from  un- 
belief alone,  and  not  from  particular  sins,  do  not  satisfy  me.  I 
agree  with  them,  that  incredulity  is  the  fountain  and  root  of  all 
evils.  For  it  is  the  original  defection  from  God,  which  is 
afterwards  followed  by  particular  transgressions  of  the  law. 
BiU  as  they  appear  to  fix  one  and  the  same  rule  for  good 
and  evil  works  in  forming  a  judgment  of  righteousness  or  un- 
righteousness, here  I  am  obliged  to  dissent  from  them.  For 
the  righteousness  of  works  is  the  perfect  obedience  of  the  law. 
We  cannot  therefore  be  righteous  by  works,  unless  we  follow 
this  straight  line  throughout  the  whole  of  our  lives.  The  first 
deviation  from  it  is  a  lapse  into  unrighteousness.  Hence  it 
appears  that  righteousness  arises  not  from  one  or  a  few  works, 

(c)  Matt.  xi.  28,  29.  (d)  John  vi.  29. 


62  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

but  from  an  inflexible  and  indefatigable  observance  of  the 
Divine  will.  But  the  rule  of  judging  of  unrighteousness  is  very 
different.  For  he  who  has  committed  fornication  or  theft,  is 
for  one  transgression  liable  to  the  sentence  of  death,  because  he 
has  offended  against  the  divine  Majesty.  These  disputants  of 
ours,  therefore,  fall  into  an  error  for  want  of  adverting  to  the 
decision  of  James,  that  "  whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law, 
and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all."  For  he  that 
said,  "  Do  not  commit  adultery,"  said  also,  "  Do  not  kill,"  &c.  (e) 
It  ought  not,  therefore,  to  be  deemed  absurd,  when  we  say,  that 
death  is  the  reward  justly  due  to  every  sin,  because  they  are  all 
and  every  one  deserving  of  the  indignation  and  vengeance  of  God. 
But  it  will  be  a  weak  argument  to  infer,  on  the  contrary,  that 
one  good  work  will  reconcile  a  man  to  God,  whose  wrath  he 
has  incurred  by  a  multitude  of  sins. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

ON    CHRISTIAN    LIBERTY. 


We  have  now  to  treat  of  Christian  liberty,  an  explanation  of 
which  ought  not  to  be  omitted  in  a  treatise  which  is  designed 
to  comprehend  a  compendious  summary  of  evangelical  doctrine. 
For  it  is  a  subject  of  the  first  importance,  and  unless  it  be  well 
understood,  our  consciences  scarcely  venture  to  undertake  any 
thing  without  doubting,  experience  in  many  things  hesitation 
and  reluctance,  and  are  always  subject  to  fluctuations  and  fears. 
But  especially  it  is  an  appendix  to  justification,  and  affords  no 
small  assistance  towards  the  knowledge  of  its  influence.  Hence 
they  who  sincerely  fear  God  will  experience  the  incomparable 
advantage  of  that  doctrine,  which  impious  scoffers  pursue  with 
their  railleries  ;  because  in  the  spiritual  intoxication  with  which 
they  are  seized,  they  allow  themselves  the  most  unbounded 
impudence.  Wherefore  this  is  the  proper  time  to  introduce  the 
subject ;  and  though  we  have  slightly  touched  upon  it  on  some 
former  occasions,  yet  it  was  useful  to  defer  the  full  discussion 
of  it  to  this  place  ;  because,  as  soon  as  any  mention  is  made  of 
Christian  liberty,  then  either  inordinate  passions  rage,  or  violent 
emotions  arise,  unless  timely  opposition  be  made  to  those 
wanton  spirits,  who  most  nefariously  corrupt  things  which  are 
otherwise  the  best.     For  some,  under  the  pretext  of  this  liberty, 

(c)  James  ii.  10,  If: 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  Q3 

cast  off  all  obedience  to  God,  and  precipitate  themselves  into 
the  most  unbridled  licentiousness ;  and  some  despise  it,  sup- 
posing it  to  be  subversive  of  all  moderation,  order,  and  moral 
distinctions.  What  can  we  do  in  this  case,  surrounded  by  such 
difficulties  ?  Shall  we  entirely  discard  Christian  liberty,  and  so 
preclude  the  occasion  of  such  dangers?  But,  as  we  have  ob- 
served, unless  this  be  understood,  there  can  be  no  right  know- 
ledge of  Christ,  or  of  evangelical  truth,  or  of  internal  peace  of 
mind.  We  should  rather  exert  ourselves  to  prevent  the  sup- 
pression of  such  a  necessary  branch  of  doctrine,  and  at  the 
same  time  to  obviate  those  absurd  objections  which  are  fre- 
quently deduced  from  it. 

II.  Christian  liberty,  according  to  my  judgment,  consists 
of  three  parts.  The  first  part  is,  that  the  consciences  of  be- 
lievers, when  seeking  an  assurance  of  their  justification  before 
God,  should  raise  themselves  above  the  law,  and  forget  all  the 
righteousness  of  the  law.  For  since  the  law,  as  we  have  else- 
where demonstrated,  leaves  no  man  righteous,  either  we  must 
be  excluded  from  all  hope  of  justification,  or  it  is  necessary  for 
us  to  be  delivered  from  it,  and  that  so  completely  as  not  to  have 
any  dependence  on  works.  For  he  who  imagines,  that  in  order 
to  obtain  righteousness  he  must  produce  any  works,  however 
small,  can  fix  no  limit  or  boundary,  but  renders  himself  a  debtor 
to  the  whole  law.  Avoiding,  therefore,  all  mention  of  the  law, 
and  dismissing  all  thought  of  our  own  works,  in  reference  to 
justification,  we  must  embrace  the  Divine  mercy  alone,  and 
turning  our  eyes  from  ourselves,  fix  them  solely  on  Christ. 
For  the  question  is,  not  how  we  can  be  righteous,  but  how, 
though  unrighteous  and  unworthy,  we  can  be  considered  as 
righteous.  And  the  conscience  that  desires  to  attain  any  cer- 
tainty respecting  this,  must  give  no  admission  to  the  law.  Nor 
will  this  authorize  any  one  to  conclude,  that  the  law  is  of 
no  use  to  believers,  whom  it  still  continues  to  instruct  and 
exhort,  and  stimulate  to  duty,  although  it  has  no  place  in  their 
consciences  before  the  tribunal  of  God.  For  these  two  things, 
being  very  different,  require  to  be  properly  and  carefully  dis- 
tinguished by  us.  The  whole  life  of  Christians  ought  to  be  an 
exercise  of  piety,  since  they  are  called  to  sanctification.  (/)  It 
is  the  office  of  the  law  to  remind  them  of  their  duty,  and  there- 
by to  excite  them  to  the  pursuit  of  holiness  and  integrity.  But 
when  their  consciences  are  solicitous  how  God  may  be  propi- 
tiated, what  answer  they  shall  make,  and  on  what  they  shall 
rest  their  confidence,  if  called  to  his  tribunal,  there  must  then 
be  no  consideration  of  the  requisitions  of  the  law,  but  Christ 
alone  must  be  proposed  for  righteousness,  who  exceeds  all  the 
perfection  of  the  law. 

(/)  Ephes.  i.  4.    1  Thess.  iv.  3,  7. 


64  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

III.  On  this  point  turns  almost  the  whole  argument  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Galatians.  For  that  they  are  erroneous  ex- 
positors, who  maintain,  that  Paul  there  contends  only  for  liberty 
from  ceremonies,  may  be  proved  from  the  topics  of  his  reasoning. 
Such  as  these  :  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us."  (g)  Again  :  "  Stand  fast,  there- 
fore, in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath  made  us  free,  and  be 
not  entangled  again  with  the  yoke  of  bondage.  Behold,  I  Paul 
say  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be  circumcised,  Christ  shall  profit  you 
nothing.  Every  man  that  is  circumcised  is  a  debtor  to  do  the 
whole  law.  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  unto  you,  whosoever 
of  you  are  justified  by  the  law  ;  ye  are  fallen  from  grace."  (h) 
These  passages  certainly  comprehend  something  more  exalted 
than  a  freedom  from  ceremonies.  I  confess,  indeed,  that  Paul 
is  there  treating  of  ceremonies,  because  he  is  contending  with 
the  false  apostles,  who  attempted  to  introduce  again  into  the 
Christian  Church  the  ancient  shadows  of  the  law,  which  had 
been  abolished  by  the  advent  of  Christ.  But  for  the  decision 
of  this  question  it  was  necessary  to  discuss  some  higher  topics,  in 
which  the  whole  controversy  lay.  First,  because  the  brightness 
of  the  gospel  was  obscured  by  those  Jewish  shadows,  he  shows 
that  in  Christ  we  have  a  complete  exhibition  of  all  those  things 
which  Avere  adumbrated  by  the  ceremonies  of  Moses.  Secondly, 
because  these  impostors  instilled  into  the  people  the  very  perni- 
cious opinion,  that  this  ceremonial  obedience  was  sufficient  to 
merit  the  Divine  favour,  he  principally  contends,  that  be- 
lievers ought  not  to  suppose  that  they  can  obtain  righteousness 
before  God  by  any  works  of  the  law,  much  less  by  those  in- 
ferior elements.  And  he  at  the  same  time  teaches,  that  from 
the  condemnation  of  the  law,  which  otherwise  impends  over  all 
men,  they  are  delivered  by  the  cross  of  Christ,  that  they  may 
rely  with  perfect  security  on  him  alone  —  a  topic  which  properly 
belongs  to  our  present  subject.  Lastly,  he  asserts  the  liberty  of 
the  consciences  of  believers,  which  ought  to  be  laid  under  no 
obligation  in  things  that  are  not  necessaiy. 

IV.  The  second  part  of  Christian  liberty,  Avhich  is  dependent 
on  the  first,  is,  that  their  consciences  do  not  observe  the  law,  as 
being  under  any  legal  obligation  ;  but  that,  being  liberated  from 
the  yoke  of  the  law,  they  yield  a  voluntary  obedience  to  the 
will  of  God.  For  being  possessed  with  perpetual  terrors,  as 
long  as  they  remain  under  the  dominion  of  the  law,  they  will 
never  engage  with  alacrity  and  promptitude  in  the  service  of 
God,  unless  they  have  jireviously  received  this  liberty.  We 
shall  more  easily  and  clearly  discover  the  design  of  these  things 
from  an  example.     The  precept  of  the  law  is,  "■  Thou   shalt 

(g)  Gal.  iii.  13.  (A)  Gal.  v.  1—4. 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  65 

love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thine  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
soul,  and  with  all  thy  might."  (i)  That  this  command  may  be 
fulfilled,  our  soul  must  be  previously  divested  of  every  other 
perception  and  thought,  our  heart  must  be  freed  from  all  desires, 
and  oiu:  might  must  be  collected  and  contracted  to  this  one  point. 
Those  who,  compared  with  others,  have  made  a  very  consi- 
derable progress  in  the  way  of  the  Lord,  are  yet  at  an  immense 
distance  from  this  perfection.  For  though  they  love  God  with 
their  soul,  and  with  sincere  affection  of  heart,  yet  they  have  still 
much  of  their  heart  and  soul  occupied  by  carnal  desires,  which 
retard  their  progress  towards  God.  They  do  indeed  press 
forward  with  strong  exertions,  but  the  flesh  partly  debilitates 
their  strength,  and  partly  attracts  it  to  itself  What  can  they  do 
in  this  case,  when  they  perceive  that  they  are  so  far  from  ob- 
serving the  law  ?  They  wish,  they  aspire,  they  endeavour,  but 
they  do  nothing  with  the  perfection  that  is  required.  If  they 
advert  to  the  law,  they  see  that  every  work  they  attempt  or 
meditate  is  accursed.  Nor  is  there  the  least  reason  for  any 
person  to  deceive  himself,  by  concluding  that  an  action  is  not 
necessarily  altogether  evil,  because  it  is  imperfect,  and  that 
therefore  the  good  part  of  it  is  accepted  by  God.  For  the  law, 
requiring  perfect  love,  condemns  all  imperfection,  unless  its 
rigour  be  mitigated.  Let  him  consider  his  work,  therefore, 
which  he  wished  to  be  thought  partly  good,  and  he  will  find 
that  very  work  to  be  a  transgression  of  the  law,  because  it  is 
imperfect. 

V.  See  how  all  our  works,  if  estimated  according  to  the 
rigour  of  the  law,  are  subject  to  its  curse.  How,  then,  could 
unhappy  souls  apply  themselves  with  alacrity  to  any  work  for 
which  they  could  expect  to  receive  nothing  but  a  curse  ?  On 
the  contrary,  if  they  are  liberated  from  the  severe  exaction  of 
the  law,  or  rather  from  the  whole  of  its  rigour,  and  hear  God 
calling  them  with  paternal  gentleness,  then  with  cheerfulness 
and  prompt  alacrity  they  will  answer  to  his  call  and  follow  his 
guidance.  In  short,  they  who  are  bound  by  the  yoke  of  the 
law,  are  like  slaves  who  have  certain  daily  tasks  appointed  by 
their  masters.  They  think  they  have  done  nothing,  and  pre- 
sume not  to  enter  into  the  presence  of  their  masters  without 
having  finished  the  work  prescribed  to  them.  But  children, 
who  are  treated  by  their  parents  in  a  more  liberal  manner, 
hesitate  not  to  present  to  them  their  imperfect,  and  in  some 
respects  faulty  works,  in  confidence  that  their  obedience  and 
promptitude  of  mind  will  be  accepted  by  them,  though  they 
have  not  performed  all  that  they  wished.  Such  children  ought 
we  to  be,  feeling  a  certain  confidence  that  our  services,  however 

(0   Deut.  vi.  5. 


66  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

small,  rude,  and  imperfect,  will  be  approved  by  our  most  indul- 
gent Father.  This  he  also  confirms  to  us  by  the  prophet :  "  I 
will  spare  them,"  saith  he,  "as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son  that 
serveth  him  ;  "  {k)  where  it  is  evident,  from  the  mention  of 
service,  that  the  word  spare  is  used  to  denote  indulgence,  or  an 
overlooking  of  faults.  And  we  have  great  need  of  this  confi- 
dence, without  which  all  our  endeavours  will  be  vain ;  for 
God  considers  us  as  serving  him  in  none  of  our  works,  but 
such  as  are  truly  done  by  us  to  his  honour.  Bat  how  can 
this  be  done  amidst  those  terrors,  where  it  is  a  matter  of  doubt 
whether  our  works  oftend  God  or  honour  him  ? 

VI.  This  is  the  reason  why  the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  refers  to  faith,  and  estimates  only  by  faith,  all  the 
good  works  which  are  recorded  of  the  holy  patriarchs,  [l)  On 
this  liberty  there  is  a  remarkable  passage  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  where  Paul  reasons  that  sin  ought  not  to  have  do- 
minion over  us,  because  we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
grace,  {m)  For  after  he  had  exhorted  believers,  "  l-et  not 
sin,  therefore,  reign  in  your  mortal  body  ;  neither  yield  ye 
your  members  as  instruments  of  unrighteousness ;  but  yield 
yourselves  unto  God,  as  those  that  are  alive  from  the  dead, 
and  your  members  as  instruments  of  righteousness  unto 
God,"  {n)  —  they  might,  on  the  contrary,  object  that  they  yet 
carried  about  with  them  the  flesh  full  of  inordinate  desires,  and 
that  sin  dwelt  in  them  ;  but  he  adds  the  consolation  furnished 
by  their  liberty  from  the  law;  as  though  he  had  said,  Al- 
though you  do  not  yet  experience  sin  to  be  destroyed,  and 
righteousness  living  in  you  in  perfection,  yet  you  have  no 
cause  for  terror  and  dejection  of  mind,  as  if  God  were  perpetu- 
ally offended  on  account  of  your  remaining  sin ;  because  by 
grace  you  are  emancipated  from  the  law,  that  your  works  may 
not  be  judged  according  to  that  rule.  But  those,  who  infer 
that  we  may  commit  sin  because  we  are  not  under  the  law, 
may  be  assured  that  they  have  no  concern  with  this  liberty, 
the  end  of  which  is  to  animate  us  to  virtue. 

VII.  The  third  part  of  Christian  liberty  teaches  us,  that  we 
are  bound  by  no  obligation  before  God  respecting  external 
things,  which  in  themselves  are  indificrent ;  but  that  we  may 
indiflerently  sometimes  use,  and  at  other  times  omit  them. 
And  the  knowledge  of  this  liberty  also  is  very  necessary  for 
us ;  for  without  it  we  shall  have  no  tranquillity  of  conscience, 
nor  will  there  be  any  end  of  superstitions.  Many  in  the  pre- 
sent age  think  it  a  folly  to  raise  any  dispute  concerning  the 
free  use  of  meats,  of  days,  and  of  habits,  and  similar  subjects, 
considering  these  things  as  frivolous  and  nugatory ;  but  they 

Ik)  Mai.  iii.  17.         (0  Heb.  xi.  2.  (m)  Rom.  vi.  14.         (n)  Rom.  vi.  12,  13. 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  67 

are  of  greater  importance  than  is  generally  believed.  For 
when  the  conscience  has  once  fallen  into  the  snare,  it  enters  a 
long  and  inextricable  labyrinth,  from  which  it  is  afterwards 
difficult  to  escape  ;  if  a  man  begin  to  doubt  the  lawfulness  of 
using  flax  in  sheets,  shirts,  handkerchiefs,  napkins,  and  table 
cloths,  neither  will  he  be  certain  respecting  hemp,  and  at  last 
he  will  doubt  of  the  lawfulness  of  using  tow ;  for  he  will 
consider  with  himself  whether  he  cannot  eat  without  table 
cloths  or  napkins,  whether  he  cannot  do  without  handkerchiefs. 
If  any  one  imagine  delicate  food  to  be  unlawful,  he  will  ere 
long  have  no  tranquillity  before  God  in  eating  brown  bread  and 
common  viands,  while  he  remembers  that  he  might  support 
his  body  with  meat  of  a  quality  still  inferior.  If  he  hesitate 
respecting  good  wine,  he  will  afterwards  be"  unable  with  any 
peace  of  conscience  to  drink  the  most  vapid  ;  and  at  last  he  will 
not  presume  even  to  touch  purer  and  sweeter  water  than  others. 
In  short,  he  will  come  to  think  it  criminal  to  step  over  a  twig 
that  lies  across  his  path.  For  this  is  the  commencement  of  no 
trivial  controversy  ;  but  the  dispute  is  whether  the  use  of  cer- 
tain things  be  agreeable  to  God,  whose  will  ought  to  guide  all 
our  resolutions  and  all  our  actions.  The  necessary  consequence 
is,  that  some  are  hurried  by  despair  into  a  vortex  of  confusion, 
from  which  they  see  no  way  of  escape ;  and  some,  despising 
God,  and  casting  otf  all  fear  of  him,  make  a  way  of  ruin  for 
themselves.  For  all,  who  are  involved  in  such  doubts,  which 
way  soever  they  turn  their  views,  behold  something  offensive 
to  their  conscieiwies  presenting  itself  on  every  side. 

VIII.  "  I  know,"  says  Paul,  "  that  there  is  nothing  unclean 
of  itself;  but  to  him  that  esteemeth  any  thing  to  be  unclean, 
to  him  it  is  unclean."  (o)  In  these  words  he  makes  all  ex- 
ternal things  subject  to  our  liberty,  provided  that  our  minds 
have  regard  to  this  liberty  before  God.  But  if  any  supersti- 
tious notion  cause  us  to  scruple,  those  things  which  were 
naturally  pure  become  contaminated  to  us.  Wherefore  he  sub- 
joins, "  Happy  is  he  that  condemneth  not  himself  in  that 
which  he  alloweth.  And  he  that  doubteth  is  condemned  if 
he  eat,  because  he  eateth  not  of  faith  ;  for  whatsoever  is  not 
of  faith  is  sin."  (p)  Are  not  they,  who  in  these  perplexities 
show  their  superior  boldness  by  the  security  of  their  presump- 
tion, guilty  of  departing  from  God?  whilst  they  who  are  deeply 
aflected  with  the  true  fear  of  God,  when  they  are  even  con- 
strained to  admit  many  things  to  which  their  own  consciences 
are  averse,  are  filled  with  terror  and  consternation.  No  persons 
of  this  description  receive  any  of  the  gifts  of  God  with  thanks- 
giving, by  which  alone  Paul,  nevertheless,  declares  them  to  be 
all  sanctified  to  our  use.  (q)    I  mean  a  thanksgiving  proceeding 

(o)  Rom.  xiv.  14.  (p)  Rora.  xiv.  22,  23.  (?)  1  Tim.  iv.  5. 


68  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

from  a  mind  which  acknowledges  the  beneficence  and  good- 
ness of  God  in  the  blessings  he  bestows.  For  many  of  them, 
indeed,  apprehend  the  good  things  which  they  use  to  be  from 
God,  whom  they  praise  in  his  works ;  but  not  being  persuaded 
that  they  are  given  to  them,  how  could  they  give  thanks  to 
God  as  the  giver  of  them  ?  We  see,  in  short,  the  tendency  of 
this  liberty,  which  is,  that  without  any  scruple  of  conscience  or 
perturbation  of  mind,  we  should  devote  the  gifts  of  God  to  that 
use  for  which  he  has  given  them ;  by  which  confidence  our 
souls  may  have  peace  with  him,  and  acknowledge  his  liberality 
towards  us.  For  this  comprehends  all  ceremonies,  the  observa- 
tion of  which  is  left  free,  that  the  conscience  may  not  be  bound 
by  any  obligation  to  observe  them,  but  may  remember  that  by 
the  goodness  of  God  it  may  use  them,  or  abstain  from  them,  as 
shall  be  most  conducive  to  edification. 

IX.  Now,  it  must  be  carefully  observed,  that  Christian  liberty 
is  in  all  its  branches  a  spiritual  thing  ;  all  the  virtue  of  which 
consists  in  appeasing  terrified  consciences  before  God,  whether 
they  are  disquieted  and  solicitous  concerning  the  remission  of 
their  sins,  or  are  anxious  to  know  if  their  works,  which  are  im- 
perfect and  contaminated  by  the  defilements  of  the  flesh,  be 
acceptable  to  God  ;  or  are  tormented  concerning  the  use  of 
things  that  are  indifferent.  Wherefore  they  are  guilty  of  per- 
verting its  meaning,  who  either  make  it  the  pretext  of  their 
irregular  appetites,  that  they  may  abuse  the  Divine  blessings  to 
the  purposes  of  sensuality,  or  who  suppose  that  there  is  no 
liberty  but  what  is  used  before  men,  and  therefore  in  the  exer- 
cise of  it  totally  disregard  their  weak  brethren.  The  former 
of  these  sins  is  the  more  common  in  the  present  age.  There 
is  scarcely  any  one,  whom  his  wealth  permits  to  be  sumptuous, 
who  is  not  delighted  with  luxurious  splendour  in  his  enter- 
tainments, in  his  dress,  and  in  his  buildings  :  who  does  not 
desire  a  preeminence  in  every  species  of  luxury  ;  who  does  not 
strangely  flatter  himself  on  his  elegance.  And  all  these  things 
are  defended  under  the  pretext  of  Christian  liberty.  They  allege 
that  they  are  things  indifterent ;  this  I  admit,  provided  they  be 
indifferently  used.  But  where  they  are  too  ardently  coveted, 
proudly  boasted,  or  luxuriously  lavished,  these  things,  of  them- 
selves otherwise  indiflerent,  are  completely  polluted  by  such 
vices.  This  passage  of  Paul  makes  an  excellent  distinction 
re-specting  things  which  are  indiflerent :  "  Unto  the  pure  all 
things  are  pure  ;  but  unto  them  that  are  defiled  and  unbelieving 
is  nothing  pure ;  but  even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  de- 
filed." (r)  For  why  are  curses  denounced  on  rich  men,  who 
"receive  their  consolation,"  who  are  "satiated,"  who  "now 

(r)  Titus  i.  15. 


CHAP.   XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  69 

laugh,"  who  "  lie  on  beds  of  ivory,"  who  "join  field  to  field," 
who  "  have  the  harp,  and  the  lyre,  and  the  tabret,  and  wine  in 
their  feasts  ?  "  (s)  Ivory  and  gold,  and  riches  of  all  kinds,  are 
certainly  blessings  of  Divine  Providence,  not  only  permitted, 
but  expressly  designed  for  the  use  of  men  ;  nor  are  we  any  where 
prohibited  to  laugh,  or  to  be  satiated  with  food,  or  to  annex 
new  possessions  to  those  already  enjoyed  by  ourselves  or  by  our 
ancestors,  or  to  be  delighted  with  musical  harmony,  or  to  drink 
wine.  This  indeed  is  true  ;  but  amidst  an  abundance  of  all 
things,  to  be  immersed  in  sensual  delights,  to  inebriate  the 
heart  and  mind  with  present  pleasures,  and  perpetually  to  grasp 
at  new  ones,  —  these  things  are  very  remote  from  a  legitimate  use 
of  the  Divine  blessings.  Let  them  banish,  therefore,  immoderate 
cupidity,  excessive  profusion,  vanity,  and  arrogance  ;  that  with 
a  pure  conscience  they  may  make  a  proper  use  of  the  gifts  of 
God.  When  their  hearts  shall  be  formed  to  this  sobriety,  they 
will  have  a  rule  for  the  legitimate  enjoyment  of  them.  On  the 
contrary,  without  this  moderation,  even  common  and  ordina- 
ry pleasures  are  chargeable  with  excess.  For  it  is  truly  ob- 
served, that  a  proud  heart  frequently  dwells  under  coarse  and 
ragged  garments,  and  that  simplicity  and  humility  are  some- 
limes  concealed  under  purple  and  fine  linen.  Let  all  men,  in 
their  respective  stations,  whether  of  poverty,  of  competence,  or  of 
splendour,  live  in  the  remembrance  of  this  truth,  that  God  confers 
his  blessings  on  them  for  the  support  of  life,  not  for  luxury  ;  and 
let  them  consider  this  as  the  law  of  Christian  liberty,  that  they 
learn  the  lesson  which  Paul  had  learned,  when  he  said,  "  I  have 
learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content.  I 
know  both  how  to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound  :  every 
where  and  in  all  things  I  am  instructed,  both  to  be  full  and  to  be 
hungry,  both  to  abound  and  to  suffer  need."  (t) 

X.  Many  persons  err  likewise  in  this  respect,  that,  as  if  their 
liberty  would  not  be  perfectly  secure  unless  witnessed  by  men, 
they  make  an  indiscriminate  and  imprudent  use  of  it  -  -  a  dis- 
orderly practice,  which  occasions  frequent  offence  to  their  weak 
brethren.  There  are  some  to  be  found,  in  the  present  day, 
who  imagine  their  liberty  would  be  abridged,  if  they  were  not 
to  enter  on  the  enjoyment  of  it  by  eating  animal  food  on  Friday. 
Their  eating  is  not  the  subject  of  my  reprehension  ;  but  their 
minds  require  to  be  divested  of  this  false  notion  ;  for  they  ought 
to  consider,  that  they  obtain  no  advantage  from  their  liberty 
before  men,  but  with  God  ;  and  that  it  consists  in  abstinence 
as  well  as  in  use.  If  they  apprehend  it  to  be  immaterial  in 
God's  view,  whether  they  eat  animal  food  or  eggs,  whether 
their  garments  be  scarlet  or  black,  it  is  quite  sufficient.     The 

(5)  Luke  vi.  24,  25.     Amos  vi.  1,  &c.     Isaiah  v.  8,  &c.  (t)  Phil.  iv.  11,  12, 


70  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IIL 

conscience,  to  which  the  benefit  of  this  liberty  was  due,  is  now 
emancipated.  Therefore,  though  they  abstain  from  flesh,  and 
wear  but  one  color,  during  all  the  rest  of  their  lives,  this  is  no 
diminution  of  their  freedom.  Nay,  because  they  are  free,  they 
therefore  abstain  with  a  free  conscience.  But  they  fall  into  a  very 
pernicious  error  in  disregarding  the  infirmity  of  their  brethren, 
which  it  becomes  us  to  bear,  so  as  not  rashly  to  do  any  thing 
which  would  give  them  the  least  offence.  But  it  will  be  said, 
that  it  is  sometimes  right  to  assert  our  liberty  before  men. 
This  I  confess  ;  yet  the  greatest  caution  and  moderation  must 
be  observed,  lest  we  cast  off  all  concern  for  the  weak,  whom 
God  has  so  strongly  recommended  to  our  regards. 

XI.  I  shall  now,  therefore,  make  some  observations  con- 
cerning offences  ;  how  they  are  to  be  discriminated,  what  are  to 
be  avoided,  and  what  are  to  be  disregarded ;  whence  we  may 
afterwards  determine  what  room  there  is  for  our  liberty  in  our 
intercourse  with  mankind.  I  approve  of  the  common  distinc- 
tion between  an  oflfence  given  and  an  offence  taken,  since  it  is 
plainly  countenanced  by  Scripture,  and  is  likewise  sufficiently 
significant  of  the  thing  intended  to  be  expressed.  If  you  do 
any  thing  at  a  wrong  time  or  place,  or  with  an  unseasonable 
levity,  or  wantonness,  or  temerity,  by  which  the  weak  and  in- 
experienced are  offended,  it  must  be  termed  an  offence  given 
by  you  ;  because  it  arises  from  your  fault.  And  an  offence  is 
always  said  to  be  given  in  any  action,  the  fault  of  which  pro- 
ceeds from  the  performer  of  that  action.  An  oflence  taken  is, 
when  any  transaction,  not  otherwise  unseasonable  or  culpable, 
is,  through  malevolence,  or  some  perverse  disposition,  construed 
into  an  occasion  of  oflence.  For  in  this  instance  the  offence  is 
not  given,  but  taken  without  reason  by  such  perverseness  of 
construction.  The  first  species  of  ofl'ence  aftects  none  but  the 
weak  ;  the  second  is  created  by  moroseness  of  temper,  and 
Pharisaical  superciliousness.  Wherefore  we  shall  denominate 
the  former,  the  oflence  of  the  weak,  the  latter,  that  of  Pha- 
risees;  and  we  shall  so  temper  the  use  of  our  liberty,  that  it 
ought  to  submit  to  the  ignorance  of  weak  brethren,  but  not  at 
all  to  the  austerity  of  Pharisees.  For  our  duty  to  tlie  weak, 
Paul  fully  shows  in  many  places.  "  Him  that  is  weak  in  the 
faith  receive  ye."  Again :  "  Let  us  not  therefore  judge  one 
another  any  more ;  but  judge  this  rather,  that  no  man  put  a 
stumbling-block  or  an  occasion  to  fall  in  his  brother's  way  ;  '-  (n) 
and  much  more  to  the  same  import,  which  were  better  exa- 
mined in  its  proper  connection  than  recited  here.  The  sum  of 
all  is,  that  "  we,  then,  that  are  strong,  ought  to  bear  the  infirmi- 
ties of  the  weak,  and  not  to  please  ourselves.     Let  every  one  of 

(u)  Rom.  xiv.  1,  13. 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  71 

US  please  his  neighbour  for  his  good  to  edification."  (v)  In 
another  place  :  "  But  take  heed  lest  by  any  means  this  liberty 
of  yours  become  a  stumbling-block  to  them  that  are  weak."  (w) 
Again :  "  Whatsoever  is  sold  in  the  shambles,  that  eat ;  ask- 
ing no  questions  for  conscience'  sake ;  conscience,  I  say,  not 
thine  own,  but  of  the  other."  In  short,  "Give  none  offence, 
neither  to  the  Jews,  nor  to  the  Gentiles,  nor  to  the  Church  of 
God."  (.r)  In  another  place  also :  "  Brethren,  ye  have  been 
called  unto  liberty ;  only  use  not  liberty  for  an  occasion  to  the 
flesh,  but  by  love  serve  one  another."  (y)  The  meaning  of 
this  is,  that  our  liberty  is  not  given  us  to  be  used  in  opposition 
to  our  weak  neighbours,  to  whom  charity  obliges  us  to  do 
every  possible  service  ;  but  rather  in  order  that,  having  peace 
with  God  in  our  minds,  we  may  also  live  peaceably  among 
men.  But  how  much  attention  should  be  paid  to  an  offence 
taken  by  Pharisees,  we  learn  from  our  Lord's  injunction,  "  Let 
them  alone ;  they  be  blind  leaders  of  the  blind."  (z)  The 
disciples  had  informed  him,  that  the  Pharisees  were  offended 
with  his  discourse.  He  replies  that  they  are  to  be  let  alone, 
and  their  offence  disregarded. 

XII.  But  the  subject  is  still  pending  in  uncertainty,  unless 
we  know  whom  we  are  to  account  weak,  and  whom  we  are  to 
consider  as  Pharisees  ;  without  which  distinction,  I  see  no  use 
of  liberty  in  the  midst  of  offences,  but  such  as  must  be  at- 
tended with  the  greatest  danger.  But  Paul  appears  to  me  to 
have  very  clearly  decided,  both  by  doctrine  and  examples,  how 
far  our  liberty  should  be  either  moderated  or  asserted  on  the 
occurrence  of  offences.  When  he  made  Timothy  his  associate, 
he  circumcised  him ;  (a)  but  could  not  be  induced  to  circum- 
cise Titus,  (b)  Here  was  a  difference  in  his  proceedings,  but 
no  change  of  mind  or  of  purpose.  In  the  circumcision  of  Ti- 
mothy, "  though  he  was  free  from  all  men,  yet  he  made  himself 
servant  unto  all ;  "  and  says  he,  "  Unto  the  Jews  I  became  as  a 
Jew,  that  I  might  gain  the  Jews  ;  to  them  that  are  under  the 
law,  as  under  the  law,  that  I  might  gain  them  that  are  under 
the  law :  I  am  made  all  things  to  all  men,  that  I  might  by  all 
means  save  some."  (o)  Thus  we  have  a  proper  moderation  of 
liberty,  if  it  may  be  indifferently  restricted  with  any  advantage. 
His  reason  for  resolutely  refraining  from  circumcising  Titus, 
he  declares  in  the  following  words  :  "  But  neither  Titus,  who 
was  with  me,  being  a  Greek,  was  compelled  to  be  circumcised  ; 
and  that  because  of  false  brethren  unawares  brought  in,  who 
came  in  privily  to  spy  out  our  liberty  which  we  have  in  Christ 
Jesus,  that  they  might  bring  us  into  bondage ;  to  whom  we 

(v)  Rom.  XV.  1,  2.  (y)  Gal.  v.  13.  (b)  Gal.  ii.  3. 

(w)  1  Cor.  viii.  9.  (2)  Matt.  xv.  14.  (c)  1  Cor.  ix.  19, 

(z)  1  Cor  X.  25,  29,  32.  (a)  Acts  xvi.  3.  20,  22. 


72  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

gave  place  by  subjection,  no,  not  for  an  hour ;  that  the  truth 
of  the  gospel  might  continue  with  you."  (d)  We  also  are 
under  the  necessity  of  vindicating  our  liberty,  if  it  be  endan- 
gered in  weak  consciences  by  the  iniquitous  requisitions  of 
false  apostles.  We  must  at  all  times  study  charity,  and  keep 
in  view  the  edification  of  our  neighbour.  "All  things  (says 
Paul)  are  lawful  for  me,  but  all  things  are  not  expedient :  all 
things  are  lawful  for  me,  but  all  things  edify  not.  Let  no  man 
seek  his  own,  but  every  man  another's."  (e)  Nothing  can  be 
plainer  than  this  rule,  that  our  liberty  should  be  used,  if  it  con- 
duces to  our  neighbour's  edification  ;  but  that  if  it  be  not  bene- 
ficial to  our  neighbour,  it  should  be  abridged.  There  are  some, 
who  pretend  to  imitate  the  prudence  of  Paul  in  refraining  from 
the  exercise  of  liberty,  while  they  are  doing  any  thing  but  ex- 
ercising the  duties  of  charity.  For  to  promote  their  own  tran- 
quillity, they  wish  all  mention  of  liberty  to  be  buried  ;  whereas 
it  is  no  less  advantageous  to  our  neighbours  sometimes  to  use 
our  liberty  to  their  benefit  and  edification,  than  at  other  times 
to  moderate  it  for  their  accommodation.  But  a  pious  man  con- 
siders this  liberty  in  external  things  as  granted  him  in  order 
that  he  may  be  the  better  prepared  for  all  the  duties  of  charity. 
XIII.  But  whatever  I  have  advanced  respecting  the  avoid- 
ance of  ofljences,  I  wish  to  be  referred  to  indifferent  and  un- 
important things  ;  for  necessary  duties  must  not  be  omitted 
tln-ough  fear  of  any  offence  :  as  our  liberty  should  be  subject 
to  charity,  so  charity  itself  ought  to  be  subservient  to  the  purity 
of  faith.  It  becomes  us,  indeed,  to  have  regard  to  charity  ;  but 
we  must  not  ofiend  God  for  the  love  of  our  neighbour.  We 
cannot  approve  the  intemperance  of  those  who  do  nothing  but  in 
a  tumultuous  manner,  and  who  prefer  violent  measures  to  le- 
nient ones.  Nor  must  we  listen  to  those,  who,  while  they  show 
themselves  the  leaders  in  a  thousand  species  of  impiety,  pretend 
that  they  are  obliged  to  act  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  may  give 
no  offence  to  their  neighbours ;  as  though  they  are  not  at  the 
same  time  fortifying  the  consciences  of  their  neighbours  in  sin  ; 
especially  since  they  are  always  sticking  in  the  same  mire 
without  any  hope  of  deliverance.  And  whether  their  neighbour 
is  to  be  instructed  by  doctrine  or  by  example,  they  maintain 
that  he  ought  to  be  fed  with  milk,  though  they  are  infecting 
him  with  the  worst  and  most  pernicious  notions.  Paul  tells 
the  Corinthians,  "  I  have  fed  you  with  milk;  "  (/)  but  if  the 
Popish  mass  had  been  then  introduced  among  them,  would  he 
have  united  in  that  pretended  sacrifice  in  order  to  feed  them 
with  milk  ?  Certainly  not ;  for  milk  is  not  poison.  They  are 
guilty  of  falsehood,  therefore,  in  saying  that  they  feed  those 

(d)  Gal.  u.  3—5.  (e)  1  Cor.  3.  23,  94.  (/)  1  Cor.  iii.  2. 


CHAP,    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  7S 

whom  they  cruelly  murder  under  the  appearance  of  such  flat- 
teries. But  admittmg  that  such  dissimulation  is  to  be  approved 
for  a  time,  how  long  will  they  feed  their  children  with  the 
same  milk  ?  For  if  they  never  grow,  so  as  to  be  able  to  bear 
even  some  light  meat,  it  is  a  clear  proof  that  they  were  never 
fed  with  milk.  I  am  prevented  from  pushing  this  con- 
troversy with  them  any  further  at  present,  by  two  reasons  — 
first,  because  their  absurdities  scarcely  deserve  a  refutation, 
being  justly  despised  by  all  men  of  sound  understanding  ; 
secondly,  having  done  this  at  large  in  particidar  treatises,  I  am 
unwilling  to  travel  the  same  ground  over  again.  Only  let  the 
readers  remember,  that  with  whatever  offences  Satan  and  the 
world  may  endeavour  to  divert  us  from  the  ordinances  of  God, 
or  to  retard  our  pursuit  of  what  he  enjoins,  yet  we  must  never- 
theless strenuously  advance  ;  and  moreover,  that  whatever  dan- 
gers threaten  us,  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  deviate  even  a  hair's 
breadth  from  his  command,  and  that  it  is  not  lawfid  under  any 
pretext  to  attempt  any  thing  but  what  he  permits. 

XIV.  Now,  since  the  consciences  of  believers,  being  pri- 
vileged with  the  liberty  which  we  have  described,  have  been 
delivered  by  the  favour  of  Christ  from  all  necessary  obliga- 
tion to  the  observance  of  those  things  in  which  the  Lord  has 
been  pleased  they  should  be  left  free,  we  conclude  that  they 
are  exempt  from  all  human  authority.  For  it  is  not  right  that 
Christ  should  lose  the  acknowledgments  due  to  such  kindness, 
or  our  consciences  the  benefit  of  it.  Neither  is  that  to  be 
accounted  a  trivial  thing,  which  we  see  cost  Christ  so  much ; 
which  he  estimated  not  with  gold  or  silver,  but  with  his  own 
blood ;  {71)  so  that  Paul  hesitates  not  to  assert,  that  his  death  is 
rendered  vain,  if  we  suffer  our  souls  to  be  in  subjection  to  men.  (0) 
For  his  sole  object  in  some  chapters  of  his  Epistle  to  the  Gala- 
tians  is  to  prove  that  Christ  is  obscured,  or  rather  abolished,  with 
respect  to  us,  unless  our  consciences  continue  in  their  liberty ; 
from  which  they  are  certainly  fallen,  if  they  can  be  insnared  in 
the  bonds  of  laws  and  ordinances  at  the  pleasure  of  men.  (p) 
But  as  it  is  a  subject  highly  worthy  of  being  understood,  so  it 
needs  a  more  diffuse  and  perspicuous  explanation.  For  as  soon 
as  a  word  is  mentioned  concerning  the  abrogation  of  human 
establishments,  great  tumults  are  excited,  partly  by  seditious 
persons,  partly  by  cavillers  ;  as  though  all  obedience  of  men 
were  at  once  subverted  and  destroyed. 

XV.  To  prevent  any  one  from  falling  into  this  error,  let  us 
therefore  consider,  in  the  first  place,  that  man  is  under  two  kinds 
of  government  —  one  spiritual,  by  which  the  conscience  is 
formed  to  piety  and  the  service  of  God ;  the  other  political,  by 

(n)  1  Peter  i.  18, 19.  (o)  Gal.  v.  1,  4.  (p)  1  Cor.  vii.  23 

VOL.    II.  10 


74  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III 

which  a  man  is  instructed  in  the  duties  of  humanity  and  civi- 
lity, which  are  to  be  observed  in  an  intercourse  with  mankind. 
They  are  generally,  and  not  improperly,  denominated  the 
spiritual  and  the  temporal  jurisdiction;  indicating  that  the 
former  species  of  government  pertains  to  the  life  of  the  soul,  and 
that  the  latter  relates  to  the  concerns  of  the  present  state  ;  not 
only  to  the  provision  of  food  and  clothing,  but  to  the  enactment 
of  laws  to  regulate  a  man's  life  among  his  neighbours  by  the 
rules  of  holiness,  integrity,  and  sobriety.  For  the  former  lias  its 
seat  in  the  interior  of  the  mind,  whilst  the  latter  only  directs 
the  external  conduct :  one  may  be  termed  a  spiritual  kingdom, 
and  the  other  a  political  one.  But  these  two,  as  we  have  dis- 
tinguished them,  always  require  to  be  considered  separately ; 
and  while  the  one  is  under  discussion,  the  mind  must  be  ab- 
stracted from  all  consideration  of  the  other.  For  man  contains, 
as  it  were,  two  worlds,  capable  of  being  governed  by  various 
rulers  and  various  laws.  This  distinction  will  prevent  what 
the  gospel  inculcates  concerning  spiritual  liberty  from  being 
misapplied  to  political  regulations ;  as  though  Christians  were 
less  subject  to  the  external  government  of  human  laws,  because 
their  consciences  have  been  set  at  liberty  before  God  ;  as 
though  their  freedom  of  spirit  necessarily  exempted  them  from 
all  carnal  servitude.  Again,  because  even  in  those  constitutions 
which  seem  to  pertain  to  the  spiritual  kingdom,  there  may 
possibly  be  some  deception,  it  is  necessary  to  discriminate 
between  these  also ;  which  are  to  be  accounted  legitimate,  as 
according  Avith  the  Divine  word,  and  which,  on  the  contrary, 
ought  not  to  be  received  among  believers.  Of  civil  govern- 
ment I  shall  treat  in  another  place.  Of  ecclesiastical  laws 
also  I  forbear  to  speak  at  present  ;  because  a  full  discussion  of 
them  will  be  proper  in  the  Fourth  Book,  where  we  shall  treat 
of  the  power  of  the  Church.  But  we  shall  conclude  the  present 
argument  in  the  following  manner :  The  question,  which,  as  I 
have  observed,  is  in  itself  not  very  obscure  or  intricate,  greatly 
perplexes  "many,  because  they  do  not  distinguish  with  sullicient 
precision  between  the  external  jurisdiction  and  the  court  of 
conscience.  The  difficulty  is  increased  by  Paul's  injunction  to 
obey  magistrates  "  not  only  for  wrath,  but  also  for  conscience' 
sake  ;  "  (q)  from  which  it  should  follow,  that  the  conscience  also 
is  bound  by  political  laws.  But  if  this  were  true,  it  would 
supersede  all  that  Ave  have  already  said,  or  are-  noAv  about  to 
say,  respecting  spiritual  government.  For  the  solution  of  this 
difficulty,  it  will  be  of  use,  first,  to  knoAV  Avhat  conscience  is. 
And  the  definition  of  it  must  be  derived  from  the  etymology  of 
the  Avord.     For  as,  Avhen  men  apprehend  the  knowledge  of 

(q)  Rom.  xiii.  1,  5. 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  75 

things  111  the  mind  and  understanding,  they  are  thence  said 
scire,  '•  to  know,"  whence  is  derived  the  word  scientia, 
"science"  or  "knowledge;"  so  when  they  have  a  sense  of 
Divine  justice,  as  an  additional  witness,  which  permits  them 
not  to  conceal  their  sins,  or  to  elude  accusation  at  the  tribunal 
of  the  supreme  Judge,  this  sense  is  termed  cojisdentia,  "con- 
science." For  it  is  a  kind  of  medium  between  God  and  man ; 
because  it  does  not  suffer  a  man  to  suppress  what  he  knows 
within  himself,  but  pursues  him  till  it  brings  him  to  conviction. 
This  is  what  Paul  means  by  "  tlieir  conscience  also  bearing 
witness,  and  their  thoughts  accusing,  or  else  excusing,  one 
another."  (r)  Simple  knowledge  might  remain,  as  it  were, 
confined  within  a  man.  This  sentiment,  therefore,  which 
places  man  before  the  Divine  tribunal,  is  appointed,  as  it  were, 
to  watch  over  man,  to  observe  and  examine  all  his  secrets,  that 
nothing  may  remain  enveloped  in  darkness.  Hence  the  old 
proverb,  Conscience  is  as  a  thousand  witnesses.  For  the  same 
reason  Peter  speaks  of  "  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
towards  God,"  (s)  to  express  our  tranquillity  of  mind,  when, 
persuaded  of  the  favour  of  Christ,  we  present  ourselves  with 
boldness  in  the  presence  of  God.  And  the  author  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  expresses  absolution  or  freedom  from 
every  future  charge  of  sin,  by  "having  no  more  conscience 
of  sin."  {t) 

XVI.  Therefore,  as  works  respect  men,  so  conscience  regards 
God ;  so  that  a  good  conscience  is  no  other  than  inward  in- 
tegrity of  heart.  In  which  sense  Paul  says,  that  "  the  end  of 
the  commandment  is  charity,  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good 
conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned."  (w)  Afterwards  also,  in 
the  same  chapter,  he  shows  how  widely  it  ditfers  from  under- 
standing, saying,  that  "some,  having  put  away  a  good  con- 
science, concerning  faith  have  made  shipwreck."  {w)  For 
these  words  indicate  that  it  is  a  lively  inclination  to  the  service 
of  God,  and  a  sincere  pursuit  of  piety  and  holiness  of  life. 
Sometimes,  indeed,  it  is  likewise  extended  to  men  ;  as  when 
the  same  apostle  declares,  "  Herein  do  I  exercise  myself,  to 
have  always  a  conscience  void  of  offence  toward  God  and 
toward  men."  {x)  But  the  reason  of  this  assertion  is,  that  the 
fruits  of  a  good  conscience  reach  even  to  men.  But  in  strict 
propriety  of  speech  it  has  to  do  with  God  alone,  as  I  have 
already  observed.  Hence  it  is  that  a  law,  which  simply  binds 
a  man  without  relation  to  other  men,  or  any  consideration  of 
them,  is  said  to  bind  the  conscience.  For  example,  God  not 
only  enjoins  the  preservation  of  the  mind  chaste  and  pure  from 
every  libidinous  desire,  but  prohibits  all  obscenity  of  language 

(r)  Rom.  ii.  15.  {t)  Hob.  x.  2.  {w)  1  Tim.  i.  19. 

(s)  1  Peter  iii.  21.  («)  1  Tim.  i.  5.  (x)  Acts  xxiv.  16. 


76  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

and  external  lasciviousness.  The  observance  of  this  law  is  in- 
cumbent on  my  conscience,  though  there  were  not  another  man 
existing  in  the  world.  Thus  he  who  transgresses  the  limits  of 
temperance,  not  only  sins  by  giving  a  bad  example  to  his 
brethren,  but  contracts  guilt  on  his  conscience  before  God. 
Things  in  themselves  indifferent  are  to  be  guided  by  other 
considerations.  It  is  our  duty  to  abstain  from  them,  if  they 
tend  to  the  least  offence,  yet  without  violating  our  liberty  of 
conscience.  So  Paul  speaks  concerning  meat  consecrated  to 
idols :  "If  any  man  say  unto  you.  This  is  offered  in  sacrifice 
to  idols,  eat  not  for  conscience'  sake ;  conscience,  I  say,  not 
thine  own,  but  of  the  other."  {y)  A  pious  man  would  be  gudty 
of  sin,  who,  being  previously  admonished,  should,  nevertheless, 
eat  such  meat.  But  though,  with  respect  to  his  brother, 
abstinence  is  necessary  for  him,  as  it  is  enjoined  by  God,  yet 
he  ceases  not  to  retain  liberty  of  conscience.  We  see,  then, 
how  this  law,  though  it  binds  the  external  action,  leaves  the 
conscience  free. 


CHAPTER    XX. 


ON      PRAYER,    THE      PRINCIPAL      EXERCISE       OF      FAITH,    AND      THE 
MEDIUM    OF    OUR    DAILY    RECEPTION    OF    DIVINE    BLESSINGS, 

From  the  subjects  already  discussed,  we  clearly  perceive 
how  utterly  destitute  man  is  of  every  good,  and  in  want  of  all 
the  means  of  salvation.  Wherefore,  if  he  seek  for  relief  in  his 
necessities,  he  must  go  out  of  himself,  and  obtain  it  from  some 
other  quarter.  It  has  been  subsequently  stated,  that  the  Lord 
voluntarily  and  liberally  manifests  himself  in  his  Christ,  in 
whom  he  offers  us  all  felicity  instead  of  our  misery,  and  opu- 
lence instead  of  our  poverty  ;  in  whom  he  opens  to  our  view  the 
treasures  of  heaven,  that  our  faith  may  be  wholly  engaged  in 
the  contemplation  of  his  beloved  Son,  that  all  our  expectation 
may  depend  upon  him,  and  that  in  him  all  our  hope  may  rest 
and  be  fully  satisfied.  This,  indeed,  is  that  secret  and  recondite 
philosophy,  which  cannot  be  extracted  from  syllogisms ;  but 
is  well  understood  by  those  Avhose  eyes  God  has  opened,  that 
in  his  light  they  may  see  light.  But  since  we  have  been 
taught  by  faith  to  acknowledge,  that  whatever  we  Avant  for 
the  supply  of  our  necessities  is  in  God  and  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  whom  it  has  pleased  the  Father  all  the  fulness  of  his 

(y)  1  Cor.  X.  28.  29. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  77 

bounty  should  dwell,  that  we  may  all  draw  from  it,  as  from  a 
most  copious  fountain,  it  remains  for  us  to  seek  m  hmi,  and 
by  prayers  to  implore  of  him,  that  which  we  have  been  in- 
formed resides  in  him.  Otherwise  to  know  God  as  the  Lord 
and  Giver  of  every  good,  who  invites  us  to  supplicate  him,  but 
neither  to  approach  him  nor  to  supplicate  him,  Avould  be  equally 
unprofitable,  as  for  a  man  to  neglect  a  treasure  discovered  to 
him  buried  in  the  earth.  Wherefore  the  apostle,  to  show  that 
true  faith  cannot  but  be  engaged  in  calling  upon  God,  has  laid 
down  this  order  — that,  as  faith  is  produced  by  the  gospel,  so 
by  faith  our  hearts  are  brought  to  invoke  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  (z)  And  this  is  the  same  as  he  had  a  little  before  said, 
that  the  "  Spirit  of  adoption,"  who  seals  the  testimony  of  the 
gospel  in  our  hearts,  encourages  our  spirits,  so  that  they  ven- 
ture to  pour  out  their  desires  before  God,  excite  "  groanings 
that  cannot  be  uttered,"  and  cry  with  confidence,  "Abba, 
Father."  (a)  This  last  subject,  therefore,  having  been  before 
only  cursorily  mentioned  and  slightly  touched,  requires  now  to 
be  treated  more  at  large. 

n.  By  means  of  prayer,  then,  we  penetrate  to  those  riches 
which  are  reserved  with  our  heavenly  Father  for  our  use. 
For  between  God  and  men  there  is  a  certain  communication ; 
by  which  they  enter  into  the  sanctuary  of  heaven,  and  in  his 
immediate  presence  remind  him  of  his  promises,  in  order  that 
his  declarations,  which  they  have  implicitly  believed,  may  in 
time  of  necessity  be  verified  in  their  experience.  We  see, 
therefore,  that  nothing  is  revealed  to  us,  to  be  expected  from 
the  Lord,  for  which  we  are  not  likewise  enjoined  to  pray  ;  so 
true  is  it,  that  prayer  digs  out  those  treasures,  which  the  gos- 
pel of  the  Lord  discovers  to  our  faith.  Now,  the  necessity  and 
various  utility  of  the  exercise  of  prayer  no  language  can  suffi- 
ciently explain.  It  is  certainly  not  without  reason  that  our 
heavenly  Father  declares,  that  the  only  fortress  of  salvation 
consists  in  invocation  of  his  name  ;  by  which  we  call  to  our 
aid  the  presence  of  his  providence,  which  watches  over  all  our 
concerns;  of  his  power,  which  supports  us  when  weak  and 
ready  to  faint ;  and  of  his  goodness,  which  receives  us  into 
favour,  though  miserably  burdened  with  sins;  in  which, 
finally,  we  call  upon  him  to  manifest  his  presence  with  us  in 
all  his  attributes.  Hence  our  consciences  derive  peculiar  peace 
and  tranquillity  ;  for  when  the  afliiction  which  oppressed  us  is 
represented  to  the  Lord,  we  feel  abundant  composure  even 
from  this  consideration  —  that  none  of  our  troubles  are  concealed 
from  him,  whom  we  know  to  possess  both  the  greatest  readi 
ness  and  the  greatest  ability  to  promote  our  truest  interest. 

(z)  Rom.  X.  13,  14,  17.  (a)  Rom.  viii.  15,  26. 


78  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

III.    But  some  will  say,  Does  he  not,  without  information, 
know  both  our  troubles  and  our  necessities  ;  so  that  it  may  ap- 
pear unnecessary  to  solicit  him  with  our  prayers,  as  if  he  were 
inattentive  or  sleeping,  till  aroused  by  our  voice  ?     But  such 
reasoners  advert  not  to  the  Lord's  end  in  teaching  his  people  to 
pray  ;  for  he  has  appointed  it  not  so  much  for  his  own  sake  as 
for  ours.     It  is  his  pleasure  indeed,  as  is  highly  reasonable,  that 
his  right  be  rendered  to  him,  by  their  considering  him  as  the 
Author  of  all  that  is  desired  and  found  useful  by  men,  and  by 
their  acknowledgments  of  this  in  their  prayers.     But  the  uti- 
lity of  this  sacrifice,  by  which  he  is  worshipped,  returns  to  us. 
The  greater  the  confidence,  therefore,  with  which  the  ancient 
saints  gloried  in  the  Divine  benefits  to  themselves  and  others, 
with  so  much  the  more  earnestness  were  they  incited  to  pray. 
The  single  example  of  Elijah  shall  suffice,  who,  though  certain 
of  God's  design,  having  already  with  sufficient  authority  pro- 
mised rain  to   king  Ahab,  yet  anxiously  prays  between  his 
knees,  and  sends  his  servant  seven  times  to  look  hv  it ;  (b)  not 
with  an  intention  to  discredit  the  Divine  oracle,  but  under  a 
conviction  of  his  duty  to  prevent  his  faith  becoming  languid 
and  torpid,  by  pouring  out  his  prayers  before  God.     Where- 
fore, although, -when  we  are  stupid  and  insensible  to  our  own 
miseries,  he  vigilantly  watches  and  guards  us,  and  sometimes 
affords  us   unsolicited  succour,  yet  it  highly  concerns  us  as- 
siduously to  supplicate  him,  that  our  heart  may  be  always  in- 
flamed with  a  serious  and  ardent  desire  of  seeking,  loving,  and 
worshipping  him,  while  we  accustom  ourselves  in  all  our  ne- 
cessities to  resort  to  him  as  our  sheet  anchor.     Further,  that  no 
desire  or  wish,  which  we  should  be  ashamed  for  him  to  know, 
may  enter  our  minds;  when  we  learn  to  present  our  wishes, 
and  so  to  pour  out  our  whole  heart  in  his  presence.     Next, 
that   we  may  be  prepared  to  receive  his  blessings  with  true 
gratitude  of  soul,  and  even  with  grateful  acknowledgments ; 
being  reminded  by  our  praying  that  they  come  from  his  hand. 
Moreover,  that  when  we  have  obtained  what  we  sought,  the 
persuasion  that  he  has  answered  our  requests  may  excite  us  to 
more  ardent  meditations  on  his  goodness,  and  produce  a  more 
joyful  welcome  of  those  things  which  we  acknowledge  to  be 
the  fruits  of  our  prayers.     Lastly,  that  use  and  experience  itself 
may  yield  our  minds  a  confirmation  of  his  providence  in  pro- 
portion to  our  imbecility,  while  we  apprehend  that  he  not  only 
promises  never  to  forsake  us,  and  freely  opens  a  way  of  access 
for  our  addressing  him  in  the  very  moment  of  necessity ;  but 
that  his  hand  is  always  extended  to  assist  his  peojjle,  Avhom  he 
does  not  feed  with  mere  words,  but  supports  with  present  aid. 

(b)  1  Kings  xviii.  42,  &c. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  79 

On  these  accounts  our  most  merciful  Father,  though  Hable  to 
no  sleep  or  languor,  yet  frequently  appears  as  if  he  were  sleepy 
or  lant'-uid,  in  order  to  exercise  us,  who  are  otherwise  slothful 
and  inactive,  in  approaching,  supplicating,  and  earnestly  im- 
portuning him  to  our  own  advantage.  It  is  extremely  absurd, 
therefore,  in  them  who,  with  a  view  to  divert  the  minds  of 
men  from  praying  to  God,  pretend  that  it  is  useless  for  us  by 
our  interruptions  to  weary  the  Divine  Providence,  which  is 
engaged  in  the  conservation  of  all  things  ;  whereas  the  Lord  de- 
clares, on  the  contrary,  that  he  "  is  nigh  to  all  that  call  upon 
him  in  truth."  (c)  And  equally  nugatory  is  the  objection  of 
others,  that  it  is  superfluous  to  petition  for  those  things  which 
the  Lord  is  ready  voluntarily  to  bestow  ;  whereas  even  those 
very  things,  which  flow  to  us  from  his  spontaneous  liberality, 
he  wishes  us  to  consider  as  granted  to  our  prayers.  This  is 
evinced  by  that  memorable  passage  in  the  Psalms,  as  well  as 
by  many  other  correspondent  texts,  —  "  The  eyes  of  the  Lord 
are  upon  the  righteous,  and  his  ears  are  open  unto  their 
cry ;  "  (d)  which  celebrates  the  Divine  Providence  as  sponta- 
neously engaged  to  accomplish  the  salvation  of  believers ;  yet 
does  not  omit  the  exercise  of  faith,  by  which  sloth  is  expelled 
from  the  minds  of  men.  The  eyes  of  God,  then,  are  vigilant 
to  succour  the  necessity  of  the  blind  ;  but  he  is  likewise  will- 
ing to  hear  our  groans,  to  give  a  better  proof  of  his  love 
towards  us.  And  thus  it  is  equally  true,  that  "  he  that  keep- 
eth  Israel  neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps,"  and  yet  that  he  remains, 
as  it  were,  forgetful  of  us,  while  he  beholds  us  slothful  and 
dumb. 

IV.  Now,  for  conducting  prayer  in  a  right  and  proper  man- 
ner, the  first  rule  is,  that  our  heart  and  mind  be  composed  to  a 
suitable  frame,  becoming  those  who  enter  into  conversation 
with  God.  This  state  of  mind  we  shall  certainly  attain,  if, 
divested  of  all  carnal  cares  and  thoughts,  that  tend  to  divert 
and  seduce  it  from  a  right  and  clear  view  of  God,  it  not  only 
devotes  itself  entirely  to  the  solemn  exercise,  but  is  likewise  as 
far  as  possible  elevated  and  carried  above  itself.  Nor  do  I  here 
require  a  mind  so  disengaged  as  to  be  disturbed  by  no  solicitude  ; 
since  there  ought,  on  the  contrary,  most  anxiously  to  be  kindled 
within  us  a  fervency  of  prayer,  (as  we  see  the  holy  servants  of 
God  discover  great  solicitude,  and  even  anguish,  when  they 
say  they  utter  their  complaints  to  the  Lord  from  the  deep 
abysses  of  affliction  and  the  very  jaws  of  death.)  But  I  main- 
tain the  necessity  of  dismissing  all  foreign  and  external  cares^ 
by  which  the  wandering  mind  may  be  hurried  hither  and 
thither,  and  dragged  from  heaven  down  to  earth.     It  ought  to 

(c)  Psalm  cxlv.  18.  (d)  Psalm  xxxiv.  15. 


80  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

be  elevated  above  itself,  that  it  may  not  intrude  into  the  Divine 
presence  any  of  the  imaginations  of  our  blind  and  foolish  reason, 
nor  confine  itself  within  the  limits  of  its  own  vanity,  but  rise 
to  purity  worthy  of  God. 

V.  Both  these  things  are  highly  worthy  of  observation  —  first, 
that  whoever  engages  in  prayer,  should  apply  all  his  faculties 
and  attention  to  it,  and  not  be  distracted,  as  is  commonly  the 
case,  with  wandering  thoughts  ;  nothing  being  more  contrary 
to  a  reverence  for  God  than  such  levity,  which  indicates  a 
licentious  spirit,  wholly  unrestrained  by  fear.  In  this  case  our 
exertions  must  be  great  in  proportion  to  the  difficulty  we 
experience.  For  no  man  can  be  so  intent  on  praying,  but  he 
may  perceive  many  irregular  thoughts  intruding  on  him,  and 
either  interrupting,  or  by  some  oblique  digression  retarding,  the 
course  of  his  devotions.  But  here  let  us  consider  what  an 
indignity  it  is,  when  God  admits  us  to  familiar  intercourse  with 
him,  to  abuse  such  great  condescension  by  a  mixture  of  things 
sacred  and  profane,  while  our  thoughts  are  not  confined  to  him 
by  reverential  awe  ;  but  as  if  we  were  conversing  with  a  mean 
mortal,  we  quit  him  in  the  midst  of  our  prayer,  and  make 
excursions  on  every  side.  We  may  be  assured,  therefore,  that 
none  are  rightly  prepared  for  the  exercise  of  prayer,  but  those 
who  are  so  affected  by  the  Divine  Majesty  as  to  come  to  it 
divested  of  all  earthly  cares  and  affections.  And  this  is  indi- 
cated by  the  ceremony  of  lifting  up  the  hands,  that  men  may 
remember  that  they  are  at  a  great  distance  from  God,  unless 
they  lift  up  their  thoughts  on  high.  As  it  is  also  expressed  in 
the  psalm,  "  Unto  thee  do  I  lift  up  my  soul."  (e)  And  the  Scrip- 
ture frequently  uses  this  mode  of  expression,  "  to  lift  up  one's 
prayer ;  "  that  they,  who  desire  to  be  heard  by  God,  may  not 
sink  into  lethargic  inactivity.  To  sum  up  the  whole,  the 
greater  the  liberality  of  God  towards  us,  in  gently  inviting  us 
to  disburden  ourselves  of  our  cares  by  casting  them  on  him, 
the  less  excusable  are  we,  unless  his  signal  and  incomparable 
favour  preponderate  with  us  beyond  every  thing  else,  and  at- 
tract us  to  him  in  a  serious  application  of  all  our  faculties  and 
attention  to  the  duty  of  prayer ;  which  cannot  be  done  unless 
our  mind  by  strenuous  exertion  rise  superior  to  every  impedi- 
ment. Our  second  proposition  is,  that  we  must  pray  for  no 
more  than  God  permits.  For  though  he  enjoins  us  to  pour  out 
our  hearts  before  him,  (/)  yet  he  does  not  carelessly  give  the 
reins  to  affections  of  folly  and  depravity  ;  and  when  he  pro- 
mises to  "  fulfil  the  desire  "  (g)  of  believers,  he  does  not  go 
to  such  an  extreme  of  indulgence,  as  to  subject  himself  to  their 
caprice.     But  offences  against  both  these  rules  are  common 

(e)  Psalm  XXV.  1 .  (/)  Psalm  Ixii.  8.  (  o-)  Psalm  cxlv.  19. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  81 

and  great ;  for  most  men  not  only  presume,  without  modesty  or 
reverence,  to  address  God  concerning  their  folHes,  and  impu- 
dently to  utter  at  his  tribunal  whatever  has  amused  them  in 
theii  reveries  or  dreams,  but  so  great  is  their  folly  or  stupidity, 
that  they  dare  to  obtrude  upon  God  all  their  foulest  desires, 
which  they  would  be  exceedingly  ashamed  to  reveal  to  men. 
Some  heathens  have  ridiculed  and  even  detested  this  presump- 
tion, but  the  vice  itself  has  always  prevailed  ;  and  hence  it 
was  thj  t  the  ambitious  chose  Jupiter  as  their  patron  ;  the  ava- 
ricious, Mercury  ;  the  lovers  of  learning,  Apollo  and  Minerva  ; 
the  warlike,  Mars;  and  the  libidinous,  Yenus;  just  as  in  the 
present  age  (as  I  have  lately  hinted)  men  indulge  a  greater 
license  to  their  unlawful  desires  in  their  prayers,  than  if  they 
were  conversing  in  a  jocular  manner  with  their  equals.  God 
suffers  not  his  indulgence  to  be  so  mocked,  but  asserts  his 
power,  and  subjects  our  devotions  to  his  commands.  There- 
fore we  ought  to  remember  this  passage  in  John  :  "  This  is  the 
confidence  that  we  have  in  him,  that,  if  we  ask  any  thing  ac- 
cording to  his  will,  he  heareth  us."  (h)  But  as  our  abilities  are 
very  unequal  to  such  great  perfection,  we  must  seek  some 
remedy  to  relieve  us.  As  the  attention  of  the  mind  ought  to 
be  fixed  on  God,  so  it  is  necessary  that  it  should  be  followed 
by  the  affection  of  the  heart.  But  they  both  remain  far  below 
this  elevation  ;  or  rather,  to  speak  more  consistently  with  truth, 
they  grow  weary  and  fail  in  the  ascent,  or  are  carried  a  contrary 
course.  Therefore,  to  assist  this  imbecility,  God  gives  us  the 
Spirit,  to  be  the  director  of  our  prayers,  to  suggest  what  is 
right,  and  to  regulate  our  affections.  For  "  the  Spirit  helpeth 
our  infirmities  ;  for  we  know  not  what  we  should  pray  for  as 
we  ought ;  but  the  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession  for  us 
with  groanings  which  cannot  be  uttered ;  "  (i)  not  that  he 
really  prays  or  groans  :  but  he  excites  within  us  confidence, 
desires,  and  sighs,  to  the  conception  of  which  our  native 
powers  were  altogether  inadequate.  Nor  is  it  without  reason 
that  Paul  terms  those  "groanings,"  which  arise  from  believers 
under  the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  "  unutterable ;  "  because 
they  who  are  truly  engaged  in  prayers,  are  not  ignorant  that 
tiiey  are  so  perplexed  with  dubious  anxieties,  that  they  can 
scarcely  decide  what  it  is  expedient  to  utter ;  and  even 
while  they  are  attempting  to  lisp,  they  stammer  and  hesitate  ; 
whence  it  follows  that  the  ability  of  praying  rightly  is  a  pe- 
culiar gift.  These  things  are  not  said  in  order  that  we  may 
indulge  our  own  indolence,  resigning  the  office  of  prayer  to  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  growing  torpid  in  that  negligence  to  which 
we  are  too  prone  ;  according  to  the  impious  errors  of  some,  that 

(h)  1  John  V.  14.  (i)  Rom.  viii.  26. 

VOL.    II.  11 


82  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

we  should  wait  in  indolent  snpineness  till  he  call  our  minds  from 
other  engagements  and  draw  them  to  himself;  but  rather  that, 
wearied  with  our  sloth  and  inactivity,  we  may  implore  such  as- 
sistance of  the  Spirit.  Nor  does  the  apostle,  when  he  exhorts 
us  to  "  pray  in  the  Holy  Ghost,"  (k)  encourage  us  to  remit  our 
vigilance  ;  signifying,  that  the  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  operates 
in  the  formation  of  our  prayers,  so  as  not  in  the  least  to  impede 
or  retard  our  own  exertions  ;  since  it  is  the  will  of  God  to 
prove  in  this  instance  the  efficacious  influence  of  faith  on  our 
hearts. 

VI.  Let  this  be  the  second  rule  :  That  in  our  supplications 
we  should  have  a  real  and  permanent  sense  of  our  indigence, 
and  seriously  considering  our  necessity  of  all  that  we  ask, 
should  join  with  the  petitions  themselves  a  serious  and  ardent 
desire  of  obtaining  them.  For  multitudes  carelessly  recite  a 
form  of  prayer,  as  though  they  were  discharging  a  task  imposed 
on  them  by  God ;  and  though  they  confess  that  this  is  a 
remedy  necessary  for  their  calamities,  since  it  would  be  certain 
destruction  to  be  destitute  of  the  Divine  aid  which  they  im- 
plore, yet  that  they  perform  this  duty  merely  in  compliance 
with  custom,  is  evident  from  the  coldness  of  their  hearts,  and 
their  inattention  to  the  nature  of  their  petitions.  They  are 
led  to  this  by  some  general  and  confused  sense  of  their  ne- 
cessity, which  nevertheless  does  not  excite  them  to  implore  a 
relief  for  their  great  need  as  a  case  of  present  urgency.  Now, 
what  can  we  imagine  more  odious  or  execrable  to  God  than 
this  hypocrisy,  when  any  man  prays  for  the  pardon  of  sins, 
who  at  the  same  time  thinks  he  is  not  a  sinner,  or  at  least  does 
not  think  that  he  is  a  sinner  ?  which  is  an  open  mockery  of 
God  himself.  But  such  depravity,  as  I  have  before  observed, 
pervades  the  whole  human  race,  that  as  a  matter  of  form  they 
frequently  implore  of  God  many  things  which  they  either  ex- 
pect to  receive  from  some  other  source  independent  of  his  good- 
ness, or  imagine  themselves  already  to  possess.  The  crime  of 
some  others  appears  to  be  smaller,  but  yet  too  great  to  be 
tolerated ;  who,  having  only  imbibed  this  principle,  that  God 
must  be  propitiated  by  devotions,  mutter  over  their  prayers 
without  meditation.  But  believers  ought  to  be  exceedingly 
cautious,  never  to  enter  into  the  presence  of  God  to  present  any 
petition,  without  being  inflamed  with  a  fervent  affection  of  soul, 
and  feeling  an  ardent  desire  to  obtain  it  from  him.  Moreover, 
although  in  those  things  which  we  request  only  for  the  Divine 
glory,  we  do  not  at  the  first  glance  appear  to  regard  our  own 
necessity,  yet  it  is  incumbent  on  us  to  pray  for  them  \vith 
equal  fervour  and  vehemence  of  desire.    As  when  we  pray  that 

(/.)  Jude  20.     1  Cor.  xiv.  15. 


CHAP.    XX. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  83 

his  name  may  be  hallowed,  or  sanctified,  we  ought  (so  to  speak) 
ardently  to  hmiger  and  thirst  for  that  sanctification. 

VII.  If  any  man  object,  that  we  are  not  always  urged  to 
pray  by  the  same  necessity,  this  I  grant,  and  this  distinction  is 
usefully  represented  to  us  by  James :  "  Is  any  among  you  af- 
flicted ?  let  him  pray.  Is  any  merry  ?  let  him  sing  psalms."  (I) 
Common  sense  itself  therefore  dictates,  that  because  of  our 
extreme  indolence,  we  are  the  more  vigorously  stimulated  by 
God  to  earnestness  in  prayer  according  to  the  exigencies  of  our 
condition.  And  this  David  calls  "  a  time  when  God  may  be 
found,"  (in)  because  (as  he  teaches  in  many  other  places)  the 
more  severely  we  are  oppressed  by  troubles,  disasters,  fears,  and 
other  kinds  of  temptations,  we  have  the  greater  liberty  of  access 
to  God,  as  though  he  then  particularly  invited  us  to  approach 
him.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  equally  true  that  we  ought  to  be, 
as  Paul  says,  "praying  always,"  (n)  because,  how  great  soever 
we  may  believe  the  prosperity  of  our  affairs,  and  though  we  are 
surrounded  on  every  side  by  matter  of  joy,  yet  there  is  no  mo- 
ment of  time  in  which  our  necessity  does  not  furnish  incite- 
ments to  prayer.  Does  any  one  abound  in  wine  and  corn  ? 
Since  he  cannot  enjoy  a  morsel  of  bread  but  by  the  continual 
favour  of  God,  his  cellars  or  barns  afford  no  objection  to  his 
praying  for  daily  bread.  Now,  if  we  reflect  how  many  dangers 
threaten  us  every  moment,  fear  itself  will  teach  us  that  there  is 
no  time  in  which  prayer  is  unsuitable  to  us.  Yet  this  may  be 
discovered  still  better  in  spiritual  concerns.  For  when  will  so 
many  sins,  of  which  M'-e  are  conscious,  suffer  us  to  remain  in 
security,  without  humbly  deprecating  both  the  guilt  and  the 
punishment  ?  When  will  temptations  grant  us  a  truce,  so  that 
we  need  not  be  in  haste  to  obtain  assistance  ?  Besides,  an 
ardent  desire  of  the  Divine  kingdom  and  glory  ought  irresisti- 
bly to  attract  us.  not  by  intervals,  but  without  intermission, 
rendering  every  season  equally  suitable.  It  is  not  in  vain, 
therefore,  that  assiduity  in  prayer  is  so  frequently  enjoined.  I 
speak  not  yet  of  perseverance,  which  shall  be  mentioned  here- 
after ;  but  the  scriptural  admonitions  to  "  pray  without  ceas- 
ing"  are  so  many  reproofs  of  our  sloth  ;  because  we  feel  not 
our  need  of  this  care  and  diligence.  This  rule  precludes  and 
banishes  from  prayer,  hypocrisy,  subtilty,  and  falsehood.  God 
promises  that  he  will  be  near  to  all  who  call  upon  him  in  truth, 
and  declares  he  will  be  found  by  those  who  seek  him  with 
their  whole  heart.  But  to  this,  persons  pleased  with  their  own 
impurity  never  aspire.  Legitimate  prayer,  therefore,  requires 
repentance.  Whence  it  is  frequently  said  in  the  Scriptures, 
that  God  hears  not  the  wicked,  and  that  their  prayers  are  an 


(0  James  v.  13.  (m)  Psalm  xxxii.  6.  (n)  Ephes.  vi.  18. 


84  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

abomination  ;  as  are  also  their  sacrifices  ;  for  it  is  reasonable, 
that  they  who  shut  up  their  own  hearts,  should  find  the  ears 
of  God  closed  against  them ;  and  God  should  be  inflexible  to 
them  who  provoke  his  rigour  by  their  obduracy.  In  Isaiah,,  he 
threatens  thus  :  "  When  ye  make  many  prayers,  I  will  not 
hear:  your  hands  are  full  of  blood."  (o)  Again  in  Jeremiah  : 
"  I  protested,  yet  they  inclined  not  their  ear.  Therefore, 
though  they  shall  cry  unto  me,  I  will  not  hearken  unto 
them."  (p)  Because  he  considers  himself  grossly  insulted  by 
the  wicked  boasting  of  his  covenant,  while  they  are  continually 
dishonouring  his  sacred  name.  Wherefore  he  complains,  in 
Isaiah,  "  This  people  draw  near  me  with  their  mouth,  but 
have  removed  their  heart  far  from  me."  (q)  He  does  not  re- 
strict this  solely  to  prayer ;  but  asserts  his  abhorrence  of  hy- 
pocrisy in  every  branch  of  his  worship.  Which  is  the  meaning 
of  this  passage  in  James :  "  Ye  ask,  and  receive  not,  because 
ye  ask  amiss,  that  ye  may  consume  it  upon  your  lusts."  (r)  It 
is  true,  indeed,  (as  we  shall  presently  again  see,)  that  the 
prayers  of  the  faithful  depend  not  on  their  personal  worthiness  ; 
yet  this  does  not  supersede  the  admonition  of  John  :  "  What- 
soever we  ask,  we  receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his  com- 
mandments ;  "  (s)  because  an  evil  conscience  shuts  the  gate 
against  us.  Whence  it  follows,  that  none  pray  aright,  and  that 
no  others  are  heard,  but  the  sincere  worshippers  of  God.  Who- 
soever therefore  engages  in  prayer,  should  be  displeased  with 
himself  on  account  of  his  sins,  and  assume,  what  he  cannot  do 
without  repentance,  the  character  and  disposition  of  a  beggar. 
VIII.  To  these  must  be  added  a  third  rule  —  That  whoever 
presents  himself  before  God  for  the  purpose  of  praying  to  him, 
must  renounce  every  idea  of  his  own  glory,  reject  all  opinion 
of  his  own  merit,  and,  in  a  word,  relinquish  all  confidence  in 
himself,  giving,  by  this  humiliation  of  himself,  all  the  glory 
entirely  to  God ;  lest,  arrogating  any  thing,  though  ever  so 
little,  to  ourselves,  we  perish  from  his  presence  in  consequence 
of  our  vanity.  Of  this  submission,  which  prostrates  every  high 
thought,  we  have  frequent  examples  in  the  servants  of  God  ; 
of  whom  the  most  eminent  for  holiness  feel  the  greatest  con- 
sternation on  entering  into  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  Thus 
Daniel,  whom  the  Lord  himself  has  so  highly  commended, 
said,  "  We  do  not  present  our  supplications  before  thee  for  our 
righteousness,  but  for  thy  great  mercies.  O  Lord,  hear  ;  O 
Lord,  forgive ;  O  Lord,  hearken  and  do ;  defer  not,  for  thine 
own  sake,  O  my  God  ;  for  thy  city  and  thy  people  are  called 
by  thy  name."(<)  Nor  does  he,  as  is  generally  the  case, 
confound  himself  with  the  multitude,  as  one  of  the  people ; 

(o)  Isaiah  i.  15.  (q)  Isaiah  xx'ix.  13.  (s)  1  John  iii.  22. 

{!>)  Jer.  xi.  7,  8,  11.  (r)  James  iv.  3. .  (0  Dan.  ix.  18,  19. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  85 

but  makes  a  separate  confession  of  his  own  guilt,  resorting  as  a 
suppliant  to  the  asyUmi  of  pardon  ;  as  he  expressly  declares, 
•'  Whilst  I  was  confessing  my  sin,  and  the  sin  of  my  people."  (u) 
We  are  taught  the  same  humility  also  by  the  example  of  David  : 
'=  Enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant ;  for  in  thy  sight 
shall  no  man  living  be  justified."  (?;)  In  this  manner  Isaiah 
prays  :  "  Behold,  thou  art  wroth  ;  for  we  have  sinned :  in  thy 
ways  is  contiiuiance,  and  we  shall  be  saved.  For  we  are  all 
as  an  unclean  thing,  and  all  our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy 
rags  ;  and  we  all  do  fade  as  a  leaf ;  and  our  iniquities,  like  the 
wind,  have  taken  us  away.  And  there  is  none  that  calleth 
upon  thy  name,  that  stirreth  up  himself  to  take  hold  of  thee ; 
for  thou  hast  hid  thy  face  from  us,  and  hast  consumed  us, 
because  of  our  iniquities.  But  now,  O  Lord,  thou  art  our 
Father ;  we  are  the  clay,  and  thou  our  potter ;  and  we  all  are 
the  work  of  thy  hand.  Be  not  wroth  very  sore,  O  Lord,  nei- 
ther remember  iniquity  for  ever  ;  behold,  see,  we  beseech  thee, 
we  are  all  thy  people."  (w)  Observe,  they  have  no  depend- 
ence but  this  ;  that  considering  themselves  as  God's  children, 
they  despair  not  of  his  future  care  of  them.  Thus  Jeremiah  : 
''  Though  our  iniquities  testify  against  us,  do  thou  it  for  thy 
name's  sake."  (x)  For  that  is  equally  consistent  with  the 
strictest  truth  and  holiness,  which  was  written  by  an  uncertain 
author,  but  is  ascribed  to  the  prophet  Baruch  :  "xl  soul  sorrow- 
ful and  desolate  for  the  greatness  of  its  sin,  bowed  down  and 
infirm,  a  hungry  soul  and  fainting  eyes  give  glory  to  thee,  O 
Lord.  Not  according  to  the  righteousnesses  of  our  fathers  do  we 
pour  out  our  prayers  in  thy  sight,  and  ask  mercy  before  thy 
face,  O  Lord,  our  God ;  but  because  thou  art  merciful,  have 
mercy  upon  us,  for  we  have  sinned  against  thee."  (y) 

IX.  Finally,  the  commencement  and  even  introduction  to 
praying  rightly  is  a  supplication  for  pardon  with  an  humble  and 
ingenuous  confession  of  guilt.  For  neither  is  there  any  hope 
that  even  the  holiest  of  men  can  obtain  any  blessing  of  God  till 
he  be  freely  reconciled  to  him,  nor  is  it  possible  for  God  to  be 
propitious  to  any,  but  those  whom  he  pardons.  It  is  no  wonder, 
then,  if  believers  with  this  key  open  to  themselves  the  gate 
of  prayer ;  as  we  learn  from  many  places  in  the  Psalms.  For 
David,  when  requesting  another  thing,  says,  "  Remember  not 
the  sins  of  my  youth,  nor  my  transgressions :  according  to  thy 
mercy  remember  thou  me,  for  thy  goodness'  sake,  O  Lord." 
Again  :  "  Look  upon  mine  affliction  and  my  pain  ;  and  forgive 
all  my  sins."  (z)  Where  we  likewise  perceive,  that  it  is  not 
sufficient  for  us  to  call  ourselves  to  a  daily  account  for  recent 
sins,  unless  we  remember  those  which  might  seem  to   have 

(71)  Dan.  ix.  20.  (w)  Isaiah  Ixiv.  5—9.  (y)  Baruch  ii.  18. 

(»)  Psalm  cxliii.  2.  (x)  Jer.  xiv.  7.  (z)  Psalm  xiv.  7, 18. 


86  INSTITUTES     OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

been  long  buried  in  oblivion.  For  the  same  Psalmist,  in  another 
place,  («)  having  confessed  one  grievous  crime,  takes  occasion 
thence  to  revert  to  his  mother's  womb,  where  he  had  con- 
tracted his  original  pollution  ;  not  in  order  to  extenuate  his  guilt 
by  the  corruption  of  his  nature,  but  that,  accumulating  all  the 
sins  of  his  life,  he  may  find  God  the  more  ready  to  listen  to  his 
prayers  in  proportion  to  the  severity  of  his  self-condemnation. 
But  though  the  saints  do  not  always  in  express  terms  pray  for 
remission  of  sins,  yet  if  we  diligently  examine  their  prayers 
recited  in  the  Scriptures,  it  will  easily  appear,  as  I  assert,  that 
they  derived  their  encouragement  to  pray  from  the  mere  mercy 
of  God,  and  so  always  began  by  deprecating  his  displeasure ; 
for  if  every  man  examine  his  own  conscience,  he  is  so  far  from 
presuming  familiarly  to  communicate  his  cares  to  God,  that  he 
trembles  at  every  approacli  to  him,  except  in  a  reliance  on  his 
mercy  and  forgiveness.  There  is  also,  indeed,  another  special 
confession,  when  they  wish  for  an  alleviation  of  punishments, 
which  is  tacitly  praying  for  the  pardon  of  their  sins  ;  because  it 
were  absurd  to  desire  the  removal  of  an  efl'ect,  while  the  cause 
remains.  For  we  must  beware  of  imitating  foolish  patients, 
who  are  only  solicitous  for  the  cure  of  the  symptoms,  but 
neglect  the  radical  cause  of  the  disease.  Besides,  we  should 
first  seek  for  God  to  be  propitious  to  us,  previously  to  any 
external  testimonies  of  his  favour  ;  because  it  is  his  own  will 
to  observe  this  order,  and  it  Avould  be  of  little  advantage  to  us 
to  receive  benefits  from  him,  unless  a  discovery  to  the  con- 
science of  his  being  appeased  towards  us  rendered  him  alto- 
gether amiable  in  our  view.  Of  this  we  are  likewise  apprized 
by  the  reply  of  Christ ;  for  when  he  had  determined  to  heal  a 
paralytic  person,  he  said,  "  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee  ;  "  (b) 
thereby  calling  our  attention  to  that  which  ought  to  be  the 
chief  object  of  desire,  that  God  may  receive  us  into  his  favour, 
and  then,  by  aflording  us  assistance,  discover  the  effect  of  re- 
conciliation. But  beside  the  special  confession  of  present  guilt, 
in  which  believers  implore  the  pardon  of  every  sin  and  the 
remission  of  every  punislnnent,  that  general  preface,  which 
conciliates  a  favourable  attention  to  our  prayers,  is  never  to  be 
omitted;  because,  unless  they  be  founded  on  God's  free  mercy, 
they  will  all  be  unavailing.  To  this  topic  we  may  refer  that 
passage  of  John  —  "  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unright- 
eousness." (c)  Wherefore,  imder  tlie  law,  prayers  are  required 
to  be  consecrated  by  an  atonement  of  blood,  to  render  them  ac- 
ceptable, and  to  remind  the  })eoplc  that  they  were  unworthy  of 
so  great    and  honourable  a  privilege,  till,  purified  from   their 

(«)  Psalm  li.  5.  (i)  Matt.  ix.  2.  (c)  1  John  i.  9. 

V 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


87 


pollutions,  they  should  derive  confidence  in  prayer  from  the 
mere  mercy  of  God. 

X.  But  when  the  saints  sometimes  appear  to  urge  their  own 
righteousness  as  an  argument  in  their  supplications  with  God, 
—  as  when  David  says,  "  Preserve  my  soul ;  for  I  am  holy  ;  "  (d) 
and  Hezekiah,  "I  beseech  thee,  O  Lord,  remember  now  how  I 
have  walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  have  done  that  which  is 
good  in  thy  sight,"  (e)  —  their  only  design  in  such  modes  of  ex- 
pression is,  from  their  regeneration  to  prove  themselves  to  be 
servants  and  sons  of  God,  to  whom  he  declares  he  Avill  be  pro- 
pitious. He  tells  .us  by  the  Psalmist,  (as  we  have  already  seen,) 
that  "  his  eyes  are  upon  the  righteous,  and  that  his  ears  are 
open  unto  their  cry;"(/)  and  again,  by  the  apostle,  that 
"  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  receive  of  him,  because  we  keep  his 
commandments  ;  "  (^)  in  which  passages  he  does  not  determine 
the  value  of  prayer  according  to  the  merit  of  works;  but 
intends  by  them  to  establish  the  confidence  of  those  who  are 
conscious  to  themselves,  as  all  believers  ought  to  be,  of 
unfeigned  integrity  and  innocence.  For  the  observation  in 
John,  made  by  the  blind  man  who  received  his  sight,  that 
"God  heareth  not  sinners,"  (/i)  is  a  principle  of  Divine  truth, 
if  we  understand  the  word  sinners,  in  the  common  acceptation 
of  Scripture,  to  signify  those  who  are  all  asleep  and  content  ia 
their  sins,  without  any  desire  of  righteousness  ;  since  no  heart 
can  ever  break  out  into  a  sincere  invocation  of  God,  unaccom- 
panied with  aspirations  after  piety.  To  such  promises,  there- 
fore, correspond  those  declarations  of  the  saints,  in  which  they 
introduce  the  mention  of  their  own  purity  or  innocence,  that 
they  may  experience  a  manifestation  to  themselves  of  what  is 
to  be  expected  by  all  the  servants  of  God.  Besides,  they  are 
generally  found  in  the  use  of  this  species  of  prayer,  when  before 
the  Lord  they  compare  themselves  with  their  enemies,  from 
whose  iniquity  they  desire  him  to  deliver  them.  Now,  in  this 
comparison,  we  need  not  wonder,  if  they  produce  their  right- 
eousness and  simplicity  of  heart,  in  order  to  prevail  upon  him 
by  the  justice  of  their  cause  to  yield  the  more  ready  assist- 
ance. We  object  not,  therefore,  to  the  pious  heart  of  a  good 
man  making  use  before  the  Lord  of  the  consciousness  of  his 
own  purity  for  his  confirmation  in  the  promises  which  the  Lord 
has  given  for  the  consolation  and  support  of  his  true  worship- 
pers ;  but  his  confidence  of  success  we  wish  to  be  independent 
of  every  consideration  of  personal  merit,  and  to  rest  solely  on 
the  Divine  clemency. 

XI.    The  fourth  and  last  rule  is.  That  thus  prostrate  with 
true  humility,  we  should  nevertheless  be  animated  to  pray  by 

(d)  Psalm  Ixxxvi.  2.  (c)  2  King?  xx.  3.  (/)  Psalm  xxxiv.  15. 

(g)  I  John  iii.  22.  (A)  John  ix.  31. 


88  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

the  certain  hope  of  obtaining  our  requests.  It  is  indeed  an 
apparent  contradiction,  to  connect  a  certain  confidence  of  God's 
favour  with  a  sense  of  his  righteous  vengteance  ;  though  these 
two  things  are  perfectly  consistent,  if  persons  oppressed  by 
their  own  guilt  be  encouraged  solely  by  the  Divine  goodness. 
For  as  we  have  before  stated,  that  repentance  and  faith,  of 
which  one  terrifies,  and  the  other  exhilarates,  are  inseparably 
connected,  so  their  union  is  necessary  in  prayer.  And  this 
agreement  is  briefly  expressed  by  David  :  "I  will  come  (says 
he)  into  thy  house  in  the  multitude  of  thy  mercy ;  and  in  thy 
fear  will  I  worship  toward  thy  holy  temple."  (i)  Under  the 
"  goodness  of  God,"  he  comprehends  faith,  though  not  to  the 
exclusion  of  fear  ;  for  his  majesty  not  only  commands  our 
reverence,  but  our  own  unworthiness  makes  us  forget  all 
pride  and  security,  and  fills  us  with  fear.  I  do  not  mean  a 
confidence  which  delivers  the  mind  from  all  sense  of  anxiety, 
and  soothes  it  into  pleasant  and  perfect  tranquillity ;  for  such  a 
placid  satisfaction  belongs  to  those  whose  prosperity  is  equal 
to  their  wishes,  who  are  affected  by  no  care,  corroded  by  no 
desire,  and  alarmed  by  no  fear.  And  the  saints  have  an  ex- 
cellent stimulus  to  calling  upon  God,  when  their  necessities  and 
perplexities  harass  and  disquiet  them,  and  they  are  almost  de- 
spairing in  themselves,  till  faith  opportunely  relieves  them  ;  be- 
cause, amidst  such  troubles,  the  goodness  of  God  is  so  glorious 
in  their  view,  that  though  they  groan  under  the  pressure  of 
present  calamities,  and  are  likewise  tormented  with  the  fear  of 
greater  in  future,  yet  a  reliance  on  it  alleviates  the  difficulty  of 
bearing  them,  and  encourages  a  hope  of  deliverance.  The 
prayers  of  a  pious  man,  therefore,  must  proceed  from  both  these 
dispositions,  and  must  also  contain  and  discover  them  both  ; 
though  he  must  groan  under  present  evils,  and  is  anxiously 
afraid  of  new  ones,  yet  at  the  same  time  he  must  resort  for 
refuge  to  God,  not  doubting  his  readiness  to  extend  the  as- 
sistance of  his  hand.  For  God  is  highly  incensed  by  our 
distrust,  if  we  supplicate  him  for  blessings  which  we  have  no 
expectation  of  receiving.  There  is  nothing,  therefore,  more 
suitable  to  the  nature  of  prayers,  than  that  they  be  conformed 
to  this  rule  —  not  to  rush  forward  with  temerity,  but  to  follow 
the  steps  of  faith.  To  this  principle  Christ  calls  the  attention 
of  us  all  in  the  following  passage :  "  I  say  unto  you.  What 
things  soever  ye  desire,  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive 
them,  and  ye  shall  have  them."  (k)  This  he  confirms  also  in 
another  place  :  "  Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing, 
ye  shall  receive."  (/)  With  which  James  agrees:  "If  any  of 
you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men 

(i)  Psalm  V.  7.  {k)  Mark  xi.  24.  (/)  Matt,  xxl  22. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  89 

liberally,  and  upbraideth  not.  But  let  him  ask  in  faith,  nothing 
wavering."  (m)  Where,  by  opposing  "  faith  "  to  "  wavering," 
he  very  aptly  expresses  its  nature.  And  equally  worthy  of 
attention  is  what  he  adds,  that  they  avail  nothing,  who  call 
upon  God  in  perplexity  and  doubt,  and  are  uncertain  in  their 
minds  whether  they  shall  be  heard  or  not ;  whom  he  even  com- 
pares to  waves,  which  are  variously  tossed  and  driven  about  with 
the  wind.  Whence  he  elsewhere  calls  a  legitimate  prayer  "  the 
prayer  of  faith."  {n)  Besides,  when  God  so  frequently  affirms, 
that  he  will  give  to  every  man  according  to  his  faith,  he  implies 
that  we  can  obtain  nothing  without  faith.  Finally,  it  is  faith 
that  obtains  whatever  is  granted  in  answer  to  prayer.  This  is 
the  meaning  of  that  famous  passage  of  Paul,  to  which  injudi- 
cious men  pay  little  attention  :  "  How  shall  they  call  on  him,  in 
whom  they  have  not  believed  ?  And  how  shall  they  believe  in 
him,  of  whom  they  have  not  heard  ?  So  then  faith  cometh  by 
hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God."  (o)  For  by  a  re- 
gular deduction  of  prayer  originally  from  faith,  he  evidently 
contends,  that  God  cannot  be  sincerely  invoked  by  any,  but 
those  to  whom  his  clemency  and  gentleness  have  been  revealed 
and  familiarly  discovered  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel. 

XII.  This  necessity  our  adversaries  never  consider.  There- 
fore, when  we  inculcate  on  believers  a  certain  confidence  of 
mind  that  God  is  propitious  and  benevolent  towards  them, 
they  consider  us  as  advancing  the  greatest  of  all  absurdities. 
But  if  they  were  in  the  habit  of  true  prayer,  they  would  cer- 
tainly understand,  that  there  can  be  no  proper  invocation  of 
God  without  such  a  strong  sense  of  the  Divine  benevolence. 
But  since  no  man  can  fully  discover  the  power  of  faith  without 
an  experience  of  it  in  his  heart,  what  advantage  can  arise 
from  disputing  with  such  men,  who  plainly  prove  that  they 
never  had  any  other  than  a  vain  imagination  ?  For  the  value 
and  necessity  of  that  assurance  which  we  require,  is  chiefly 
learned  by  prayer ;  and  he  who  does  not  perceive  this,  betrays 
great  stupidity  of  conscience.  Leaving,  then,  this  class  of  blind- 
ed mortals,  let  us  ever  abide  by  the  decision  of  Paul,  that  God 
cannot  be  called  upon,  but  by  those  who  receive  from  the  gos- 
pel a  knowledge  of  his  mercy,  and  a  certain  persuasion  that  it 
is  prepared  for  them.  For  what  kind  of  an  address  would  this 
be?  "O  Lord,  I  am  truly  in  doubt,  whether  thou  be  willing 
to  hear  me  ;  but  since  1  am  oppressed  with  anxiety,  I  flee  to 
thee,  that  if  I  be  worthy  thou  mayest  assist  me."  This  does 
not  resemble  the  solicitude  of  the  saints,  whose  prayers  we 
read  in  the  Scriptures.  Nor  is  it  agreeable  to  the  teaching  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  by  the  apostle,  who  commands  us  "  to  come 

(m)  James  i.  5,  6.  (n)  James  v.  15.  (o)  Rom.  x.  14,  17. 

VOL.    II.  12 


90  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

boldly  to  the  throne  of  grace,  that  Ave  may  find  grace  ;  "  (js) 
and  informs  us,  that  "  we  have  boldness  and  access,  with  con- 
fidence, by  the  faith  of  Christ."  (q)  This  assurance  of  obtaining 
what  we  implore,  therefore,  which  is  both  commanded  by  the 
Lord  himself,  and  taught  by  the  example  of  the  saints,  it  be- 
comes us  to  hold  fast  with  all  our  might,  if  we  would  pray  to 
any  good  purpose.  For  that  prayer  alone  is  accepted  by  God, 
which  arises  (if  I  may  use  the  expression)  from  such  a  pre- 
sumption of  faith,  and  is  founded  on  an  undaunted  assurance 
of  hope.  He  might,  indeed,  have  contented  himself  with  the 
simple  mention  of  ''faith  ;  "  yet  he  has  not  only  added  "  con- 
fidence," but  furnished  that  confidence  with  liberty  or  "  bold- 
ness," to  distinguish  by  this  critei^'on  between  us  and  unbe- 
lievers, who  do  indeed  pray  to  God  in  common  with  us,  but 
entirely  at  an  uncertainty.  For  which  reason,  the  whole 
Church  prays  in  the  psalm,  "  Let  thy  mercy,  O  Lord,  be 
upon  us,  according  as  we  hope  in  thee."  (?•)  The  Psalmist 
elsewhere  introduces  the  same  idea:  "This  I  know;  for  God 
is  for  me."  (s)  Again :  "  In  the  morning  will  I  direct  my 
prayer  unto  thee,  and  will  look  up."  (/)  For  from  these  words 
we  gather,  that  prayers  are  but  empty  sounds,  if  unattended 
by  hope,  from  which,  as  from  a  watch-tower,  we  quietly  look 
out  for  God.  With  which  corresponds  the  order  of  Paul's  ex- 
hortation ;  for  before  exhorting  believers  to  "  pray  always  with 
all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,"  he  first  directs  them 
to  "  take  the  shield  of  faith,  the  helmet  of  salvation,  and  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  word  of  God."  (u)  Now,  let 
the  reader  recollect,  what  I  have  before  asserted,  that  faith  is 
not  at  all  weakened  by  being  connected  with  an  acknowledg- 
ment of  our  misery,  poverty,  and  impurity.  For  believers  feel 
themselves  oppressed  by  a  grievous  load  of  sins,  while  destitute 
of  every  thing  which  could  conciliate  the  favour  of  God,  and 
burdened  with  much  guilt,  which  might  justly  render  him  an 
object  of  their  dread ;  yet  they  cease  not  to  present  themselves 
before  him ;  nor  does  this  experience  terrify  them  from  resort- 
ing to  him,  since  there  is  no  other  way  of  access  to  him.  For 
prayer  was  instituted,  not  that  we  might  arrogantly  exalt  our- 
selves in  the  presence  of  God,  or  form  a  high  opinion  of  any 
thing  of  our  own  ;  but  that  we  might  confess  our  guilt  to  him, 
and  deplore  our  miseries  with  the  familiarity  of  children  con- 
fiding their  complaints  to  their  parents.  The  immense  accu- 
mulation of  our  distresses  should  operate  as  so  many  incite- 
ments to  urge  us  to  pray  ;  as  we  are  taught  likewise  by  the 
example  of  the  Psalmist  :   •'  Heal  my  soul  ;  for  I  have  sinned 


{]))  Ileb.  iv.  16.  (r)  Psalm  xxxiii.  22.  (t)  Psalm  v.  3. 

{<])   Ephes.  iii.  12.  {s)  Psalm  Ivi.  t).  («)  Ephes.  vi.  16,  IS. 


CHAP.   XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  91 

against  thee."  (v)  I  confess,  indeed,  that  the  operation  of  such 
incentives  would  be  fatal,  were  it  not  for  the  Divine  aid  ;  but 
our  most  benevolent  Father,  in  his  incomparable  mercy,  has 
afforded  a  timely  remedy,  that  allaying  all  perturbation,  allevi- 
ating all  cares,  and  dispelling  all  fears,  he  might  gently  allure 
us  to  himself,  and  facilitate  our  approach  to  him,  by  the  removal 
of  every  obstacle  and  every  doubt. 

XIII.  And  in  the  first  place,  when  he  enjoins  us  to  pray, 
the  commandment  itself  implies  a  charge  of  impious  contu- 
macy, if  we  disobey  it.  No  command  can  be  more  precise 
than  that  in  the  psalm  :  "  Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trou- 
ble." (to)  Bat  as  the  Scripture  recommends  no  one  of  the 
duties  of  piety  more  frequently,  it  is  unnecessary  to  dwell 
any  longer  upon  it.  "Ask,  (says  our  Lord,)  and  it  shall  be 
given  you ;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you."  (.r)  To 
this  precept,  however,  there  is  also  annexed  a  promise,  which  is 
very  necessary ;  for  though  all  men  acknowledge  obedience  to 
be  due  to  a  precept,  yet  the  greater  part  of  them  would  neglect 
the  calls  of  God,  if  he  did  not  promise  to  be  propitious  to  them., 
and  even  to  advance  to  meet  them.  These  two  positions  bemg 
proved,  it  is  evident  that  all  those  who  turn  their  backs  on 
God,  or  do  not  directly  approach  him,  are  not  only  guilty  of  dis- 
obedience and  rebellion,  but  also  convicted  of  unbelief;  because 
they  distrust  the  promises  ;  which  is  the  more  worthy  of  ob- 
servation, since  hypocrites,  under  the  pretext  of  humility  and 
modesty,  treat  the  command  of  God  with  such  haughty  con- 
tempt as  to  give  no  credit  to  his  kind  invitation,  and  even 
defraud  him  of  a  principal  part  of  his  worship.  For  after 
having  refused  sacrifices,  in  which  all  holiness  then  appeared 
to  consist,  he  declares  the  principal  and  most  acceptable  part 
of  his  service  to  be,  "calling  upon  him  in  the  day  of  trouble." 
Wherefore,  when  he  requires  what  is  due  to  him,  and  animates 
us  to  a  cheerful  obedience,  there  are  no  pretexts  for  diffidence  or 
hesitation  sufficiently  specious  to  excuse  us.  The  numerous 
texts  of  Scripture,  therefore,  which  enjoin  us  to  call  upon  God, 
are  as  so  many  banners  placed  before  our  eyes  to  inspire  us  with 
confidence.  It  were  temerity  to  rush  into  the  presence  of  God, 
without  a  previous  invitation  from  him.  He  therefore  opens  a 
way  for  us  by  his  own  word :  "  I  will  say,  It  is  my  people  ; 
and  they  shall  say.  The  Lord  is  my  God."  (y)  We  see  how 
he  leads  his  worshippers,  and  desires  them  to  follow  him  ;  and 
therefore  that  there  is  no  reason  to  fear  lest  the  melody,  which 
he  dictates,  should  not  be  agreeable  to  him.  Let  us  particu- 
larly remember  this  remarkable  character  of  God,  by  a  reliance 
on  which  we  shall  easily  surmount  every  obstacle  :  "  0  thou 

(r)  Psalm  xli.  4.  (w)  Psalm  1.  15.         (x)  Matt.  vii.  7.         (i/)  Zech.  xiii.  9. 


92  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III 

that  hearest  prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all  flesh  come."  (z)  For 
what  is  more  amiable  or  attractive  than  for  God  to  bear  this 
character,  which  assures  us,  that  nothing  is  more  agreeable  to 
his  nature,  than  to  grant  the  requests  of  humble  suppliants? 
Hence  the  Psalmist  concludes  that  the  way  is  open,  not  to  a 
few  only,  but  to  all  men  ;  because  he  addresses  all  in  these 
words:  '-Call  upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble:  I  will  deliver 
thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify  me."  (a)  According  to  this  rule, 
David,  in  order  to  obtain  his  request,  pleads  the  promise  that 
had  been  given  him  :  "  Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  revealed  to  thy 
servant  — ;  therefore  hath  thy  servant  found  in  his  heart  to 
pray."  (b)  Whence  we  conclude  that  he  would  have  been 
fearful,  had  he  not  been  encouraged  by  the  promise.  So  in 
another  place  he  furnishes  himself  with  this  general  doctrine  : 
"  He  will  fulfil  the  desire  of  them  that  fear  him."  (c)  In  the 
Psalms  we  may  likewise  observe  the  connection  of  prayer  as  it 
were  interrupted,  and  sudden  transitions  made,  sometimes  to 
the  power  of  God,  sometimes  to  his  goodness,  and  sometimes 
to  the  truth  of  his  promises.  It  might  appear  as  though  David 
mutilated  his  prayers  by  an  unseasonable  introduction  of  such 
passages ;  but  believers  know  by  experience,  that  the  ardour 
of  devotion  languishes,  unless  it  be  supported  by  fresh  supplies ; 
and  therefore  a  meditation  on  the  nature  and  the  word  of  God 
is  far  from  being  useless  in  the  midst  of  our  prayers.  Let  us 
not  hesitate,  then,  to  follow  the  example  of  David  in  the  intro- 
duction of  topics  calculated  to  reanimate  languid  souls  with 
new  vigour. 

XIV.  And  it  is  wonderful  that  we  are  no  more  aftected 
with  promises  so  exceedingly  sweet  ;  that  the  generality  of 
men,  wandering  through  a  labyrinth  of  errors,  after  having  for- 
saken the  fountain  of  living  waters,  prefer  hewing  out  for  them- 
selves cisterns  incapable  of  containing  any  water,  to  embracing 
the  free  offers  of  Divine  goodness.  "  The  name  of  the  Lord 
(says  Solomon)  is  a  strong  tower:  the  righteous  runneth  into 
it,  and  is  safe."  (d)  And  Joel,  after  having  predicted  the 
speedy  approach  of  a  dreadful  destruction,  adds  this  memorable 
sentence  :  "  Whosoever  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
shall  be  delivered ;"  (e)  which  we  know  properly  refers  to 
the  course  of  the  gospel.  Scarcely  one  man  in  a  hundred  is 
induced  to  advance  to  meet  the  Lord.  He  proclaims  by  Isaiah, 
"  Before  they  call,  I  will  answer ;  and  while  they  are  yet 
speaking,  I  will  hear."  (/)  And  in  another  place  he  dignifies 
the  whole  Church  in  general  with  the  same  honour ;  as  it  be- 
longs to  all  the  members  of  Christ :   "  He  shall  call  upon  me, 


(;)  Psalm  Ixv.  2.         (a)  Psalm  1.  1.5.         (h)  2  Sam.  vii.  27.         (c)  Psalm  cxlv.  19 
(<Z)  Prov.  xviii.  10.  (c)  Joel  ii.  32.  (/)  Isaiah  Ixv.  24. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  93 

and  I  will  answer  him  :  I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble  :  I  will 
deliver  him."  (g)  As  I  have  before  said,  however,  my  design 
is  not  to  enumerate  all  the  texts,  but  to  select  the  most  remark- 
able, from  which  we  may  perceive  the  condescending  kindness 
of  God  in  inviting  us  to  him,  and  the  circumstances  of  ag- 
gravation attending  our  ingratitude,  while  our  indolence  still 
lingers  in  the  midst  of  such  powerful  incitements.  Wherefore 
let  these  words  perpetually  resound  in  our  ears :  ''  The  Lord  is 
nigh  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  him,  to  all  that  call  upon  him 
in  truth ;  "  {h)  as  well  as  those  which  we  have  cited  from  Isaiah 
and  Joel ;  in  which  God  affirms,  that  he  is  inclined  to  hear 
prayers,  and  is  delighted,  as  with  a  sacrifice  of  a  sweet  savour, 
when  we  cast  our  cares  upon  him.  We  derive  this  singular 
benefit  from  the  Divine  promises,  when  our  prayers  are  con- 
ceived without  doubt  or  trepidation  ;  but  in  reliance  on  his  word, 
whose  majesty  would  otherwise  terrify  us,  we  venture  to  call 
upon  him  as  our  Father,  because  he  deigns  to  suggest  to  us 
this  most  delightful  appellation.  Favoured  with  such  invita- 
tions, it  remains  for  us  to  know  that  they  furnish  ns  with  suffi- 
cient arguments  to  enforce  our  petitions ;  since  our  prayers 
rest  on  no  intrinsic  merit ;  but  all  their  worthiness,  as  well  as 
all  our  hope  of  obtaining  our  requests,  is  founded  in,  and  de- 
pendent upon,  the  Divine  promises  ;  so  that  there  is  no  need  of 
any  other  support  or  further  anxiety.  Therefore  we  may  be 
fully  assured,  that  though  we  equal  not  the  sanctity  so  cele- 
brated iji  holy  patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles,  yet,  since  the 
command  to  pray  is  common  to  us  as  well  as  to  them,  and  we 
are  partakers  of  the  same  common  faith,  if  we  rely  on  the  Di- 
vine word,  we  are  associated  with  them  in  this  privilege.  For 
God's  declaration,  (already  noticed,)  that  he  will  be  gentle  and 
merciful  to  all,  gives  all,  even  the  most  miserable,  a  hope  of 
obtaining  the  objects  of  their  supplications ;  and  therefore  we 
should  remark  the  general  forms  of  expression,  by  which  no  man, 
from  the  greatest  to  the  least,  is  excluded  ;  only  let  him  possess 
sincerity  of  heart,  self-abhorrence,  humility,  and  faith  ;  and 
let  not  our  hypocrisy  profane  the  name  of  God  by  a  pretended 
invocation  of  him ;  our  most  merciful  Father  will  not  reject 
those  whom  he  exhorts  to  approach  him,  and  even  urges  by 
every  possible  mode  of  solicitation.  Hence  the  argument  of 
David's  prayer,  just  recited:  "  Thou,  O  Lord,  hast  revealed  to 
thy  servant  — ;  therefore  hath  thy  servant  found  in  his  heart  to 
pray  this  prayer  unto  thee.  And  now,  O  Lord  God,  thou  art 
that  God,  and  thy  words  be  true,  and  thou  hast  promised  this 
goodness  unto  thy  servant :  "  begin  therefore  and  do  it.  (?)  As 
also  in  another  place  :  "  Let  thy  kindness  be  according  to  thy 

(g)  Psalm  xci.  15.  (/<)  Psalm  cxiv.  18.  (i)  2  Sam.  vii.  27,  28. 


94  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

word  unto  thy  servant."  (k)  And  all  the  Israelites  together, 
whenever  they  fortify  themselves  with  a  recollection  of  the  co- 
venant, sufficiently  declare  that  fear  ought  to  be  banished  from 
our  devotions,  because  it  is  contrary  to  the  Divine  injunction  ; 
and  in  this  respect  they  imitated  the  examples  of  the  patriarchs, 
particularly  of  Jacob,  who,  after  having  confessed  himself  "not 
worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies  "  he  had  received  from 
the  hand  of  God,  yet  declares  himself  animated  to  pray  for 
still  greater  blessings,  because  God  had  promised  to  grant 
them.  (I)  But  whatever  be  the  pretences  of  unbelievers,  for 
not  applying  to  God  under  the  pressure  of  every  necessity,  for 
not  seeking  him  or  imploring  his  aid,  they  are  equally  charge- 
able with  defrauding  him  of  the  honour  due  to  him,  as  if  they 
had  fabricated  for  themselves  new  gods  and  idols ;  for  by  this 
conduct,  they  deny  him  to  be  the  Author  of  all  their  blessings. 
On  the  contrary,  there  is  nothing  more  efficacious  to  deliver  be- 
lievers from  every  scruple,  than  this  consideration,  that  no  im- 
pediment ought  to  prevent  their  acting  according  to  the  com- 
mand of  God,  who  declares  that  nothing  is  more  agreeable  to 
him  than  obedience.  These  observations  tend  more  fully  to 
elucidate  what  I  have  advanced  before  ;  that  a  spirit  of  bold- 
ness in  prayer  is  perfectly  consistent  with  fear,  reverence,  and 
solicitude  ;  and  that  there  is  no  absurdity  in  God's  exalting  those 
who  are  abased.  This  establishes  an  excellent  agreement  be- 
tween those  apparently  repugnant  forms  of  expression.  Both 
Jeremiah  and  Daniel  use  this  phrase  :  "  Make  prayers  fall  "  be- 
fore God  ;  for  so  it  is  in  the  original,  {m)  Jeremiah  also :  "  Let 
our  supplication  fall  before  thee."  (w)  Again:  believers  are 
frequently  said  to  "  lift  up  their  prayer."  (o)  So  says  Hezekiah, 
when  requesting  the  prophet  to  intercede  for  him.  And  David 
desires  that  his  prayer  may  ascend  "as  incense."  (j^)  For 
though,  under  a  persuasion  of  God's  fatherly  love,  they  cheer- 
fully commit  themselves  to  his  faithfulness,  and  hesitate  not  to 
implore  the  assistance  he  freely  promises,  yet  they  are  not  im- 
pudently elated  with  careless  security,  but  ascend  upwards  by 
the  steps  of  the  promises,  yet  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  still 
continue  to  be  suppliant  and  self-abased. 

XV.  Here  several  questions  are  started.  The  Scripture  re- 
lates that  the  Lord  has  complied  with  some  prayers,  which 
nevertheless  did  not  arise  from  a  calm  or  well-regulated  heart. 
Jotham,  for  a  just  cause  indeed,  but  from  the  impulse  of  rage, 
resentment,  and  revenge,  devoted  the  inhabitants  of  Shechem  to 
the  destruction  whicli  afterwards  fell  upon  them:  (q)  the  Lord, 
by  fulfilling  this  curse,  seems  to  approve   of  such  disorderly 

(k)  Psalm  cxix.  7G.  (/)  Gen.  xxxii.  10,  «S:c.  (m)  Jer.  xlii.  9.     Dan.  ix.  18. 

hi)  Jer.  xlii.  2.         (o)  2  Kings  xix.  4.  (p)  ^salin  cxli.  2.        (q)  Judges  ix.  20. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  95 

sallies  of  passion.  Samson  also  was  hurried  away  by  similar 
fervour  when  he  said,  "  O  Lord,  strengthen  me,  that  I  may  be 
avenged  of  the  Philistines."  (r)  For  though  there  was  some 
mixture  of  honest  zeal,  yet  it  was  a  violent,  and  therefore  sin- 
ful, avidity  of  revenge  which  predominated.  God  granted  the 
request.  Whence  it  seems  deducible,  that  prayers  not  con- 
formable to  the  rules  of  the  Divine  word,  are  nevertheless  effi- 
cacious. I  reply,  first,  that  a  permanent  rule  is  not  annulled  by 
particular  examples;  secondly,  that  peculiar  emotions  have 
sometimes  been  excited  in  a  few  individuals,  causing  a  distinc- 
tion between  them  and  men  in  general.  For  the  answer  of 
Christ  to  his  disciples,  who  inconsiderately  wished  to  emulate 
the  example  of  Elias,  "  that  they  knew  not  what  spirit  they 
were  of,"  is  worthy  of  observation.  But  we  must  remark, 
further,  that  God  is  not  always  pleased  with  the  prayers  which 
he  grants ;  but  that,  as  far  as  examples  are  concerned,  there  are 
undeniable  evidences  of  the  Scripture  doctrine,  that  he  suc- 
cours the  miserable,  and  hears  the  groans  of  those  who  under 
the  pressure  of  injustice  implore  his  aid  ;  that  he  therefore 
executes  his  judgments,  when  the  complaints  of  the  poor  arise 
to  him,  though  they  are  unworthy  of  the  least  favourable  atten- 
tion. For  how  often,  by  punishing  the  cruelty,  rapine,  vio- 
lence, lust,  and  other  crimes  of  the  impious,  by  restraining 
their  audacity  and  fury,  and  even  subverting  their  tyrannical 
power,  has  he  manifestly  assisted  the  victims  of  unrighteous 
oppression,  though  they  have  been  beating  the  air  with  suppli- 
cations to  an  unknown  God  !  And  one  of  the  Psalmists  clearly 
teaches  that  some  prayers  are  not  ineffectual,  which  neverthe- 
less do  not  penetrate  into  heaven  by  faith,  (s)  For  he  collects 
those  prayers  which  necessity  naturally  extorts  from  unbeliev- 
ers as  well  as  from  believers,  but  to  which  the  event  shows 
God  to  be  propitious.  Does  he  by  such  condescension  testify 
that  they  are  acceptable  to  him  ?  No  ;  he  designs  to  amplify 
or  illustrate  his  mercy  by  this  circumstance,  that  even  the 
requests  of  unbelievers  are  not  refused  ;  and  likewise  to  stimu- 
late his  true  worshippers  to  greater  diligence  in  prayer,  while 
they  see  that  even  the  lamentations  of  the  profane  are  not  un- 
attended with  advantage.  Yet  there  is  no  reason  why  believers 
should  deviate  from  the  rule  given  them  by  God,  or  envy  un- 
believers, as  though  they  had  made  some  great  acquisition  when 
they  have  obtained  the  object  of  their  wishes.  In  this  manner 
we  have  said  that  the  Lord  was  moved  by  the  hypocritical 
penitence  of  Ahab,  in  order  to  prove  by  this  example  how 
ready  he  is  to  grant  the  prayers  of  his  own  elect,  when  they 
seek  reconciliation  with  him  by  true  conversion.     Therefore  in 

(r)  Judges  xvi.  28.  (5)  Psalm  cvu. 


96  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III, 

the  Psalms  he  expostulates  with  the  Jews,  because,  after  having 
experienced  his  propitiousness  to  their  prayers,  they  had  almost 
immediately  returned  to  their  native  perverseness.  (t)  It  is 
evident,  also,  from  the  history  of  the  Judges,  that  whenever 
they  wept,  though  their  tears  were  hypocritical,  yet  they  were 
delivered  from  the  hands  of  their  enemies.  As  the  Lord,  there- 
fore, "  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,"  (ti) 
promiscuously,  so  he  despises  not  the  lamentations  of  those 
whose  cause  is  just,  and  whose  afflictions  deserve  relief  At 
the  same  time  his  attention  to  them  is  no  more  connected  with 
salvation,  than  his  furnishing  food  to  the  despisers  of  his  good- 
ness. The  question  relative  to  Abraham  and  Samuel  is  attend- 
ed with  more  difficulty ;  the  former  of  whom  prayed  for  the 
inhabitants  of  Sodom  without  any  Divine  direction,  and  the 
latter  for  Saul  even  contrary  to  a  plain  prohibition,  {v)  The 
same  is  the  case  of  Jeremiah,  who  deprecated  the  destruction 
of  the  city,  (w)  For  though  they  suffered  a  repulse,  yet  it 
seems  harsh  to  deny  them  to  have  been  under  the  influence  of 
faith.  But  the  modest  reader  will,  I  hope,  be  satisfied  with 
this  solution  ;  that  mindful  of  the  general  principles  by  which 
God  enjoins  them  to  be  merciful  even  to  the  unworthy,  they 
were  not  entirely  destitute  of  faith,  though  in  a  particular  in- 
stance their  opinion  may  have  disappointed  them.  Augustine 
has  somewhere  this  judicious  observation  :  "  How  do  the  saints 
pray  in  faith,  when  they  implore  of  God  that  which  is  contrary 
to  his  decrees  ?  It  is  because  they  .pray  according  to  his  will,  not 
that  hidden  and  immutable  will,  but  that  with  which  he  inspires 
them,  that  he  may  hear  them  in  a  diflerent  way,  as  he  wisely 
discriminates."  This  is  an  excellent  remark  ;  because,  accord- 
ing to  his  incomprehensible  designs,  he  so  regulates  the  events  of 
things,  that  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  which  contain  a  mixture 
of  faith  and  error,  are  not  in  vain.  Yet  this  no  more  affords 
an  example  for  imitation,  than  a  sufficient  plea  to  excuse  the 
saints  themselves,  whom  I  admit  to  have  transgressed  the 
bounds  of  duty.  Wherefore,  when  no  certain  promise  can  be 
found,  we  should  present  our  supplications  to  God  in  a  condi- 
tional way ;  which  is  implied  in  this  petition  of  David : 
"  Awake  to  the  judgment  that  thou  hast  commanded ;  "  (.r) 
because  he  suggests  that  he  was  directed  by  a  particular  revela- 
tion to  pray  for  a  temporal  blessing. 

XVI.  It  will  also  be  of  use  to  remark,  that  the  things  I  have 
delivered  concerning  the  four  rules  for  praying  aright,  are  not 
required  by  God  with  such  extreme  rigour  as  to  cause  the  re- 
jection of  all  prayers,  in  which  he  does  not  find  a  perfection  of 


(()  Psalm  cvi.  39.         (?/)  Matt.  v.  45.         (r)  Gen.  xviii.  23.     1  Sam.  xv.  11. 
(w)  Jer.  xx.xii.  16,  &c.  {x)  Psalm  vii.  G. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  97 

faith  or  repentance,  united  with  ardent  zeal  and  well-regulated 
desires.  We  have  said,  tliat  although  prayer  is  a  familiar 
intercourse  between  God  and  pious  men,  yet  reverence  and 
modesty  must  be  preserved,  that  we  may  not  give  a  loose  to 
all  our  wishes,  nor  even  in  our  desires  exceed  the  Divine  per- 
mission ;  and  to  prevent  the  majesty  of  God  being  lessened  in 
our  view,  our  minds  must  be  raised  to  a  pure  and  holy  venera- 
tion of  him.  This  no  man  has  ever  performed  with  the  purity 
required  ;  for,  to  say  nothing  of  the  multitude,  how  many  com- 
plaints of  David  savour  of  intemperance  of  spirit !  not  that  he 
would  designedly  remonstrate  with  God,  or  murmur  at  his 
judgments  ;  but  he  faints  in  consequence  of  his  infirmity,  and 
finds  no  better  consolation  than  to  pour  his  sorrows  into  the 
Divine  bosom.  Moreover,  God  bears  with  our  lisping,  and 
pardons  our  ignorance,  whenever  any  inconsiderate  expressions 
escape  us  ;  and  certainly  without  this  indulgence  there  could 
be  no  freedom  of  prayer.  But  though  it  was  David's  intention 
to  submit  himself  wholly  to  the  Divine  will,  and  his  patience 
in  prayer  was  equal  to  his  desire  of  obtaining  his  requests,  yet 
we  sometimes  perceive  the  appearance  and  ebullition  of  turbu- 
lent passions,  very  inconsistent  with  the  first  rule  we  have  laid 
down.  We  may  discover,  particularly  from  the  conclusion  of 
the  thirty-ninth  psalm,  with  what  vehemence  of  grief  this  holy 
man  was  hurried  away  beyond  all  the  bounds  of  propriety. 
"  0  spare  me  (says  he)  before  I  go  hence,  and  be  no  more."  {y) 
One  might  be  ready  to  say,  that  the  man,  being  in  despair, 
desires  nothing  but  the  removal  of  God's  hand,  that  he  may 
putrefy  in  his  own  iniquities  and  miseries.  He  does  not  intend 
to  rush  into  intemperance  of  language,  or,  as  is  usual  with  the 
reprobate,  desire  God  to  depart  from  him  ;  he  only  complains 
that  he  cannot  bear  the  Divine  wrath.  In  these  temptations, 
also,  the  saints  often  drop  petitions,  not  sufficiently  conformable 
to  the  rule  of  God's  word,  and  without  due  reflection  on  what 
is  right  and  proper.  All  prayers  polluted  with  these  blemishes 
deserve  to  be  rejected  ;  yet  if  the  saints  mourn,  correct  them- 
selves, and  return  to  themselves  again,  God  forgives  them.  Thus 
they  offend  likewise  against  the  second  rule  ;  because  they  fre- 
quently have  to  contend  with  their  own  indifterence  ;  nor  do 
their  poverty  and  misery  sufficiently  incite  them  to  seriousness 
of  devotion.  Now,  their  minds  frequently  wander,  and  are  almost 
absorbed  in  vanity ;  and  they  also  need  pardon  in  this  respect,  lest 
languid,  or  mutilated,  or  interrupted  and  desultory  prayers  should 
meet  with  a  repulse.  God  has  naturally  impressed  the  minds 
of  men  with  a  conviction  that  prayers  require  to  be  attended 
with  an  elevation  of  heart.     Hence  the  ceremony  of  elevating 

(//)  Psalm  xxxix.  13. 
VOL.  11.  13 


98  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

the  hands,  as  before  observed,  which  has  been  common  in  all 
ages  and  nations,  and  still  continues  ;  but  where  is  the  person, 
who,  while  lifting  up  the  hands,  is  not  conscious  of  dulness, 
because  his  heart  cleaves  to  the  earth  ?  As  to  praying  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  though  none  of  the  faithful  omit  this  article, 
yet  they  who  have  been  truly  engaged  in  prayers,  perceive 
that  they  scarcely  offer  the  tenth  part  of  the  sacrifices  men- 
tioned by  David :  "  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit ; 
a  broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  O  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise."  (z) 
Thus  they  have  always  to  pray  for  a  twofold  forgiveness ;  both 
because  they  are  conscious  of  many  transgressions,  with  which 
they  are  not  so  deeply  affected  as  to  be  sufficiently  displeased 
with  themselves,  and  as  they  are  enabled  to  advance  in  repent- 
ance and  the  fear  of  God,  humbled  with  just  sorrow  for  their 
offences,  they  deprecate  the  vengeance  of  the  Judge.  But 
above  all,  the  weakness  or  imperfection  of  their  faith  would 
vitiate  the  prayers  of  believers,  were  it  not  for  the  Divine  indul- 
gence ;  but  we  need  not  wonder  that  this  defect  is  forgiven  by 
God,  who  frequently  exercises  his  children  with  severe  disci- 
pline, as  if  he  fully  designed  to  annihilate  their  faith.  It  is  a 
very  sharp  temptation,  when  believers  are  constrained  to  cry, 
"  How  long  wilt  thou  be  angry  against  the  prayer  of  thy  peo- 
ple ?  "  (a)  as  though  even  their  prayers  were  so  many  provoca- 
tions of  Divine  wrath.  So  when  Jeremiah  says,  "  God  shutteth 
out  my  prayer,"  (b)  he  was  undoubtedly  agitated  with  severe 
trouble.  Innumerable  examples  of  this  kind  occur  in  the 
Scriptures,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  faith  of  the  saints  is 
often  mingled  and  agitated  with  doubts,  so  that  amidst  the 
exercises  of  faith  and  hope,  they  nevertheless  betray  some  re- 
mains of  unbelief;  but  since  they  cannot  attain  all  that  is  to  be 
wished,  it  becomes  them  to  be  increasingly  diligent,  in  order  that, 
correcting  their  faults,  they  may  daily  make  nearer  approaches 
to  the  periect  rule  of  prayer,  and  at  the  same  time  to  consider  into 
what  an  abyss  of  evils  they  must  have  been  plunged,  who  even 
in  their  very  remedies  contract  new  diseases  ;  since  there  is  no 
prayer  which  God  would  not  justly  disdain,  if  he  did  not  overlook 
the  blemishes  with  which  they  are  all  deformed.  I  mention 
these  things,  not  that  believers  may  securely  forgive  themselves 
any  thing  sinful,  but  that,  by  severely  correcting  themselves, 
they  may  strive  to  surmount  these  obstacles  ;  and  that,  notwith- 
standing the  endeavours  of  Satan  to  obstruct  .them  in  all  their 
ways,  with  a  view  to  prevent  them  from  praying,  they  may 
nevertheless  break  through  all  opposition,  certainly  persuaded, 
that,  though  they  experience  many  impediments,  yet  God  is 
pleased  with  their  efforts,  and  approves  of  their  prayers,  pro- 

(:)  Psalm  li.  17.  (a)  Psalm  lxx.\.4.  {b)  Lam.  iii.  S. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  99 

vided  they  strenuously  aim  at  that  which  they  do  not  immedi- 
ately attain. 

XVII.  But  since  there  is  no  one  of  the  human  race  worthy 
to  present  himself  to  God,  and  to  enter  into  his  presence,  our 
heavenly  Father  himself,  to  deliver  us  at  once  from  shame  and 
fear,  which  might  justly  depress  all  our  minds,  has  given  us 
his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  I-ord  to  be  our  Advocate  and  Mediator 
with  him  ;  (c)  introduced  by  whom  we  may  boldly  approach 
him,  confident,  with  such  an  Intercessor,  that  nothing  we  ask 
in  his  name  will  be  denied  us,  as  nothing  can  be  denied  to  him 
by  his  Father.  And  to  this  must  be  referred  all  that  we  have 
hitherto  advanced  concerning  faith  ;  because,  as  the  promise 
recommends  Christ  to  us  as  the  Mediator,  so,  unless  our  hope 
of  success  depend  on  him,  it  deprives  itself  of  all  the  benefit 
of  prayer.  For  as  soon  as  we  reflect  on  the  terrible  majesty  of 
God,  we  cannot  but  be  exceedingly  afraid,  and  driven  away 
from  him  by  a  consciousness  of  our  unworthiness,  till  we  dis- 
cover Christ  as  the  Mediator,  who  changes  the  throne  of  dread- 
ful glory  into  a  tin-one  of  grace ;  as  the  apostle  also  exhorts  us 
to  "  come  boldly  unto  the  throne  of  grace,  that  we  may  obtain 
mercy,  and  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need."  {d)  And  as 
there  is  a  rule  given  for  calling  upon  God,  as  well  as  a  promise 
that  they  shall  be  heard  who  call  upon  him,  so  we  are  par- 
ticularly enjoined  to  invoke  him  in  the  name  of  Christ ;  and 
we  have  an  express  promise,  that  what  we  ask  in  his  name  we 
shall  obtain.  "  Hitherto  (says  he)  ye  have  asked  nothing  in 
my  name  :  ask,  and  ye  shall  receive.  At  that  day  ye  shall  ask 
in  my  name ;  and  Mdiatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that 
will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son."  (e) 
Hence  it  is  plain  beyond  all  controversy,  that  they  who  call 
upon  God  in  any  other  name  than  that  of  Christ,  are  guilty  of 
a  contumacious  neglect  of  his  precepts,  and  a  total  disregard 
of  his  will  ;  and  that  they  have  no  promise  of  any  success. 
For,  as  Paul  says  of  Christ,  "  All  the  promises  of  God  in  him 
are  yea,  and  in  him  amen  ;  "  that  is,  are  confirmed  and  ful- 
filled. (/) 

XVIII.  And  we  must  carefully  remark  the  circumstance  of 
the  time  when  Christ  commands  his  disciples  to  apply  to  his 
intercession,  which  was  to  be  after  his  ascension  to  heaven  ; 
"At  that  day  (says  he)  ye  shall  ask  in  my  name."  It  is  cer- 
tain that  from  the  beginning  no  prayers  had  been  heard  but  for 
the  sake  of  the  Mediator.  For  this  reason  the  Lord  had  ap- 
pointed in  the  law,  that  the  priest  alone  should  enter  the  sanc- 
tuary, bearing  on  his  shoulders  the  names  of  the  tribes  of  Israel 


(c)  1  Tim.  ii.  5.     1  John  ii.  1.  (e)  John  xvi.  24,  26  ;  xiv.  13. 

(d)  Heb.  iv.  16.  (/)  2  Cor.  i.  20. 


100  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    Hi, 

and  the  same  number  of  precious  stones  beiore  his  breast ;  but 
that  the  people  should  stand  without  in  the  court,  and  there 
unite  then-  prayers  with  those  of  the  priest,  (g-)  The  use  of 
the  sacrifice  was  to  render  their  prayers  effectual.  The  mean- 
ing, therefore,  of  that  shadowy  ceremony  of  the  law  was,  that 
Ave  are  all  banished  from  the  presence  of  God,  and  therefore 
need  a  mediator  to  appear  in  our  name,  to  bear  us  on  his 
shoulders,  and  bind  us  to  his  breast,  that  we  may  be  heard  in 
his  person  ;  and,  moreover,  that  the  sprinkling  of  his  blood 
purifies  our  prayers,  which  have  been  asserted  to  be  otherwise 
never  free  from  defilement.  And  we  see  that  the  saints,  when 
they  wished  to  obtain  any  thing  by  prayer,  founded  their  hope 
on  the  sacrifices  ;  because  they  knew  them  to  be  the  confirma- 
tions of  all  their  prayers.  David  says,  "  The  Lord  remember 
all  thy  offerings,  and  accept  thy  burnt-sacrifice."  (h)  Hence 
we  conclude,  that  God  has  from  the  beginning  been  appeased 
by  the  intercession  of  Christ,  so  as  to  accept  the  devotions  of 
believers.  Why,  then,  does  Christ  assign  a  new  period,  when 
his  disciples  shall  begin  to  pray  in  his  name,  but  because  this 
grace,  being  now  become  more  illustrious,  deserves  to  be  more 
strongly  recommended  to  us  ?  In  this  same  sense  he  had  just 
before  said,  "  Hitherto  ye  have  asked  nothing  in  my  name  ; 
ask."  (?)  Not  that  they  were  totally  unacquainted  with  the 
office  of  the  Mediator,  (since  all  the  Jews  were  instructed  in. 
these  first  principles,)  but  because  they  did  not  yet  clearly 
understand  that  Christ,  on  his  ascension  to  heaven,  would  be 
more  evidently  the  advocate  of  the  Church  than  he  was  before. 
Therefore,  to  console  their  sorrow  for  his  absence  with  some 
signal  advantage,  he  claims  the  character  of  an  advocate,  and 
teaches  them  that  they  have  hitherto  wanted  the  principal 
benefit,  which  it  shall  be  given  them  to  enjoy,  when  they 
shall  call  upon  God  with  greater  freedom  in  a  reliance  on  his 
intercession  ;  as  the  apostle  says  that  this  new  way  is  con- 
secrated by  his  blood,  (k)  So  much  the  more  inexcusable  is 
our  perverseness,  unless  we  embrace  with  the  greatest  alacrity 
such  an  inestimable  benefit,  which  is  particularly  destined 
for  us. 

XIX.  Moreover,  since  he  is  the  only  way  of  access  by 
which  we  are  permitted  to  approach  God,  to  them  who  deviate 
from  this  road,  and  desert  this  entrance,  there  remains  no  other 
way  of  access  to  God,  nor  any  thing  on  his  throne  but  wrath, 
judgment,  and  terror.  Finally,  since  the  Father  has  appoint- 
ed him  to  be  our  Head  and  Leader,  they  who  in  any  respect 
decline  or  turn  aside  from  iiim,  endeavour,  as  far  as  they  can, 
to  deface  and  obliterate  a  character  impressed  by  God.     Thus 

(g)  Exod.  xxviii.         (h)  Psalm  xx.  3.         (i)  John  xvi.  24.         (h)  Heb.  x.  20, 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHKISTIAN    RELIGION.  101 

Christ  is  appointed  as  the  one  Mediator,  by  whose  intercession 
the  Father  is  rendered  propitious  and  favourable  to  us.  The 
saints  have  hkewise  their  intercessions,  in  which  they  mutually 
commend  each  other's  interests  to  God,  and  which  are  men- 
tioned by  the  apostle  ;  (/)  but  these  are  so  far  from  detracting 
any  thing  from  the  intercession  of  Christ,  that  they  are  entire- 
ly dependent  on  it.  For  as  they  arise  from  the  affection  of 
love,  reciprocally  felt  by  us  towards  each  other  as  members  of 
one  body,  so  likewise  they  are  referred  to  the  unity  of  the 
Head.  Being  made  also  in  the  name  of  Christ,  what  are  they 
but  a  declaration,  that  no  man  can  be  benefited  by  any  prayers 
at  all,  independently  of  Christ's  intercession  ?  And  as  the  in- 
tercession of  Christ  is  no  objection  to  our  mutually  pleading 
for  each  other,  in  our  prayers  in  the  Church,  so  let  it  be  con- 
sidered as  a  certain  maxim,  that  all  the  intercessions  of  the 
whole  Church  should  be  directed  to  that  principal  one.  We 
ought  to  beware  of  ingratitude  particularly  on  this  head,  be- 
cause God,  pardoning  our  un worthiness,  not  only  permits  us 
to  pray  each  one  for  himself,  but  even  admits  us  as  intercessors 
for  one  another.  For,  when  those  who  richly  deserve  to  be 
rejected,  if  they  should  privately  pray  each  for  himself,  are  ap- 
pointed by  God  as  advocates  of  his  Church,  what  pride  would 
it  betray  to  abuse  this  liberality  to  obscure  the  honour  of 
Christ ! 

XX.  Now,  the  cavil  of  the  sophists  is  quite  frivolous,  that 
Christ  is  the  Mediator  of  redemption,  but  believers  of  interces- 
sion ;  as  if  Christ,  after  performing  a  temporary  mediation,  had 
left  to  his  servants  that  which  is  eternal  and  shall  never  die. 
They  who  detract  so  diminutive  a  portion  of  honour  from  him, 
treat  him,  doubtless,  very  favourably.  But  the  Scripture,  with 
the  simplicity  of  which  a  pious  man,  forsaking  these  impostors, 
ought  to  be  contented,  speaks  very  differently ;  for  when  John 
says,  "  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father, 
Jesus  Christ,"  (m)  does  he  only  mean  that  he  has  been  here- 
tofore an  Advocate  for  us,  or  does  he  not  rather  ascribe  to  him 
a  perpetual  intercession  ?  What  is  intended  by  the  assertion 
of  Paul,  that  he  "  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  also 
maketh  intercession  for  nsV  (n)  And  when  he  elsewhere 
calls  him  the  "  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,"  does  he 
not  refer  to  prayers,  which  he  has  mentioned  just  before  ?  "  (o) 
For  having  first  asserted  that  intercessions  should  be  made  for 
all  men,  he  immediately  adds,  in  confirmation  of  that  idea, 
that  all  have  one  God  and  one  Mediator.  Consistent  with 
which  is  the  explanation  of  Augustine,  when  he  thus  expresses 

(f)     Ephes.  vi.  18,  19.     1  Tim.  ii.  1.  (n)  Rom.  viii.  34. 

(7/i)  1  John  ii.  1.  (o)  1  Tim.  ii.  5. 


102  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

himself:  "  Christian  men  in  their  prayers  mutually  recommend 
each  other  to  the  Divine  regard.  That  person,  for  whom  no 
one  intercedes,  while  he  intercedes  for  all,  is  the  true  and  only  Me- 
diator. The  apostle  Paul,  though  a  principal  member  under  the 
Head,  yet  because  he  was  a  member  of  the  body  of  Christ,  and 
knew  the  great  and  true  High  Priest  of  the  Church  had  entered, 
not  typically,  into  the  recesses  within  the  veil,  the  holy  of  holies, 
but  truly  and  really  into  the  interior  recesses  of  heaven,  into  a 
sanctuary  not  emblematical,  but  eternal, — Paul,  I  say,  recom- 
mends himself  to  the  prayers  of  believers.  Neither  does  he 
make  himself  a  mediator  between  God  and  the  people,  but  ex- 
horts all  the  members  of  the  body  of  Christ  mutually  to  pray  for 
one  another;  since  the  members  have  a  mutual  solicitude  for 
each  other  ;  and  if  one  member  suffers,  the  rest  sympathize  with 
it.  And  so  should  the  mutual  prayers  of  all  the  members,  who 
are  still  engaged  in  the  labours  of  the  present  state,  ascend  on 
each  other's  behalf  to  the  Head,  who  is  gone  before  them  into 
heaven,  and  who  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  For  if  Paul 
were  a  mediator,  the  other  apostles  would  likewise  sustain  the 
same  character ;  and  so  there  would  be  many  mediators  ;  and 
Paul's  argviment  could  not  be  supported,  when  he  says,  '  For 
there  is  one  God,  and  one  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  the 
man  Christ  Jesus ;  in  whom  we  also  are  one,  if  we  keep  the 
miity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.'  "  Again,  in  another 
place  :  "  But  if  you  seek  a  priest,  he  is  above  the  heavens,  where 
he  now  intercedes  for  you,  who  died  for  you  on  earth."  Yet 
we  do  not  dream  that  he  intercedes  for  us  in  suppliant  prostra- 
tion at  the  Father's  feet ;  but  we  apprehend,  with  the  apostle. 
that  he  appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us  in  such  a  manner, 
that  the  virtue  of  his  death  avails  as  a  perpetual  intercession 
for  us  ;  yet  so  as  that,  being  entered  into  the  heavenly  sanctuary, 
he  continually,  till  the  consummation  of  all  things,  presents  to 
God  the  prayers  of  his  people,  who  remain,  as  it  were,  at  a  dis- 
tance in  the  court. 

XXI.  With  respect  to  the  saints  who  are  dead  in  the  flesh, 
but  live  in  Christ,  if  we  attribute  any  intercession  to  them,  let 
us  not  imagine  that  they  have  any  other  way  of  praying  to  God 
than  by  Christ,  who  is  the  only  way,  or  that  their  prayers  are 
accepted  by  God  in  any  other  name.  Therefore,  since  the  Scrip- 
ture calls  us  away  from  all  others  to  Christ  alone,  —  since  it  is 
the  will  of  our  heavenly  Father  to  gather  together  all  things  in 
him,  —  it  would  be  a  proof  of  great  stupidity,  not  to  say  insanity, 
to  be  so  desirous  of  procuring  an  admission  by  the  saints,  as  to 
be  seduced  from  him,  without  whom  they  have  no  access  them- 
selves. But  that  this  has  been  practised  in  some  ages,  and  is 
now  practised  wherever  Popery  prevails,  who  can  deny  ?  Their 
merits  are  frequently  obtruded  to  conciliate  the  Divine  favour ; 


CHAP.    XX. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  103 

and  in  general  Christ  is  totally  neglected,  and  God  is  addressed 
through  their  names.  Is  not  this  transferring  to  them  that 
office  of  exclusive  intercession,  which  we  have  before  asserted 
to  be  peculiar  to  Christ  ?  Again,  who,  either  angel  or  demon, 
ever  uttered  to  any  of  the  human  race  a  syllable  concerning 
such  an  intercession  as  they  pretend  ?  for  the  Scripture  is 
perfectly  silent  respecting  any  such  thing.  What  reason,  then, 
was  there  for  its  invention  ?  Certainly,  when  the  human  mind 
thus  seeks  assistances  for  itself,  in  which  it  is  not  warranted 
by  the  word  of  God,  it  evidently  betrays  its  want  of  faith. 
Now,  if  we  appeal  to  the  consciences  of  all  the  advocates  for  the 
intercession  of  saints,  we  shall  find  that  the  only  cause  of  it  is, 
an  anxiety  in  their  minds,  as  if  Christ  could  fail  of  success,  or 
be  too  severe  in  this  business.  By  which  perplexity  they,  in 
the  first  place,  dishonour  Christ,  and  rob  him  of  the  character 
of  the  only  Mediator,  which,  as  it  has  been  given  by  the  Father 
as  his  peculiar  prerogative,  ought  therefore  not  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  any  other.  And  by  this  very  conduct  they  obscure 
the  glory  of  his  nativity,  and  frustrate  the  benefit  of  his  cross  ; 
in  a  word,  they  divest  and  defraud  him  of  the  praise  which  is 
due  to  him  for  all  his  actions  and  all  his  sufterings  ;  since  the 
end  of  them  all  is,  that  he  may  really  be,  and  be  accounted, 
the  sole  Mediator.  They  at  the  same  time  reject  the  goodness 
of  God,  who  exhibits  himself  as  their  Father ;  for  he  is  not  a 
father  to  them,  unless  they  acknowledge  Christ  as  their  brother. 
Which  they  plainly  deny,  unless  they  believe  themselves  to  be 
the  objects  of  his  fraternal  affection,  than  which  nothing  can  be 
more  mild  or  tender.  Wherefore  the  Scripture  ofiers  him  alone 
to  us,  sends  us  to  him,  and  fixes  us  in  him.  "  He,"  says  Am- 
brose, "  is  our  mouth,  with  which  we  address  the  Father  ;  our 
eye,  by  which  we  behold  the  Father  ;  our  right  hand,  by  which 
we  present  ourselves  to  the  Father.  Without  whose  mediation, 
neither  we,  nor  any  of  all  the  saints,  have  the  least  intercourse 
with  God."  If  they  reply,  that  the  public  prayers  in  the 
churches  are  finished  by  this  conclusion,  "  through  Christ  our 
Lord,"  it  is  a  frivolous  subterfuge  ;  because  the  intercession  of 
Christ  is  not  less  profaned  when  it  is  confounded  with  the 
prayers  and  merits  of  the  dead,  than  if  it  were  wholly  omitted, 
and  the  dead  alone  mentioned.  Besides,  in  all  their  litanies, 
both  verse  and  prose,  where  every  honour  is  ascribed  to  dead 
saints,  there  is  no  mention  of  Christ. 

XXII.  But  their  folly  rises  to  such  a  pitch,  that  we  have 
here  a  striking  view  of  tlie  genius  of  superstition,  which,  when 
It  has  once  shaken  off"  the  reins,  places  in  general  no  limits  to 
its  excursions.  For  after  men  had  begun  to  regard  the  inter- 
cession of  saints,  they  by  degrees  gave  to  each  his  particular 
attributes,  so  that  sometimes  one,  sometimes  another,  might  be 


104  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

invoked  as  intercessor,  according  to  the  difference  of  the  cases; 
then  they  chose  each  his  particular  sauit,  to  whose  protection 
they  committed  themselves  as  to  the  care  of  tutelary  gods. 
Thus  they  not  only  set  up  (as  the  prophet  anciently  accused 
Israel)  gods  according  to  the  number  of  their  cities,  {k)  but  even 
according  to  the  multitude  of  persons.  But,  since  the  saints 
refer  all  their  desires  solely  to  the  will  of  God,  and  observe  it, 
and  acquiesce  in  it,  he  must  entertain  foolish  and  carnal,  and 
even  degrading  thoughts  of  them,  who  ascribes  to  them  any 
other  prayer,  than  that  in  which  they  pray  for  the  advent  of  the 
kingdom  of  God  ;  very  remote  from  which  is  what  they  pretend 
concerning  them  —  that  every  one  of  them  is  disposed  by  a 
private  affection  more  particularly  to  regard  his  own  worship- 
pers. At  length  multitudes  fell  even  into  horrid  sacrilege, 
by  invoking  them,  not  as  subordinate  promoters,  but  as  prin- 
cipal agents,  in  their  salvation.  See  how  low  wretched  mortals 
fall,  when  they  wander  from  their  lawful  station,  the  word  of 
God.  I  omit  the  grosser  monstrosities  of  impiety,  for  which, 
though  they  render  them  detestable  to  God,  angels,  and  men, 
they  do  not  yet  feel  either  shame  or  grief.  Prostrate  before  the 
statue  or  picture  of  Barbara,  Catharine,  and  others,  they  mutter 
Pater  Noster,  "Our  Father."  This  madness  the  pastors  are 
so  far  from  endeavouring  to  remedy  or  to  restrain,  that,  allured 
by  the  charms  of  lucre,  they  approve  and  applaud  it.  But 
though  they  attempt  to  remove  from  themselves  the  odium  of 
so  foul  a  crime,  yet  what  plea  will  they  urge  in  defence  of 
this,  that  Eligius  and  Medardus  are  supplicated  to  look  down 
from  heaven  on  their  servants,  and  to  assist  them  ?  and  the 
holy  Virgin  to  command  her  Son  to  grant  their  petitions  ?  It  was 
anciently  forbidden  at  the  Council  of  Carthage,  that  at  the  altar 
any  prayers  should  be  made  directly  to  the  saints ;  and  it  is 
probable  that,  when  those  holy  men  could  not  wholly  subdue 
the  force  of  depraved  custom,  they  imposed  this  restraint,  that 
the  public  prayers  might  not  be  deformed  by  this  phrase, 
*'  Saint  Peter,  pray  for  us."  But  to  how  much  greater  lengths 
of  diabolical  absurdity  have  they  proceeded,  who  hesitate  not 
to  transfer  to  dead  men  what  exclusively  belongs  to  God  and 
Christ  ! 

XXIII.  But  when  they  attempt  to  make  this  intercession 
appear  to  be  founded  on  tlie  authority  of  Scripture,  they  labour 
in  vain.  We  frequently  read,  they  say,  of  the  prayers  of 
angels ;  and  not  only  so,  but  the  prayers  of  believers  are  said 
to  be  carried  by  their  hands  into  the  presence  of  God.  But  if 
they  would  compare  saints  deceased  to  angels,  they  ought  to 
prove  that  they  are  the  ministering  spirits  who  are  delegated 

(A)  Jer.  ii.2S;  xv.^13. 


CHAP,    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  105 

to  superintend  the  concerns  of  our  salvation,  whose  province  it 
is  to  keep  us  in  all  our  ways,  who  surround  us,  who  ad- 
vise and  comfort  us,  who  watch  over  us ;  all  of  which  offices 
are  committed  to  angels,  but  not  to  departed  saints,  (l)  How 
p;e[  osterously  they  include  dead  saints  with  angels,  fully 
appears  from  so  many  ditferent  functions,  by  which  the  Scrip- 
ture distinguishes  some  from  others.  No  man  will  presume, 
without  previous  permission,  to  act  the  part  of  an  advocate 
before  an  earthly  judge  :  whence,  then,  have  worms  so  great  a 
license  to  obtrude  on  God  as  intercessors  those  who  are  not 
recorded  to  have  been  appointed  to  that  oliice  ?  God  has 
been  pleased  to  appoint  the  angels  to  attend  to  our  salvation, 
whence  they  frequent  the  sacred  assemblies,  and  the  Church 
is  to  them  a  theatre,  in  which  they  admire  the  various  and 
"manifold  wisdom  of  God."  (??«-)  Those  who  transfer  to 
others  that  which  is  peculiar  to  them,  certainly  confound  and 
pervert  the  order  established  by  God,  which  ought  to  be  in- 
violable. With  equal  dexterity  they  proceed  to  cite  other  tes- 
timonies. God  said  to  Jeremiah,  "  Though  Moses  and  Samuel 
stood  before  me,  yet  my  mind  could  not  be  toward  this  peo- 
ple." (n)  How,  they  say,  could  he  thus  have  spoken  concern- 
ing persons  deceased,  unless  he  knew  that  they  were  accus- 
tomed to  intercede  for  the  living  ?  But  I,  on  the  contrary, 
deduce  this  conclusion  —  That  since  it  appears  that  neither 
Moses  nor  Samuel  interceded  for  the  Israelites,  there  was  then 
no  intercession  of  the  dead.  For  who  of  the  saints  must  we 
believe  to  be  concerned  for  the  salvation  of  the  people,  Avhen 
this  ceases  to  be  the  case  with  Moses,  who  far  surpassed  all 
others  in  this  respect  while  alive  ?  But  if  they  pursue  such 
minute  subtleties,  that  the  dead  intercede  for  the  living,  because 
the  Lord  has  said,  "Though  they  interceded,"  I  shall  argue, 
with  far  greater  plausibility,  in  this  manner  —  In  the  people's  ex- 
treme necessity,  no  intercession  was  made  by  Moses,  of  whom  it 
is  said,  Though  he  interceded.  Therefore  it  is  highly  probable, 
that  no  intercession  is  made  by  any  other,  since  they  are  all  so 
far  from  possessing  the  gentleness,  kindness,  and  paternal  solici- 
tude of  Moses.  This  is  indeed  the  consequence  of  their  cavil- 
ling, that  they  are  wounded  with  the  same  weapons  with  which 
they  thought  themselves  admirably  defended.  But  it  is  very 
ridiculous,  that  a  plain  sentence  should  be  so  distorted  ;  only 
because  the  Lord  declares  that  he  will  not  spare  the  crimes  of 
the  people,  even  though  their  cause  had  been  pleaded  by 
Moses  or  Samuel,  to  whose  prayers  he  had  shown  himself  so 
very  propitious.  This  idea  is  very  clearly  deduced  from  a 
similar  passage  of  Ezekiel  —  "  Though  these  three  men,  Noah, 

(l)  Heb.  i.  14.     Psalm  xci.  11;  xxxiv.  7.         (m)  Ephes.  iii.  10.        (n)  Jer.  xv.  1. 
VOL.    IL  14 


106  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    11 

Daniel,  and  Job,  were  in  the  land,  they  should  deliver  but  their 
own  souls  by  their  righteousness,  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  "  (oj 
where  he  undoubtedly  meant  to  signify,  if  two  of  them  should 
return  to  life  again  ;  for  the  third  was  then  alive,  namely, 
Daniel,  who  is  well  known  to  have  given  an  incomparable 
specimen  of  his  piety,  even  in  the  flower  of  his  youth.  Let  us 
then  leave  them,  whom  the  Scripture  clearly  shows  to  have 
finished  their  coarse.  Therefore  Paul,  when  speaking  of  David, 
does  not  say  that  he  assists  posterity  by  his  prayers,  but  only 
that  '' he  served  his  own  generation."  (p) 

XXIV.  They  further  object  —  Shall  we  then  divest  them  of 
every  benevolent  wish,  who  through  the  whole  course  of  their 
lives  breathed  only  benevolence  and  mercy  ?  Truly,  as  I  do  not 
wish  too  curiously  to  inquire  into  their  actions  or  thoughts,  so 
it  is  by  no  means  probable  that  they  are  agitated  by  the  im- 
pulse of  particular  wishes,  but  rather  that  with  fixed  and  per- 
manent desires  they  aspire  after  the  kingdom  of  God ;  which 
consists  no  less  in  the  perdition  of  the  impious,  than  in  the 
salvation  of  believers.  If  this  be  true,  their  charity  also  is 
comprehended  within  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
and  extends  no  farther  than  the  nature  of  that  communion  per- 
mits. Bat  though  I  grant  that  in  this  respect  they  pray  for  us, 
yet  they  do  not  therefore  relinquish  their  own  repose,  to  be 
distracted  with  earthly  cares  ;  and  much  less  are  they  there- 
fore to  be  the  objects  of  our  invocation.  Neither  is  it  a  neces- 
sary consequence  of  this,  that  they  must  imitate  the  conduct 
of  men  on  earth  by  mutually  praying  for  one  another.  For 
this  conduces  to  the  cultivation  of  charity  among  them,  while 
they  divide,  as  it  were,  between  them,  and  reciprocally  bear 
their  mutual  necessities.  And  in  this,  indeed,  they  act  accord- 
ing to  God's  precept,  and  are  not  destitute  of  his  promise; 
which  two  are  always  the  principal  points  in  prayer.  No  such 
considerations  have  any  relation  to  the  dead  ;  whom  when  the 
Lord  has  removed  from  our  society,  he  has  left  us  no  inter- 
course with  them,  nor  them,  indeed,  as  far  as  our  conjectures 
can  reach,  any  with  us.  (q)  But  if  any  one  plead,  that  they 
cannot  but  retain  the  same  charity  towards  us,  as  they  are 
united  with  us  by  the  same  faith,  yet  who  has  revealed  that 
they  have  ears  long  enough  to  reach  our  voices,  and  eyes  so 
perspicacious  as  to  watch  over  our  necessities?  They  talk  in 
the  schools  of  I  know  not  what  refulgence  ol  the  Divine  coun- 
tenance irradiating  them,  in  which,  as  in  a  mirror,  they  behold 
from  heaven  the  allairs  of  men.  Bat  to  affirm  this,  especially 
with  the  presnmption  with  which  they  dare  to  assert  it,  what 
is  it  but  an  attempt,  by  the  infatuated  dreams  of  our  own 
brains,  forcibly  to  penetrate  into  the  secret  appointments  of 

(o)  Ezek.  xiv.  14.  {]>)  Acts  xiii.  36.  (q)  Eccles.  ix.  5,  6. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  107 

God,  without  the  authority  of  his  word,  and  to  trample  the 
Scripture  under  our  feet  ?  which  so  frequently  pronounces  our 
carnal  wisdom  to  be  hostile  to  the  wisdom  of  God;  totally 
condemns  the  vanity  of  our  mind  :  and  directs  all  our  reason 
to  be  laid  in  the  dust,  and  the  Divine  will  to  be  the  sole  object 
of  our  regard. 

XXV.  The  other  testimonies  of  Scripture  which  they  ad- 
duce in  defence  of  this  false  doctrine,  they  distort  with  the 
greatest  perverseness.  But  Jacob  (they  say)  prays  that  his 
own  name,  and  the  name  of  his  fathers,  Abraham  and  Isaac, 
might  be  named  on  his  posterity,  (r)  Let  us  first  inquire  the 
form  of  this  naming,  or  calling  on  their  names,  among  the 
Israelites  ;  for  they  do  not  invoke  their  fathers  to  assist  them  ; 
but  they  beseech  God  to  remember  his  servants  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob.  Their  example,  therefore,  is  no  vindication  of  those 
who  address  the  saints  themselves.  But  as  these  stupid  mor- 
tals understand  neither  what  it  is  to  name  the  name  of  Jacob, 
nor  for  what  reason  it  should  be  named,  we  need  not  won- 
der that  they  so  childishly  err  even  in  the  form  itself.  This 
phraseology  more  than  once  occurs  in  the  Scriptures.  For 
Isaiah  says,  that  the  name  of  the  husband  is  "called  upon  "  the 
wife  who  lives  under  his  care  and  protection.  The  naming  or 
calling,  therefore,  of  the  name  of  Abraham  upon  the  Israelites, 
consists  in  their  deducing  their  genealogy  from  him,  and  re- 
vering and  celebrating  his  memory  as  their  great  progenitor. 
Neither  is  Jacob  actuated  by  a  solicitude  for  perpetuating  the 
celebrity  of  his  name,  but  by  a  knowledge  that  all  the  happi- 
ness of  his  posterity  consisted  in  the  inheritance  of  that  cove- 
nant which  God  had  made  with  him  :  and  perceiving  that  this 
would  be  the  greatest  of  all  blessings  to  them,  he  prays  that 
they  may  be  numbered  among  his  children  ;  which  is  only 
transmitting  to  them  the  succession  of  the  covenant.  They, 
on  their  part,  when  they  introduce  the  mention  of  this  in  their 
prayers,  do  not  recur  to  the  intercessions  of  the  dead,  but  put 
the  Lord  in  remembrance  of  his  covenant,  in  which  their  most 
merciful  Father  has  engaged  to  be  propitious  and  beneficent 
to  them,  for  the  sake  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  How 
little  the  saints  depended  in  any  other  sense  on  the  merits 
of  their  fathers,  is  evinced  by  the  public  voice  of  the  Church 
in  the  prophet  :  "  Thou  art  our  Father,  though  Abraham  be 
ignorant  of  us,  and  Israel  acknowledge  us  not :  thou,  O  L-ord, 
art  our  Father,  our  Redeemer."  (s)  And  when  they  thus 
express  themselves,  they  add  at  the  same  time,  "  O  Lord, 
return,  for  thy  servants'  sake  ;  "  yet  not  entertaining  a  thought 
of  any  intercession,  but  adverting  to  the  blessing  of  the  cove- 

(r)  Gen.  xlviii.  16.  (s)  Isaiah  Ixiii.  16 


108  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

nant.  But  now,  since  we  have  the  Lord  Jesns,  in  whose  hand 
the  eternal  covenant  of  mercy  is  not  only  made  but  confirmed 
to  us,  —  whose  name  should  we  rather  plead  in  our  prayers  ? 
And  since  these  good  doctors  contend  that  the  patriarchs  are  in 
these  words  represented  as  intercessors,  I  wish  to  be  informed 
by  them,  why,  in  such  a  vast  multitude,  no  place,  not  even  the 
lowest  among  them,  is  allotted  to  Abraham,  the  father  of 
the  Church  ?  From  what  vile  source  they  derive  their  advocates, 
is  well  known.  Let  them  answer  me  by  proving  it  right,  that 
Abraham,  whom  God  has  preferred  to  all  others,  and  elevated 
to  the  highest  degree  of  honour,  should  be  neglected  and  sup- 
pressed. The  truth  is,  that  since  this  practice  was  unknown  in 
the  ancient  Church,  they  thought  proper,  in  order  to  conceal 
its  novelty,  to  be  silent  respecting  the  ancient  fathers ;  as 
though  the  difference  of  names  were  a  valid  excuse  for  a  recent 
and  corrupt  custom.  But  the  objection  urged  by  some,  that 
God  is  entreated  to  have  mercy  on  the  people  for  the  sake  of 
David,  is  so  far  from  supporting  their  error,  that  it  is  a  decisive 
refutation  of  it.  For  if  we  consider  the  character  sustained  by 
David,  he  is  selected  from  the  whole  company  of  the  saints, 
that  God  may  fulfil  the  covenant  which  he  made  with  him  ; 
so  that  it  refers  to  the  covenant,  rather  than  to  the  person,  and 
contains  a  figurative  declaration  of  the  sole  intercession  of 
Christ.  For  it  is  certain  that  what  was  peculiar  to  David, 
as  being  a  type  of  Christ,  is  inapplicable  to  any  others, 

XXVL  But  it  seems  that  some  are  influenced  by  the  fre- 
quent declarations  which  we  read,  that  the  prayers  of  the 
saints  are  heard.  Why  ?  Truly  because  they  have  prayed. 
"They  cried  unto  thee,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "and  were  de- 
livered ;  they  trusted  in  thee,  and  were  not  confounded."  (t) 
Therefore,  let  us  likewise  pray  after  their  example,  that  we  may 
obtain  a  similar  audience.  But  these  men  preposterously  argue, 
that  none  will  be  heard  but  such  as  have  been  once  already 
heard.  How  much  more  properly  does  James  say,  "  EHas 
was  a  man  subject  to  like  passions  as  we  are,  and  he  prayed 
earnestly  that  it  might  not  rain  ;  and  it  rained  not  on  the  earth 
6y  the  space  of  three  years  and  six  months.  And  he  prayed 
again,  and  the  heaven  gave  rain,  and  the  earth  brought  forth 
her  fruit."  (u)  What!  does  he  infer  any  peculiar  privilege  of 
Ehas,  to  which  we  should  have  recourse  ?  Not  at  ail ;  but  he 
shows  the  perpetual  efficacy  of  pure  and  pious  "prayer,  to  ex- 
hort us  to  pray  in  a  similar  manner.  For  we  put  a  mean  con- 
struction on  the  promptitude  and  benignity  of  God  in  hearing 
them,  unless  we  be  encouraged  by  such  instances  to  a  firmer 
reliance  on  his  promises  ;  in  which  he  promises  to  hear,  not 
one  or  two,  or  even  a  few,  but  all  who  call  upon  his  name. 

(/)  Psalm  xxii.  5.  "X«)  James  v.  17,  18. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION,  109 

And  this  ignorance  is  so  much  the  less  excusable,  because  they 
appear  almost  professedly  to  disregard  so  many  testimonies  of 
Scripture.  David  experienced  frequent  deliverances  by  the 
Divine  power  ;  was  it  that  he  might  arrogate  it  to  himself,  in 
order  to  deliver  us  by  his  interposition  ?  He  makes  some  very 
different  declarations  :  "  The  righteous  shall  compass  me  about ; 
for  thou  shalt  deal  bountifully  with  me."  (x)  Again  :  "  They 
looked  unto  him,  and  were  lightened  ;  and  their  faces  were  not 
ashamed.  This  poor  man  cried,  and  the  Lord  heard  him,  and 
saved  him  out  of  all  his  troubles."  (?/)  The  Psalms  contain 
many  such  prayers,  in  which  he  implores  God  to  grant  his 
requests  from  this  consideration,  that  the  righteous  may  not  be 
put  to  shame,  but  may  be  encouraged  by  his  example  to  enter- 
tain a  good  hope.  Let  us  be  contented  at  present  with  one 
instance :  "  For  this  shall  every  one  that  is  godly  pray  unto 
thee  in  a  time  when  thou  mayest  be  found  ; "  (z)  a  text  which 
I  have  the  more  readily  cited,  because  the  hireling  and  cavil- 
ling advocates  of  Popery  have  not  been  ashamed  to  plead  it  to 
prove  the  intercession  of  the  dead.  As  though  David  had  any 
other  design  than  to  show  the  effect  which  would  proceed  from 
the  Divine  clemency  and  goodness  when  his  prayers  should  be 
heard.  And  in  general  it  must  be  maintained,  that  an  ex- 
perience of  the  grace  of  God,  both  to  ourselves  and  to  others, 
affords  no  small  assistance  to  confirm  our  faith  in  his  promises. 
I  do  not  recite  numerous  passages,  where  he  proposes  to  him- 
self the  past  blessings  of  God  as  a  ground  of  present  and  future 
confidence,  since  they  will  naturally  occur  to  those  who  peruse 
the  Psalms.  Jacob  by  his  example  had  long  before  taught  the 
same  lesson  :  "  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies, 
and  of  all  the  truth,  which  thou  hast  showed  unto  thy  servant ; 
for  with  my  staff  I  passed  over  this  Jordan ;  and  now  I  am  be- 
come two  bands."  (a)  He  mentions  the  promise  indeed,  but  not 
alone  ;  he  likewise  adds  the  effect,  that  he  may  in  future  con- 
fide with  the  greater  boldness  in  the  continuance  of  the  Divine 
goodness  towards  him.  For  God  is  not  like  mortals,  who  grow 
weary  of  their  liberality,  or  whose  wealth  is  exhausted ;  bnt  is 
to  be  estimated  by  his  own  nature,  as  is  judiciously  done  by 
David,  when  he  says,  "  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  O  Lord  God 
of  truth."  (6)  After  ascribing  to  him  the  praise  of  his  salva- 
tion, he  adds,  that  he  is  a  God  of  truth  ;  because,  unless  he 
were  perpetually  and  uniformly  consistent  with  himself,  there 
could  not  be  derived  from  his  benefits  a  sufficient  argument  for 
confiding  in  him,  and  praying  to  him.  But  when  we  know 
;hat  every  act  of  assistance,  which  he  affords  us,  is  a  specimen 


(x)  Psalm  cxlii.  7.  (y)  Psalm  xxxiv.  5,  6.  (:)  Psalm  xxxii.  6. 

(a)  Gen.  xxxii.  10.  (i)  Psalm  xxxi.  5. 


110  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

and  proof  of  his  goodness  and  faithfulness,  we  shall  have  no 
reason  to  fear  lest  our  hopes  be  confounded  or  our  expectations 
disappointed. 

XXVII.  Let  us  conclude  this  argument  in  the  following 
manner :  Since  the  Scripture  represents  the  principal  part  of 
Di\'ine  worship  to  be  an  invocation  of  God,  as  he,  in  preference 
to  all  sacrifices,  requires  of  us  this  duty  of  piety,  no  prayer  can 
without  evident  sacrilege  be  directed  to  any  other.  Wherefore 
also  the  Psalmist  says,  "  If  we  have  stretched  out  our  hands 
to  a  strange  god,  shall  not  God  search  this  out?  "  (c)  Besides, 
since  God  will  only  be  invoked  in  faith,  and  expressly  com- 
mands prayers  to  be  conformed  to  the  rule  of  his  word ;  finally, 
since  faith  founded  on  the  word  is  the  source  of  true  prayer,  — 
as  soon  as  the  least  deviation  is  made  from  the  word,  there  must 
necessarily  be  an  immediate  corruption  of  prayer.  But  it  has 
been  already  shown,  that  if  the  whole  Scripture  be  consulted, 
this  honour  is  there  claimed  for  God  alone.  With  respect  to 
the  office  of  intercession,  we  have  also  seen,  that  it  is  peculiar 
to  Christ,  and  that  no  prayer  is  acceptable  to  God,  unless  it  be 
sanctified  by  this  Mediator.  And  though  believers  mutually 
pray  to  God  for  their  brethren,  we  have  proved  that  this  dero- 
gates nothing  from  the  sole  intercession  of  Christ ;  because 
they  all  commend  both  themselves  and  others  to  God  in  a 
reliance  upon  it.  Moreover  we  have  argued,  that  this  is  inju- 
diciously applied  to  the  dead,  of  whom  we  nowhere  read  that 
they  are  commanded  to  pray  for  us.  The  Scripture  frequently 
exhorts  us  to  the  mutual  performance  of  this  duty  for  each 
other;  but  concerning  the  dead  there  is  not  even  a  syllable  ; 
and  James,  by  connecting  these  two  things,  "Confess  your 
faults  one  to  another,  and  pray  one  for  another,"  tacitly  ex- 
cludes the  dead,  (d)  Wherefore,  to  condemn  this  error,  this 
one  reason  is  sufficient,  that  right  prayer  originates  in  faith, 
and  that  faith  is  produced  by  hearing  the  word  of  God,  where 
there  is  no  mention  of  this  fictitious  intercession  ;  for  the  teme- 
rity of  superstition  has  chosen  itself  advocates,  who  were  not 
of  Divine  appointment.  For  whilst  the  Scripture  abounds 
with  many  forms  of  prayer,  there  is  not  to  be  found  an  exam- 
ple of  this  advocacy,  without  Avhich  the  Papists  believe  there 
can  be  no  prayer  at  all.  Besides,  it  is  evident  that  this  super- 
stition has  arisen  from  a  want  of  faith,  because  they  either 
were  not  content  with  Christ  as  their  intercessor,  or  entirely 
denied  him  this  glory.  The  latter  of  these  is  easily  proved 
from  their  impudence  ;  for  they  adduce  no  argument  more  valid 
to  show  that  we  need  the  mediation  of  the  saints,  than  when 
they  object  that  we  are  unworthy  of  familiar  access  to  God. 

(c)  Psalm  xliv.  20,  21.  ^        (d)  James  v.  IC 


CHAP,    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  Ill 

Which  indeed  we  acknowledge  to  be  strictly  true  ;  but  we 
thence  conclude,  that  they  rob  Christ  of  every  thing,  who  con- 
sider his  intercession  as  unavailing  without  the  assistance  of 
George  and  Hippolytus,  and  other  such  phantasms. 

XXVIII.  But  though  prayer  is  properly  restricted  to  wishes 
and  petitions,  yet  there  is  so  great  an  affinity  between  petition 
and  thanksgiving,  that  they  may  be  justly  comprehended 
under  the  same  name.  For  the  species  which  Paul  enume- 
rates, fall  under  the  first  member  of  this  division.  In  requests 
and  petitions  we  pour  out  our  desires  before  God,  imploring 
those  things  which  tend  to  the  propagation  of  his  glory  and  the 
illustration  of  his  name,  as  well  as  those  benefits  which  conduce 
to  our  advantage.  In  thanksgiving  we  celebrate  his  benefi- 
cence towards  us  with  due  praises,  acknowledging  all  the  bless- 
ings we  have  received  as  the  gifts  of  his  liberality.  Therefore 
David  has  connected  these  two  parts  together  :  "  Call  upon  me 
in  the  day  of  trouble  :  1  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt  glorify 
me."  (e)  The  Scripture,  not  without  reason,  enjoins  us  the 
continual  use  of  both  ;  for  we  have  elsewhere  said  that  our 
want  is  so  great,  and  experience  itself  proclaims  that  we  are 
molested  and  oppressed  on  every  side  with  such  numerous  and 
great  perplexities,  that  we  all  have  sufficient  cause  for  unceas- 
ing sighs,  and  groans,  and  ardent  supplications  to  God.  For 
though  they  enjoy  a  freedom  from  adversity,  yet  the  guilt  of 
their  sins,  and  the  innumerable  assaults  of  temptation,  ought  to 
stimulate  even  the  most  eminent  saints  to  pray  for  relief  But 
of  the  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  there  can  be  no  inter- 
ruption, without  guilt ;  since  God  ceases  not  to  accumulate  on 
us  his  various  benefits,  according  to  our  respective  cases,  in  order 
to  constrain  us,  inactive  and  sluggish  as  we  are,  to  the  exercise 
of  gratitude.  Finally,  we  are  almost  overwhelmed  with  such 
great  and  copious  effusions  of  his  beneficence  ;  we  are  surrounded, 
whithersoever  we  turn  our  eyes,  by  such  numerous  and  amazing 
miracles  of  his  hand,  that  we  never  want  matter  of  praise  and 
thanksgiving.  And  to  be  a  little  more  explicit  on  this  point, 
since  all  our  hopes  and  all  our  help  are  in  God,  (which  has 
already  been  sufficiently  proved,)  so  that  we  cannot  enjoy 
prosperity,  either  in  our  persons  or  in  any  of  our  aftairs,  without 
his  benediction,  — it  becomes  us  assiduously  to  commend  to  him 
ourselves  and  all  our  concerns.  Further,  whatever  we  think, 
speak,  or  act,  let  all  our  thoughts,  words,  and  actions  be  under 
his  direction,  subject  to  his  will,  and  finally  in  hope  of  his  as- 
sistance. For  the  curse  of  God  is  denounced  on  all,  who 
deliberate  and  decide  on  any  enterprise  in  a  reliance  on  them- 
selves or  on  any  other,  who  engage  in  or  attempt  to  begin  any 

(c)  Psalm  1.  15. 


112  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    HI. 

undertaking  independently  of  his  will,  and  without  invoking  his 
aid.  And  since  it  has  already  been  several  times  observed,  that 
he  is  justly  honoured  when  he  is  acknowledged  to  be  the 
Author  of  all  blessings,  it  thence  follows  that  they  should  all 
be  so  received  from  his  hand,  as  to  be  attended  with  unceasing 
thanksgiving ;  and  that  there  is  no  other  proper  method  of 
using  the  benefits  which  flow  to  us  from  his  goodness,  but  by 
continual  acknowledgments  of  his  praise,  and  unceasing  expres- 
sions of  our  gratitude.  For  Paul,  when  he  declares  that  they  are 
"  sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer,"  at  the  same  time 
implies,  that  they  are  not  at  all  holy  and  pure  to  us  without 
the  word  and  prayer;  (/)  the  word  being  metonymically  used 
to  denote  faith.  Wherefore  David,  after  experiencing  the  good- 
ness of  the  Lord,  beautifully  declares,  "  He  hath  put  a  new 
song  in  my  mouth  ;  "  (g)  in  which  he  certainly  implies  that  we 
are  guilty  of  a  criminal  silence,  if  we  omit  to  praise  him  for 
any  benefit ;  since,  in  every  blessing  he  bestows  on  us,  he  gives 
us  additional  cause  to  bless  his  name.  Thus  also  Isaiah,  pro- 
claiming the  unparalleled  grace  of  God,  exhorts  believers  to  a 
new  and  uncommon  song,  (h)  In  which  sense  David  elsewhere 
says,  "  0  Lord,  open  thou  my  lips  ;  and  my  mouth  shall  show 
forth  thy  praise."  (i)  Hezekiah  likewise,  and  Jonah,  declare 
that  the  end  of  their  deliverance  shall  be  to  sing  the  Divine 
goodness  in  the  temple.  (A')  David  prescribes  the  same  general 
rule  for  all  the  saints.  "  What  shall  I  render  (says  he)  unto  the 
Lord  for  all  his  benefits  towards  me  ?  I  will  take  the  cup  of 
salvation,  and  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord."  (Z)  And  this 
is  followed  by  the  Church  in  another  psalm  :  "  Save  us,  O 
Lord  our  God,  to  give  thanks  unto  thy  holy  name,  and  to  tri- 
umph in  thy  praise."  (?w)  Again :  "  He  will  regard  the  prayer 
of  the  destitute,  and  not  despise  their  prayer.  This  shall  be 
written  for  the  generation  to  come  ;  and  the  people  which 
shall  be  created  shall  praise  the  Lord.  To  declare  the  name 
of  the  Lord  in  Zion,  and  his  praise  in  Jerusalem."  («)  More- 
over, whenever  believers  entreat  the  Lord  to  do  any  thing 
"  for  his  name's  sake,"  as  they  profess  themselves  unworthy 
to  obtain  any  blessing  on  their  own  account,  so  they  lay  them- 
selves under  an  obligation  to  thanksgiving ;  and  promise  that 
the  Divine  beneficence  shall  be  productive  of  this  proper  cflect 
on  them,  even  to  cause  them  to  celebrate  its  fame.  Thus 
Hosea,  speaking  of  the  future  redemption  of  the  Church,  ad- 
dresses the  Lord :  "  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive  us 
graciously;  so  will  we  render  the  calves  of  our  lips."  (o)  Nor 
do  the  Divine  blessings  only  claim  the  praises  of  the  tongue, 

(/)  1  Tim.  iv.  5.  (i)  Fsalm  li.  15.  (to)  Psalm  cvi.  47. 

(i?-)   Psalm  xl.  3.  (A)  Isaiah  xxxviii.  20.     Jonah  ii.  9.       (n)   Psalm  cii.  17,  &c. 

(/()    Isaiah  xhi.  10.       (/)  Psalm  cxvi.  12,  13.  (o)  Hosea  xiv.  2. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  113 

but  naturally  conciliate  our  love.  "  I  love  the  Lord  (says  David) 
because  he  hath  heard  my  voice  and  my  supplications."  (p)  In 
another  place  also,  enumerating  the  assistances  he  had  expe- 
rienced, "I  will  love  thee,  O  Lord,  my  strength."  (7)  Nor 
will  any  praises  ever  please  God,  but  such  as  flow  from  this 
ardour  of  love.  We  must  likewise  remember  the  position  of 
Paul,  that  all  petitions,  to  which  thanksgiving  is  not  annexed, 
are  irregular  and  faulty.  For  thus  he  speaks  :  "  In  every  thing 
by  prayer  and  supplication  with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests 
be  made  known  unto  God."  (r)  For  since  moroseness,  weari- 
ness, impatience,  pungent  sorrow  and  fear,  impel  many  to 
mutter  petitions,  he  enjoins  such  a  regulation  of  the  alfections, 
that  believers  may  cheerfully  bless  God,  even  before  they  have 
obtained  their  requests.  If  this  connection  ought  to  exist 
in  circumstances  apparently  adverse,  God  lays  us  under  a  still 
more  sacred  obligation  to  sing  his  praises,  whenever  he  grants 
us  the  enjoyment  of  our  wishes.  But  as  we  have  asserted  that 
our  prayers,  which  had  otherwise  been  defiled,  are  consecrated 
by  the  intercession  of  Christ,  so  the  apostle,  when  he  exhorts 
us  "  by  Christ  to  off'er  the  sacrifice  of  praise,"  (s)  admonishes 
us  that  our  lips  are  not  sufficiently  pure  to  celebrate  the  name 
of  God,  without  the  intervention  of  the  priesthood  of  Christ. 
Whence  we  infer,  how  prodigious  must  be  the  fascination  of 
the  Papists,  the  majority  of  whom  wonder  that  Christ  is  called 
an  Advocate.  This  is  the  reason  why  Paul  directs  to  "  pray 
without  ceasing,"  and  "in  every  thing  to  give  thanks;"  (t) 
because  he  desires  that  all  men,  with  all  possible  assiduity,  at 
every  time  and  in  every  place,  and  in  all  circumstances  and 
affairs,  may  direct  their  prayers  to  God,  expecting  all  from  him, 
and  ascribing  to  him  the  praise  of  all,  since  he  afl'ords  us 
perpetual  matter  of  prayer  and  praise. 

XXIX.  But  this  diligence  in  prayer,  although  it  chiefly 
respects  the  particular  and  private  devotions  of  each  individual, 
has,  notwithstanding,  some  reference  also  to  the  public  prayers 
of  the  Church.  But  these  cannot  be  unceasing,  nor  ought  they 
to  be  conducted  otherwise  than  according  to  the  polity  which  is 
appointed  by  the  common  consent.  This,  indeed,  I  confess. 
For  therefore  also  certain  hours  are  fixed  and  prescribed,  though 
inditferent  with  God,  yet  necessary  to  the  customs  of  men,  that 
the  benefit  of  all  may  be  regarded,  and  all  the  aff"airs  of  the 
Church  be  administered,  according  to  the  direction  of  Paul, 
'•decently  and  in  order."  (u)  But  this  by  no  means  prevents 
it  from  being  the  duty  of  every  Church  often  to  stimulate  them- 
selves to  a  greater  frequ^icy  of  prayer,  and  also  to  be  inflamed 

(p)  Psalm  cxvi.  1.  (r)  Phil.  iv.  6.  (0  1  Thess.  v.  17,  18. 

{q)   Psalm  xviii.  1.  (s)  Heb.  xiii.  15.  (m)  1  Cor.  xiv.  40. 

VOL.   XL  15 


114  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IIX. 

with  more  ardent  devotion  on  the  pressure  of  any  necessity 
unusually  great.  But  the  place  to  speak  of  perseverance,  which 
is  nearly  allied  to  unceasing  diligence,  will  be  towards  the  end. 
Moreover  these  things  afford  no  encouragement  to  those  vain 
repetitions  which  Christ  has  chosen  to  interdict  us  ;  (x)  for  he 
does  not  forbid  us  to  pray  long  or  frequently,  or  with  great 
fervour  of  affection ;  but  he  forbids  us  to  confide  in  our  ability 
to  extort  any  thing  from  God  by  stunning  his  ears  with  gar- 
rulous loquacity,  as  though  he  were  to  be  influenced  by  the  arts 
of  human  persuasion.  For  we  know  that  hypocrites,  who  do 
not  consider  that  they  are  concerned  with  God,  are  as  pompous 
in  their  prayers  as  in  a  triumph.  For  that  Pharisee,  who 
thanked  God  that  he  was  not  like  other  men,  (y)  undoubtedly 
flattered  himself  in  the  eyes  of  men,  as  if  he  wished  to  gain  by 
his  prayer  the  reputation  of  sanctity.  Hence  that  (Sa-ToXoyta  [vain 
repetition)  which  from  a  similar  cause  at  present  prevails  among 
the  Papists ;  while  some  vainly  consume  the  time  by  reite- 
rating the  same  oraisons,  and  others  recommend  themselves 
among  the  vulgar  by  a  tedious  accumulation  of  words.  Since 
this  garrulity  is  a  puerile  mocking  of  God,  we  need  not  wonder 
that  it  is  prohibited  in  the  Church,  that  nothing  may  be  heard 
there  but  what  is  serious,  and  proceeds  from  the  very  heart. 
Very  similar  to  this  corrupt  practice  is  another,  which  Christ 
condemns  at  the  same  time ;  that  hypocrites,  for  the  sake  of 
ostentation,  seek  after  many  witnesses  of  their  devotions,  and 
rather  pray  in  the  market-place,  than  that  their  prayers  should 
want  the  applause  of  the  world.  But  as  it  has  been  already 
observed  that  the  end  of  prayer  is  to  elevate  our  minds  towards 
God,  both  in  a  confession  of  his  praise  and  in  a  supplication  of 
his  aid,  we  may  learn  from  this  that  its  principal  place  is  in  the 
mind  and  heart ;  or,  rather,  that  prayer  itself  is  the  desire  of  the 
inmost  heart,  which  is  poured  out  and  laid  before  God  the 
searcher  of  hearts.  Wherefore  our  heavenly  Teacher,  as  has 
already  been  mentioned,  when  he  intended  to  deliver  the  best 
rule  respecting  prayer,  gave  the  following  command :  "  Enter 
into  thy  closet,  and  when  thou  hast  shut  thy  door,  pray  to  thy 
Father  which  is  in  secret ;  and  thy  Father  which  seeth  in 
secret  shall  reward  thee  openly."  {z)  For  when  he  has  dis- 
suaded from  imitating  the  example  of  hypocrites,  who  endea- 
voured by  the  ambitious  ostentation  of  their  prayers  to  gain  the 
favour  of  men,  he  immediately  adds  a  better  direction,  which  is, 
to  enter  into  our  closet,  and  there  to  pray  with  the  door  shut. 
In  which  words,  as  I  understand  them,  he  has  taught  us  to  seek 
retirement,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  descend  into  our  own 
hearts,  with  all  our  powers  of  reflection,  and  promised  us  that 

(z)  Matt.  vi.  7.  (i/)  Luke  xviii.  11.  (:)  Matt.  vi.  6. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  115 

God,  whose  temples  our  bodies  ought  to  be,  will  accede  to  the 
desires  of  our  souls.  For  he  did  not  intend  to  deny  the  expedi- 
ency of  praying  also  in  other  places  ;  but  shows  that  prayer  is  a 
kind  of  secret  thing,  which  lies  principally  in  the  heart,  and  re- 
quires a  tranquillity  of  mind  undisturbed  by  all  cares.  It  was 
not  without  reason,  therefore,  that  the  Lord  himself,  when  he 
would  engage  in  an  unusual  vehemence  of  devotion,  retired  to 
some  solitary  place,  far  from  the  tumult  of  men  ;  but  with  a  view 
to  admonish  us  by  his  own  example,  that  we  ought  not  to  neglect 
these  helps,  by  which  our  hearts,  naturally  too  inconstant,  are 
more  intensely  fixed  on  the  devotional  exercise.  But  notwith- 
standing, as  he  did  not  refrain  from  praying  even  in  the  midst 
of  a  multitude,  if  at  any  time  the  occasion  required  it,  so  we, 
in  all  places  where  it  may  be  necessary,  should  "lift  up  holy 
hands."  (a)  And  so  it  is  to  be  concluded,  that  whoever 
refuses  to  pray  in  the  solemn  assembly  of  the  saints,  knows 
nothing  of  private  prayer,  either  solitary  or  domestic.  And 
again,  that  he  who  neglects  solitary  and  private  prayer,  how 
sedulously  soever  he  may  frequent  the  public  assemblies,  only 
forms  there  such  as  are  mere  wind,  because  he  pays  more  de- 
ference to  the  opinion  of  men  than  to  the  secret  judgment  of 
God.  In  the  mean  time,  that  the  common  prayers  of  the 
Church  might  not  sink  into  contempt,  God  anciently  distin- 
guished them  by  splendid  titles,  especially  when  he  called  the 
temple  a  "house  of  prayer."  (6)  For  by  this  expression  he 
taught  both  that  the  duty  of  prayer  is  a  principal  part  of  his 
worship,  and  that  the  temple  had  been  erected  as  a  standard  for 
believers,  in  order  that  they  might  engage  m  it  with  one 
consent.  There  was  also  added  a  remarkable  promise  :  "  Praise 
waiteth  for  thee,  O  God,  in  Sion ;  and  unto  thee  shall  the  vow 
be  performed ; "  (c)  in  which  words  the  Psalmist  informs  us 
that  the  prayers  of  the  Church  are  never  in  vain,  because  the 
Lord  supplies  his  people  with  perpetual  matter  of  praise  and 
joy.  But  though  the  legal  shadows  have  ceased,  yet  since  it 
has  been  the  Divine  will  by  this  ceremony  to  maintain  a  unity 
of  faith  among  us  also,  the  same  promise  undoubtedly  belongs 
to  us,  Christ  having  confirmed  it  with  his  own  mouth,  and 
Paul  having  represented  it  as  perpetually  valid. 

XXX.  Now,  as  God  in  his  word  commands  believers  to 
unite  in  common  prayers,  so  also  it  is  necessary  that  public 
temples  be  appointed  for  performing  them  ;  where  they  who 
refuse  to  join  with  the  people  of  God  in  their  devotions,  have 
no  just  reason  for  abusing  this  pretext,  that  they  enter  into 
their  closets,  in  obedience  to  the  Divine  mandate.  For  he  who 
promises  to  grant  whatever  shall  be  implored  by  two  or  three 

(a)  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  (b)  Isaiah  Ivi.  7.  (c)  Psalm  Ixv.  1. 


J 16  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

persons  convenea  in  his  name,  {d)  proves  that  he  is  far  from 
despising  prayers  offered  in  public  ;  provided  they  be  free  from 
ostentation  and  a  desire  of  human  applause,  and  accompanied 
with  a  sincere  and  real  affection  dwelling  in  the  secret  recesses 
of  the  heart.  If  this  be  the  legitimate  use  of  temples,  as  it 
certainly  is,  there  is  need  of  great  caution,  lest  we  either  con- 
sider them  as  the  proper  habitations  of  the  Deity,  where  he 
may  be  nearer  to  us  to  hear  our  prayers,  — an  idea  which  has  be- 
gun to  be  prevalent  for  several  ages,  — or  ascribe  to  them  I  know 
not  what  mysterious  sanctity,  which  might  be  supposed  to  ren- 
der our  devotions  more  holy  in  the  Divine  view.  For  since 
we  are  ourselves  the  true  temples  of  God,  we  must  pray  within 
ourselves,  if  we  wish  to  invoke  him  in  his  holy  temple.  But 
let  us,  who  are  directed  to  worship  the  Lord  "  in  spirit  and  in 
truth,"  (e)  without  any  difference  of  place,  relinquish  those 
gross  ideas  of  religion  to  the  Jews  or  pagans.  There  was, 
indeed,  anciently  a  temple  dedicated,  by  Divine  command,  to 
the  oblation  of  prayers  and  sacrifices  :  at  that  time  the  truth  was 
figuratively  concealed  under  such  shadows ;  but  now,  having 
been  plainly  discovered  to  us,  it  no  longer  permits  an  exclusive 
attachment  to  any  material  temple.  Nor,  indeed,  was  the 
temple  recommended  to  the  Jews  that  they  might  enclose  the 
Divine  presence  within  its  walls,  but  that  they  might  be  em- 
ployed in  contemplating  a  representation  of  the  true  temple. 
Therefore  Isaiah  and  Stephen  have  sharply  reprehended  those 
who  suppose  that  God  dwells  in  any  respect  "  in  temples  made 
with  hands."  (/) 

XXXI.  Hence  it  is  moreover  clearly  evident,  that  neither 
voice  nor  singing,  if  used  in  prayer,  has  any  validity,  or  produces 
the  least  benefit  with  God,  unless  it  proceed  from  the  inmost 
desire  of  the  heart.  But  they  rather  provoke  his  wrath  against 
us,  if  they  be  only  emitted  from  the  lips  and  throat ;  since  that 
is  an  abuse  of  his  sacred  name,  and  a  derision  of  his  majesty  ; 
as  we  conclude  from  the  words  of  Isaiah,  which,  though  their 
meaning  be  more  extensive,  contain  also  a  reproof  of  this  of- 
fence :  "  The  Lord  said.  Forasmuch  as  this  people  draw  near 
me  with  their  mouth,  and  with  their  lips  do  honour  me,  but 
have  removed  their  heart  far  from  me,  and  their  fear  toward 
me  is  taught  by  the  precept  of  men,  —  therefore,  behold,  I  will 
proceed  to  do  a  marvellous  work  among  this  people,  even  a 
marvellous  work  and  a  wonder ;  for  the  wisdom  of  their  wise 
men  shall  perish,  and  the  understanding  of  their  prudent  men 
shall  be  hid."  {g)  Nor  do  we  here  condemn  the  use  of  the 
voice,  or  singing,  but  rather  highly  recommend  them,  provided 

(d)  Matt,  xviii.  20.  (/)  Isaiah  Ixvi.  1.     Acta  vii.  4S. 

(e)  Joha  iv.  23.  {g)  Isaiah  xxix.  13, 14.    Matt.  xv.  8,  9. 


CHAP.  XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  117 

they  accompany  the  affection  of  the  heart.  For  they  exercise 
the  mind  in  Divine  meditation,  and  fix  the  attention  of  the 
heart ;  which  by  its  hibricity  and  versatihty  is  easily  relaxed 
and  distracted  to  a  variety  of  objects,  unless  it  be  supported  by 
various  helps.  Besides,  as  the  glory  of  God  ought  in  some 
respect  to  be  manifested  in  every  part  of  our  bodies,  to  this 
service,  both  in  singing  and  in  speaking,  it  becomes  us  espe- 
cially to  addict  and  devote  our  tongues,  which  were  created  for 
the  express  purpose  of  declaring  and  celebrating  the  Divine 
praises.  Nevertheless  the  principal  use  of  the  tongue  is  in  the 
public  prayers  which  are  made  in  the  congregations  of  be- 
lievers ;  the  design  of  which  is,  that  with  one  common  voice, 
and  as  it  were  with  the  same  mouth,  we  may  all  at  once  pro- 
claim the  glory  of  God,  whom  we  worship  in  one  spirit  and 
with  the  same  faith  ;  and  this  is  publicly  done,  that  all  inter- 
changeably, each  one  of  his  brother,  may  receive  the  confes- 
sion of  faith,  and  be  invited  and  stimulated  by  his  example. 

XXXII.  Now,  the  custom  of  singing  in  churches  (to  speak 
of  it  by  the  way)  not  only  appears  to  be  very  ancient,  but  that 
it  was  even  used  by  the  apostles,  may  be  concluded  from  these 
words  of  Paul :  "  I  will  sing  with  the  spirit,  and  I  will  sing 
with  the  understanding  also."  {h)  Again,  to  the  Colossians  : 
"  Teaching  and  admonishing  one  another  in  psalms,  and 
hymns,  and  spiritual  songs,  singing  with  grace  in  your  hearts 
to  the  Lord."  {i)  For  in  the  former  passage  he  inculcates 
singing  with  the  voice  and  with  the  heart ;  and  in  the  latter  he 
recommends  spiritual  songs,  which  may  conduce  to  the  mutual 
edification  of  the  saints.  Yet  that  it  was  not  universal  is 
proved  by  Augustine,  who  relates  that  in  the  time  of  Ambrose, 
the  church  at  Milan  first  adopted  the  practice  of  singing,  when, 
during  the  persecution  of  the  orthodox  faith  by  Justina,  the 
mother  of  Valentinian,  the  people  were  unusually  assiduous  in 
their  vigils  ;  and  that  the  other  Western  churches  followed. 
For  he  had  just  before  mentioned  that  this  custom  had  been 
derived  from  the  churches  of  the  East.  He  signifies  also,  in 
the  second  book  of  his  Retractations,  that  in  his  time  it  was 
received  in  Africa.  -''One  Hilary,  (says  he,)  who  held  the 
tribunitial  office,  took  every  opportunity  of  loading  with  ma- 
licious censures  the  custom  which  was  then  introduced  at  Car- 
thage, that  hymns  from  the  Book  of  Psalms  should  be  sung  at 
the  altar,  either  before  the  oblation,  or  while  that  which  had 
been  offered  was  distributed  to  the  people.  In  obedience  to 
the  commands  of  my  brethren,  I  answered  him."  And  cer- 
tainly if  singing  be  attempered  to  that  gravity  which  becomes 
the  presence  of  God  and  of  angels,  it  adds  a  dignity  and  grace 

{h)  1  Cor.  xiv.  15.  (t)  Col.  iii.  16. 


1J8  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    111. 

to  sacred  actions,  and  is  very  efficacious  in  exciting  the  mind 
to  a  true  concern  and  ardour  of  devotion.  Yet  great  caution  is 
necessary,  that  the  ears  be  not  more  attentive  to  the  modulation 
of  the  notes,  than  the  mind  to  the  spiritual  import  of  the  words. 
With  which  danger  Augustine  confesses  himself  to  have  been 
so  affected,  as  sometimes  to  have  wished  for  the  observance  of 
the  custom  instituted  by  Athanasius,  who  directed  that  the 
reader  should  sound  the  words  with  such  a  gentle  inflection  of 
voice,  as  would  be  more  nearly  allied  to  rehearsing  than  to 
singing.  But  when  he  recollected  the  great  benefit  which 
himself  had  received  from  singing,  he  inclined  to  the  other 
side.  With  the  observance,  therefore,  of  this  limitation,  it  is 
without  doubt  an  institution  of  great  solemnity  and  usefulness. 
As,  on  the  reverse,  whatever  music  is  composed  only  to  please 
and  delight  the  ear,  is  unbecoming  the  majesty  of  the  Church, 
and  cannot  but  be  highly  displeasing  to  God. 

XXXIII.  Hence  also  it  plainly  appears,  that  public  prayers 
are  to  be  composed,  not  in  Greek  among  the  Latins,  nor  in 
Latin  among  the  French  or  English,  as  has  hitherto  been  uni- 
versally practised ;  but  in  the  vernacular  tongue,  which  may 
be  generally  understood  by  the  whole  congregation  ;  for  it 
ought  to  be  conducted  to  the  edification  of  the  whole  Church, 
to  whom  not  the  least  benefit  can  result  from  sounds  which 
they  do  not  understand.  But  they  who  disregard  the  voice 
both  of  charity  and  of  humanity,  ought  at  least  to  discover 
some  little  respect  for  the  authority  of  Paul,  whose  words  are 
free  from  all  ambiguity  :  "  When  thou  shalt  bless  with  the 
Spirit,  how  shall  he  that  occupieth  the  room  of  the  unlearned 
say  Amen  at  thy  giving  of  thanks,  seeing  he  understandeth 
not  what  thou  sayest  ?  For  thou  verily  givest  thanks  well, 
but  the  other  is  not  edified."  (k)  Who,  then,  can  sufficiently 
wonder  at  the  unbridled  license  of  the  Papists,  who,  notwith- 
standing this  apostolic  caution  against  it,  are  not  afraid  to  bel- 
low their  verbose  prayers  in  a  foreign  language,  of  which  they 
neither  sometimes  understand  a  syllable  themselves,  nor  wish 
a  syllable  to  be  understood  by  others !  But  Paul  directs  to  a 
different  practice:  "What  is  it  then?  (says  he)  I  will  pray 
with  the  spirit,  and  I  will  pray  with  the  understanding  also  :  I 
will  sing  with  the  spirit,  and  I  will  sing  with  the  understand- 
ing also."  (l)  Signifying  by  the  word  spint  the  peculiar  gift 
of  tongues,  which  was  abused  by  some  of  its  possessors,  when 
they  separated  it  from  understanding.  Thus  it  must  be  fully 
admitted,  that  both  in  public  and  in  private  prayer,  the  tongue, 
unaccompanied  by  the  heart,  cannot  but  be  highly  displeasing 
to  God  ;   and  likewise  that  the  mind  ought  to  be  incited,  in  the 

(/()  1  Cor.  xiv.  16,  17.  (/)  1  Cor.  xiv.  15. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  119 

ardour  of  meditation,  to  rise  to  a  much  higher  elevation  than 
can  ever  be  attained  by  the  expression  of  the  tongue  ;  lastly, 
that  the  tongue  is  indeed  not  necessary  to  private  prayer,  any 
further  than  as  the  mind  is  insufficient  to  arouse  itself,  or  as 
the  vehemence  of  its  emotions  irresistibly  carries  the  tongue 
along  with  them.  For  though  some  of  the  best  prayers  are 
not  vocal,  yet  it  is  very  common,  under  strong  emotions,  for  the 
tongue  to  break  forth  into  sounds,  and  the  other  members  into 
gestures,  without  the  least  ostentation.  Hence  the  uncertain 
muttering  of  Hannah,  {m)  somewhat  similar  to  which  is  expe- 
rienced by  the  saints  in  all  ages,  when  they  break  forth  into 
abrupt  and  imperfect  sounds.  The  corporeal  gestures  usually 
observed  in  prayer,  such  as  kneeling  and  uncovering  the  head, 
are  customs  designed  to  increase  our  reverence  of  God. 

XXXIV.  Now,  we  must  learn  not  only  a  certain  rule,  but 
also  the  form  of  praying ;  even  that  which  our  heavenly  Father 
has  given  us  by  his  beloved  Son  ;  [n]  in  which  we  may  recog- 
nize his  infinite  goodness  and  clemency.  For  beside  advising 
and  exhorting  us  to  seek  him  in  all  our  necessities,  as  chil- 
dren, whenever  they  are  afflicted  with  any  distress,  are  accus- 
tomed to  have  recourse  to  the  protection  of  their  parents  ;  seeing 
that  we  did  not  sufficiently  perceive  how  great  was  our  poverty, 
what  it  was  right  to  implore,  or  what  would  be  suitable  to  our 
condition,  he  has  provided  a  remedy  even  for  this  our  igno- 
rance, and  abundantly  supplied  the  deficiencies  of  our  capacity. 
For  he  has  prescribed  for  us  a  form,  in  which  he  gives  a  state- 
ment of  all  that  it  is  lawful  to  desire  of  him,  all  that  is  condu- 
cive to  our  benefit,  and  all  that  it  is  necessary  to  ask.  From 
this  kindness  of  his,  we  derive  great  consolation  in  the  persuasion 
that  we  pray  for  nothing  absurd,  nothing  injurious  or  unseason- 
able ;  in  a  word,  nothing  but  what  is  agreeable  to  him  ;  since  our 
petitions  are  almost  in  his  own  words.  Plato,  observing  the  igno- 
rance of  men  in  presenting  their  supplications  to  God,  which  if 
granted  were  frequently  very  detrimental  to  them,  pronounces 
this  to  be  the  best  method  of  praying,  borrowed  from  an  an- 
cient poet :  "  King  Jupiter,  give  us  those  things  which  are 
best,  whether  we  pray  for  them  or  not ;  but  command  evil 
things  to  remain  at  a  distance  from  us,  even  though  we  implore 
them."  And  indeed  the  wisdom  of  that  heathen  is  conspicu- 
ous in  this  instance,  since  he  considers  it  as  very  dangerous  to 
supplicate  the  Lord  to  gratify  all  the  dictates  of  our  appetites  ; 
and  at  the  same  time  discovers  our  infelicity,  who  cannot, 
without  danger,  even  open  our  mouths  in  the  presence  of  God, 
unless  we  be  instructed  by  the  Spirit  in  the  right  rule  of 
prayer,  (o)     And  this  privilege  deserves  to  be  the  more  highly 

(m)  1  Sam.  i.  13.  {n)  Matt.  vi.  9.    Luke  xi.  2.  {o)  Rom.  viii.  26,  27 


120  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

valued  by  us,  since  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God  puts  words 
into  our  mouths,  which  may  dehver  our  minds  from  all  hesi- 
tation. 

XXXV.  This  form  or  rule  of  prayer,  whichever  appellation 
be  given  to  it,  is  composed  of  six  petitions.  For  my  reason  for 
not  agreeing  with  those  who  divide  it  into  seven  parts  is,  that 
the  Evangelist  appears,  by  the  insertion  of  the  adversative  con- 
junction, to  connect  together  these  two  clauses ;  as  though  he 
had  said,  Suffer  us  not  to  be  oppressed  with  temptation,  but 
rather  succour  our  weakness,  and  deliver  us,  that  we  may  not 
fall.  The  ancient  writers  of  the  Church  also  are  of  our 
opinion ;  so  that  what  is  now  added  in  Matthew  in  the  seventh 
place,  must  be  explained  as  belonging  to  the  sixth  petition. 
Now,  though  the  whole  prayer  is  such,  that  in  every  part  of  it 
the  principal  regard  must  be  paid  to  the  glory  of  God,  yet  to 
this  the  first  three  petitions  are  particularly  devoted,  and  to 
this  alone  we  ought  to  attend  in  them,  without  any  consider- 
ation of  our  own  interest.  The  remaining  three  concern  our- 
selves, and  are  expressly  assigned  to  supplications  for  those 
things  which  tend  to  our  benefit.  As  when  we  pray  that 
God's  name  may  be  hallowed,  since  he  chooses  to  prove 
whether  our  love  and  worship  of  him  be  voluntary,  or  dictated 
by  mercenary  motives,  we  must  then  think  nothing  of  our 
own  interest,  but  his  glory  must  be  proposed  as  the  only  object 
of  our  fixed  attention  ;  nor  is  it  lawful  for  us  to  be  differently 
affected  in  the  other  petitions  of  this  class.  And  this  indeed 
conduces  to  our  great  benefit ;  because,  when  the  Divine  name 
is  hallowed  or  sanctified  as  we  pray,  it  becomes  likewise  our 
sanctification.  But  our  eyes  should  overlook,  and  be,  as  it  were, 
blind  to  such  advantage,  so  as  not  to  pay  the  least  regard  to  it. 
And  even  if  we  were  deprived  of  all  hope  of  private  benefit,  yet 
this  hallowing,  and  the  other  things  which  pertain  to  the  glory 
of  God,  ought  still  to  be  the  objects  of  our  desires  and  of  our 
prayers.  This  is  conspicuous  in  the  examples  of  Moses  and 
Paul,  (p)  who  felt  a  pleasure  in  averting  their  minds  and  eyes 
from  tliemselves,  and  in  praying  with  vehement  and  ardent  zeal 
for  their  own  destruction,  that  they  might  promote  the  king- 
dom and  glory  of  God  even  at  the  expense  of  their  own  happi- 
ness. On  the  other  hand,  when  we  pray  that  our  daily  bread 
may  be  given  us,  although  we  wish  for  what  is  beneficial  to 
ourselves,  yet  here  also  we  ought  principally  to  aim  at  the  glory 
of  God,  so  as  not  even  to  ask  it,  unless  it  tend  to  his  glory. 
Now,  let  us  attempt  an  explanation  of  the  prayer  itself. 

XXXVI.  Our  Father,  who  art  in  heaven,  &c.  The  first 
idea  that  occurs  is,  what  we  have  before  asserted,  that  we  ought 

(p)  Exod.  xxxii.  32.     Rom.  ix.  3. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  121 

never  to  present  a  prayer  to  God  but  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
since  no  other  name  can  recommend  it  to  his  regard.  For  by 
calUng  God  our  Father,  we  certainly  plead  the  name  of  Christ. 
For  with  what  confidence  could  any  one  call  God  his  Father  ? 
who  could  proceed  to  such  a  degree  of  temerity,  as  to  arrogate 
to  himself  the  dignity  of  a  son  of  God,  if  we  had  not  been 
adopted  as  the  children  of  his  grace  in  Christ  ?  who,  being  his 
true  Son,  has  been  given  by  him  to  us  as  our  brother,  that  the 
character  which  properly  belongs  to  him  by  nature,  may  be- 
come ours  by  the  blessing  of  adoption,  if  we  receive  this  in- 
estimable favour  with  a  steady  faith ;  as  John  says,  that  to 
them  is  given  "  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to 
them  that  believe  on  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  of  the 
Father."  {q)  Therefore  he  denominates  himself  our  Father, 
and  wishes  us  to  give  him  the  same  appellation  ;  delivering 
us  from  all  diffidencQ  by  the  great  sweetness  of  this  name, 
since  the  affection  of  love  can  nowhere  be  found  in  a  stronger 
degree  than  in  the  heart  of  a  father.  Therefore  he  could  not 
give  us  a  more  certain  proof  of  his  infinite  love  towards  us, 
than  by  our  being  denominated  the  sons  of  God.  But  his  love 
to  us  is  as  much  greater  and  more  excellent  than  all  the  love 
of  our  parents,  as  he  is  superior  to  all  men  in  goodness  and 
mercy  ;  (r)  so  that  though  all  the  fathers  in  the  world,  divested 
of  every  emotion  of  paternal  atiection,  should  leave  their  chil- 
dren destitute,  he  will  never  forsake  us,  because  "he  cannot 
deny  himself "  (s)  For  we  have  his  promise,  "If  ye,  then, 
being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
how  much  more  shall  your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  ?"  (^) 
Again,  in  the  prophet :  "  Can  a  woman  forget  her  child  ?  Yea, 
they  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee."  {u)  But  if  we  are 
his  sons,  then,  as  a  son  cannot  commit  himself  to  the  protec- 
tion of  a  stranger  and  an  alien,  without  at  the  same  time  com- 
plaining of  the  cruelty  or  poverty  of  his  father,  so  neither  can 
we  seek  supplies  for  our  Avants  from  any  other  quarter  than 
from  him,  without  charging  him  with  indigence  and  inability, 
or  with  cruelty  and  excessive  austerity. 

XXXYII.  Neither  let  us  plead  that  we  are  justly  terrified 
by  a  consciousness  of  our  sins,  which  may  cause  even  a  merci- 
ful, kind  Father  to  be  daily  otFended  with  us.  For  if,  among 
men,  a  son  can  conduct  his  cause  with  his  father  by  no  better 
advocate,  can  conciliate  and  recover  his  lost  favour  by  no  bet- 
ter mediator,  than  by  approaching  him  as  an  humble  suppliant, 
acknowledging  his  own  guilt,  and  imploring  his  father's  mercy, 
(for  the  bowels  of  a  father  could  not  conceal  their  emotions  at 


(5)  John  i.  12,  14.  (r)  1  .John  iii.  1.     Psalm  xxvii.  10.     Isaiah  Ixiii.  16. 

(s)  2  Tim.  ii.  13.  {t)  Matt.  vii.  11.  (m)  Isaiah  xhx.  15. 

VOL.    II.  16 


122  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

such  supplications,)  what  will  he  do,  who  is  "the  Father  of 
mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  comfort  ?  "  (x)  Will  he  not  hear 
the  cries  and  groans  of  his  children  when  they  deprecate  his 
displeasure  for  themselves,  especially  since  it  is  to  this  that  he 
invites  and  exhorts  us ;  rather  than  attend  to  any  intercessions 
of  others,  to  which  they  resort  in  great  consternation,  not  with- 
out some  degree  of  despair,  arising  from  a  doubt  of  tlie  kind- 
ness and  clemency  of  their  Father  ?  Of  this  exuberance  of 
paternal  kindness,  he  gives  us  a  beautiful  representation  in  a 
parable  ;  {y)  where  a  father  meets  and  embraces  a  son  who  had 
alienated  himself  from  his  family,  who  had  dissolutely  lavished 
his  substance,  who  had  grievously  offended  him  in  every  re- 
spect :  nor  does  he  wait  till  he  actually  supplicates  for  pardon, 
but  anticipates  him,  recognizes  him  when  returning  at  a  great 
distance,  voluntarily  runs  to  meet  him,  consoles  him,  and  re- 
ceives him  into  favour.  For  by  proposing  to  our  view  an  ex- 
ample of  such  great  kindness  in  a  man,  he  intended  to  teach  us 
how  much  more  abundant  compassion  we  ought,  notwithstand- 
ing our  ingratitude,  rebellion,  and  wickedness,  to  expect  from 
him,  who  is  not  only  our  Father,  but  the  most  benevolent  and 
merciful  of  all  fathers,  provided  we  only  cast  ourselves  on  his 
mercy.  And  to  give  us  the  more  certain  assurance  that  he  is  such 
a  Father,  if  we  be  Christians,  he  will  be  called  not  only  "  Father," 
but  expressly  "  Our  Father  ;  "  as  though  we  might  address  him 
in  the  following  manner  :  0  Father,  whose  aficction  towards  thy 
children  is  so  strong,  and  whose  readiness  to  pardon  them  is  so 
great,  we  thy  children  invoke  thee  and  pray  to  thee,  under  the 
assurance  and  full  persuasion  that  thou  hast  no  other  than  a 
paternal  affection  towards  us,  how  unworthy  soever  we  are  of 
such  a  Father.  But  because  the  contracted  capacities  of  our 
minds  cannot  conceive  of  a  favour  of  such  immense  magnitude, 
we  not  only  have  Christ  as  the  pledge  and  earnest  of  adoption, 
but  as  a  witness  of  this  adoption  he  gives  us  the  Spirit,  by 
whom  we  are  enabled  Avith  a  loud  voice  freely  to  cry,  "  Abba, 
Father."  (z)  Whenever,  therefore,  we  may  be  embarrassed 
by  any  difficulty,  let  us  remember  to  supplicate  him,  that  he 
will  correct  our  timidity,  and  give  us  this  spirit  of  magnanimity 
to  enable  us  to  pray  with  boldness. 

XXXVIII.  But  since  we  are  not  instructed,  that  every  indi- 
vidual should  appropriate  him  to  himself  exclusively  as  his 
Father,  but  rather  that  we  should  all  in  common  call  him  Our 
Father,  we  are  thereby  admonished  how  strong  a  fraternal 
afiection  ought  to  prevail  among  us,  who,  by  the  same  pri- 
vilege of  mercy  and  free  grace,  are  equally  the  children  of  such 
a  Father.     For  if  we  all  have  one   common   Father,  (a)  from 

(z)  2  Cor.  i.  3.         (y)  Luke  xv.  11,  &c.  (;)  Gal.  iv.  G.  (a)  Matt,  xxiii.  9. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  123 

whom  proceeds  every  blessing  we  enjoy,  there  ought  to  be 
nothing  exclusively  appropriated  by  any  among  us,  but  what 
we  should  be  ready  to  communicate  to  each  other  with  the 
greatest  alacrity  of  heart,  whenever  necessity  requires.  Now, 
if  we  desire,  as  we  ought,  to  exert  ourselves  for  our  mutual 
assistance,  there  is  nothing  in  which  we  can  better  promote 
the  interests  of  our  brethren,  than  by  commending  them  to  the 
providential  care  of  our  most  benevolent  Father,  with  whose 
mercy  and  favour  no  other  want  can  be  experienced.  And, 
indeed,  this  is  a  debt  which  we  owe  to  our  Father  himself. 
For  as  he  who  truly  and  cordially  loves  any  father  of  a  family, 
feels  likewise  a  love  and  friendship  for  his  whole  household, 
in  the  same  manner,  our  zeal  and  affection  towards  this  hea- 
venly Father  must  be  shown  towards  his  people,  his  family,  his 
inheritance,  whom  he  has  dignified  with  the  honourable  appel- 
lation of  the  "fulness"  of  his  only  begotten  Son.  (b)  Let  a 
Christian,  then,  regulate  his  prayers  by  this  rule,  that  they  be 
common,  and  comprehend  all  who  are  his  brethren  in  Christ ; 
and  not  only  those  whom  he  at  present  sees  and  knows  to  be 
such,  but  all  men  in  the  world  ;  respecting  whom,  what  God 
has  determined  is  beyond  our  knowledge  ;  only  that  to  wish 
and  hope  the  best  concerning  them,  is  equally  the  dictate  of 
piety  and  of  humanity.  It  becomes  us,  however,  to  exercise  a 
peculiar  and  superior  affection  "  unto  them  who  are  of  the 
household  of  faith ;  "  whom  the  apostle  has  in  every  case  re- 
commended to  our  particular  regards,  (c)  In  a  word,  all  our 
prayers  ought  to  be  such,  as  to  respect  that  community  which 
our  Lord  has  established  in  his  kingdom  and  in  his  family. 

XXXIX.  Yet  this  is  no  objection  to  the  lawfulness  of  par- 
ticular prayers,  both  for  ourselves  and  for  other  certain  indi- 
viduals ;  provided  our  minds  be  not  withdrawn  from  a  regard 
to  this  community,  nor  even  diverted  from  it,  but  refer  every 
thing  to  this  point.  For  though  the  words  of  them  be  singular, 
yet  as  they  are  directed  to  this  end,  they  cease  not  to  be  com- 
mon. All  this  may  be  rendered  very  intelligible  by  a  simili- 
tude. God  has  given  a  general  command  to  relieve  the  wants 
of  all  the  poor  ;  and  yet  this  is  obeyed  by  them  who  to  that 
end  succour  the  indigence  of  those  whom  they  either  know  or 
see  to  be  labouring  under  poverty ;  even  though  they  pass  by 
multitudes  who  are  oppressed  with  necessities  equally  severe, 
because  neither  their  knowledge  nor  ability  can  extend  to  all. 
In  the  same  manner,  no  opposition  is  made  to  the  Divine  will 
by  them  who,  regarding  and  considering  this  common  society 
of  the  Church,  present  such  particular  prayers,  in  which,  with 
a  public  spirit,  but  in  particular  terms,  they  recommend  to  God 

(t)  Ephes.  i.23.  (c)  Gal.  vi.  10. 


124  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

themselves  or  others,  whose  necessity  he  has  placed  within 
their  more  immediate  knowledge.  However,  there  is  not  a 
perfect  similarity  in  every  respect  between  prayer  and  donation 
of  alms,  for  munificence  cannot  be  exercised  but  towards  them 
whose  wants  we  have  perceived  :  but  we  may  assist  by  our 
prayers  even  the  greatest  strangers,  and  those  with  whom  we 
are  the  most  unacquainted,  how  distant  soever  they  may  be 
from  us.  This  is  done  by  that  general  form  of  prayer,  which 
comprehends  all  tlie  children  of  God,  among  whom  they  also 
are  numbered.  To  this  may  be  referred  the  exhortation  which 
Paul  gives  believers  of  his  age,  "  that  men  pray  every  where, 
lifting  up  holy  hands  without  wrath  ;  "  ((/)  because  by  admo- 
nishing them,  that  discord  shuts  the  gate  against  prayers,  he  ad- 
vises them  unanimously  to  unite  all  their  petitions  together. 

XL,  It  is  added,  That  he  is  in  heaven.  From  which  it 
is  not  hastily  to  be  inferred,  that  he  is  included  and  circum- 
scribed within  the  circumference  of  heaven,  as  by  certain  bar- 
riers. For  Solomon  confesses,  that  "  the  heaven  of  heavens 
cannot  contain"  him.  (e)  And  he  says  himself,  by  the  prophet, 
"  The  heaven  is  my  throne,  and  the  earth  is  my  footstool."  (/) 
By  which  he  clearly  signifies  that  he  is  not  limited  to  any  par- 
ticular region,  but  diffused  throughout  all  space.  But  because 
the  dulness  of  our  minds  could  not  otherwise  conceive  of  his 
ineffable  glory,  it  is  designated  to  us  by  the  heaven,  than  which 
we  can  behold  nothing  more  august  or  more  majestic.  Since, 
then,  wherever  our  senses  apprehend  any  thing,  there  they  are 
accustomed  to  fix  it,  God  is  represented  as  beyond  all  place, 
that  when  we  seek  him  we  may  be  elevated  above  all  reach  of 
both  body  and  soul.  Moreover,  by  this  form  of  expression,  he  is 
exalted  above  all  possibility  of  corruption  or  mutation  :  finally, 
it  is  signified,  that  he  comprehends  and  contains  the  wliole 
world,  and  governs  the  universe  by  his  power.  Wherefore, 
this  is  the  same  as  if  he  had  been  said  to  be  possessed  of  an 
incomprehensible  essence,  infinite  magnitude  or  sublimity, 
irresistible  power,  and  unlimited  immortality.  But  when  we 
hear  this,  our  thoughts  must  be  raised  to  a  higher  elevation 
when  God  is  mentioned ;  that  we  may  not  entertain  any  ter- 
restrial or  carnal  imaginations  concerning  him,  that  we  may 
not  measure  him  by  our  diminutive  proportions,  or  judge  of 
his  will  by  our  affections.  We  should  likewise  be  encouraged 
to  place  the  most  implicit  reliance  on  him,  by  whose  providence 
and  power  we  understand  both  heaven  and  earth  to  be  governed. 
To  conclude  :  under  the  name  of  "  Our  Father  "  is  represented 
to  us,  that  God  who  has  appeared  to  us  in  his  own  image,  that 

(d)  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  (/)  Isaiah  Ixvi.  1.     Acts  vii.  49; 

(c)  1  Kings  viii.  27.  xvii.  24. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  125 

we  might  call  upon  him  with  a  steady  faith  ;  and  the  familiar 
appellation  of  Father  is  not  only  adapted  to  produce  confidence, 
but  also  efficacious  to  prevent  our  minds  from  being  seduced 
to  dubious  or  fictitious  deities,  and  to  cause  them  to  ascend 
from  the  only  begotten  Son  to  the  common  Father  of  angels 
and  of  saints ;  moreover,  when  his  throne  is  placed  in  heaven, 
we  are  reminded  by  his  government  of  the  world,  that  it  is  not 
in  vain  for  us  to  approach  to  him  who  makes  us  the  objects  of 
his  present  and  voluntary  care.  "  He  that  cometh  to  God 
(says  the  apostle)  must  believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  re- 
warder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  him."  (g)  Christ  asserts 
both  these  of  his  Father,  that  we  may  have  first  a  firm  faith 
in  his  existence,  and  then  a  certain  persuasion  that,  since  he 
deigns  to  extend  his  providence  to  us,  he  will  not  neglect  our 
salvation.  By  these  principles,  Paul  prepares  us  for  praying  in 
right  manner  ;  for  his  exhortation,  "  Let  your  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God,"  is  thus  prefaced :  "  The  Lord  is  at  hand. 
Be  careful  for  nothing."  (A)  Whence  it  appears,  that  their 
prayers  must  be  attended  with  great  doubt  and  perplexity  of 
mind,  who  are  not  well  established  in  this  truth,  that  "  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord  are  upon  the  righteous.  "  (i) 

XLL  The  first  petition  is,  That  God's  name  may  be  hal- 
lowed ;  the  necessity  of  which  is  connected  with  our  great 
disgrace.  For  what  is  more  shameful,  than  that  the  Divine 
glory  should  be  obscured  partly  by  our  ingratitude,  partly  by 
our  malignity,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  obliterated  by  our  pre- 
sumption, infatuation,  and  perverseness  ?  Notwithstanding  all 
the  sacrilegious  rage  and  clamours  of  the  impious,  yet  the 
refulgence  of  holiness  still  adorns  the  Divine  name.  Nor  does 
the  Psalmist  without  reason  exclaim,  "  According  to  thy  name, 
O  God,  so  is  thy  praise  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth."  (k)  For 
wherever  God  may  be  known,  there  must  necessarily  be  a 
manifestation  of  his  perfections  of  power,  goodness,  wisdom, 
righteousness,  mercy,  and  truth,  which  command  our  admira- 
tion and  excite  us  to  celebrate  his  praise.  Therefore,  because 
God  is  so  unjustly  robbed  of  his  holiness  on  earth,  if  it  is  not 
in  our  power  to  assert  it  for  him,  we  are  at  least  commanded  to 
regard  it  in  our  prayers.  The  substance  of  it  is,  that  we  wish 
God  to  receive  all  the  honour  that  he  deserves,  that  men  may 
never  speak  or  think  of  him  but  with  the  highest  reverence  ;  to 
which  is  opposed  that  profanation,  which  has  always  been  too 
common  in  the  world,  as  it  continues  to  be  in  the  present  age. 
And  hence  the  necessity  of  this  petition,  which,  if  we  were 
influenced  by   only  a  tolerable  degree  of  piety,  ought  to  be 


% 


_)  Heb.  xi.  6.  (i)  Psalm  xxxiv.  15 ;  xxxiii.  18. 

(A)  Phil.  iv.  5,  6.  {k)  Psalm  xlviii.  10. 


126  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

superfluous.  But  if  the  name  of  God  be  truly  hallowed,  when 
separated  from  all  others  it  breathes  pure  glory,  we  are  here 
commanded  to  pray,  not  only  that  God  will  vindicate  his  holy 
name  from  all  contempt  and  ignominy,  but  also  that  he  will 
constrain  all  mankind  to  revere  it.  Now,  as  God  manifests 
himself  to  us  partly  by  his  word,  and  partly  by  his  works,  he 
is  no  otherwise  hallowed  by  us,  than  if  we  attribute  to  him  in 
both  instances  that  which  belongs  to  him,  and  so  receive  what- 
ever proceeds  from  him  ;  ascribing,  moreover,  equal  praise  to 
his  severity  and  to  his  clemency ;  since  on  the  multiplicity  and 
variety  of  his  works  he  has  impressed  characters  of  his  glory, 
which  should  draw  from  every  tongue  a  confession  of  his  praise. 
Thus  will  the  Scripture  obtain  a  just  authority  with  us,  nor 
will  any  event  obstruct  the  benedictions  which  God  deserves 
in  the  whole  course  of  his  government  of  the  world.  The 
tendency  of  the  petition  is,  further,  that  all  impiety  which  sul- 
lies this  holy  name,  may  be  utterly  abolished  ;  that  whatever 
obscures  or  diminishes  this  hallowing,  whether  detraction  or 
derision,  may  disappear ;  and  that  while  God  restrains  all 
sacrilege,  his  majesty  may  shine  with  increasing  splendour. 

XLII.  The  second  petition  is.  That  the  kingdom  of  God 
MAY  COME  ;  which,  though  it  contains  nothing  new,  is  yet  not 
without  reason  distinguished  from  the  first ;  because,  if  we  con- 
sider our  inattention  in  the  most  important  of  all  concerns,  it  is 
useful  for  that  which  ought  of  itself  to  have  been  most  inti- 
mately known  to  us,  to  be  inculcated  in  a  variety  of  words. 
Therefore,  after  we  have  been  commanded  to  pray  to  God  to 
subdue,  and  at  length  utterly  to  destroy,  every  thing  that  sullies 
his  holy  name,  there  is  now  added  another  petition,  similar  and 
alniost  identically  the  same  —  That  his  kingdom  may  come. 
Now,  though  we  have  already  given  a  definition  of  this  king- 
dom, I  now  briefly  repeat,  that  God  reigns  when  men,  renouu- 
cmg  themselves  and  despising  the  world  and  the  present  state, 
submit  themselves  to  his  righteousness,  so  as  to  aspire  to  the 
heavenly  state.  Thus  this  kingdom  consists  of  two  parts  ;  the 
one,  God's  correcting  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit  all  our  carnal 
and  depraved  appetites,  which  oppose  him  in  great  numbers  ; 
the  other,  his  forming  all  our  powers  to  an  obedience  to  his 
commands.  No  others  therefore  observe  a  proper  order  in  this 
petition,  but  they  who  begin  from  themselves,  that  is,  that  they 
may  be  purified  from  all  corruptions  which  disturb  the  tran- 
quillity, or  violate  the  purity,  of  God's  kingdom.  Now,  since 
the  Divine  word  resembles  a  royal  sceptre,  we  are  commanded 
to  pray  that  he  will  subdue  the  hearts  and  minds  of  all  men  to 
a  voluntary  obedience  to  it.  This  is  accomplished,  when,  by 
the  secret  inspiration  of  his  Spirit,  he  displays  the  eflicacy  of 
his   word,    and   causes  it   to   obtahi   the  honour   it   deserves. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  127 

Afterwards,  it  is  our  duty  to  descend  to  the  impious,  by  whom 
his  authority  is  resisted  with  the  perseverance  of  obstinacy  and 
the  fury  of  despair.  God  therefore  erects  his  kingdom  on  the 
humiHation  of  the  whole  world,  though  his  methods  of  humili- 
ation are  various ;  for  he  restrains  the  passions  of  some,  and 
breaks  the  unsubdued  arrogance  of  others.  It  ought  to  be  the 
object  of  our  daily  wishes,  that  God  would  collect  churches  for 
himself  from  all  the  countries  of  the  earth,  that  he  would  en- 
large their  numbers,  enrich  them  with  gifts,  and  establish  a 
legitimate  order  among  them  ;  that,  on  the  contrary,  he  would 
overthrow  all  the  enemies  of  the  pure  doctrine  and  religion, 
that  he  would  confound  their  counsels,  and  defeat  their  at- 
tempts. Whence  it  appears  that  the  desire  of  a  daily  progress 
is  not  enjoined  us  in  vain  ;  because  human  affairs  are  never  in 
such  a  happy  situation,  as  that  all  defilement  of  sin  is  removed, 
and  purity  can  be  seen  in  full  perfection.  This  perfection  is 
deferred  till  the  last  advent  of  Christ,  when,  the  apostle  says, 
"God  will  be  all  in  all."  (Z)  And  so  this  petition  ought  to 
withdraw  us  from  all  the  corruptions  of  the  world,  which  sepa- 
rate us  from  God,  and  prevent  his  kingdom  from  flourishing 
within  us  ;  it  ought  likewise  to  inflame  us  with  an  ardent 
desire  of  mortifying  the  flesh,  and  finally  to  teach  us  to  bear 
the  cross ;  since  these  are  the  means  which  God  chooses  for 
the  extension  of  his  kingdom.  Nor  should  we  be  impatient 
that  the  outward  man  is  destroyed,  provided  the  inward  man 
be  renewed.  For  this  is  the  order  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
that,  when  we  submit  to  his  righteousness,  he  makes  us  par- 
takers of  his  glory.  This  is  accomplished,  when,  discovering 
his  light  and  truth  with  perpetual  accession  of  splendour, 
before  which  the  shades  and  falsehoods  of  Satan  and  of  his 
kingdom  vanish  and  become  extinct,  he  by  the  aids  of  his 
Spirit  directs  his  children  into  the  path  of  rectitude,  and 
strengthens  them  to  perseverance ;  but  defeats  the  impious 
conspiracies  of  his  enemies,  confounds  their  insidious  and  fraud- 
ulent designs,  disappoints  their  malice,  and  represses  their  ob- 
stinacy, till  at  length  "he"  will  "consume  "  Antichrist  "with 
the  spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  destroy"  all  impiety  "with  the 
brightness  of  his  coming."  (m) 

XLIII.  The  third  petition  is.  That  the  will  of  God  may 
BE  DONE  ON  EARTH  AS  IT  IS  IN  HEAVEN  ;  which,  tliough  it  is  an 
appendage  to  his  kingdom,  and  cannot  be  disjoined  from  it,  is 
yet  not  without  reason  separately  mentioned,  on  account  of  our 
ignorance,  which  does  not  apprehend  with  facility  what  it  is 
for  God  to  reign  in  the  world.  There  will  be  nothing  absurd, 
then,  in  understanding  this  as  an  explanation,  that  God's  king- 

(0  1  Cor.  XV.  28.  (in)  2  Thess.  ii.  8. 


128  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

dom  will  then  prevail  in  the  world,  Avhen  all  shall  submit  to 
his  will.  Now,  we  speak  not  here  of  his  secret  will,  by  which 
he  governs  all  things,  and  appoints  them  to  fulfil  his  own  pur- 
poses. For  though  Satan  and  men  oppose  him  with  all  the 
violence  of  rage,  yet  his  incomprehensible  wisdom  is  able,  not 
only  to  divert  their  impetuosity,  but  to  overrule  it  for  the 
accomplishment  of  his  decrees.  But  the  Divine  will  here  in- 
tended, is  that  to  which  voluntary  obedience  corresponds;  and 
therefore  heaven  is  expressly  compared  with  the  earth,  because 
the  angels,  as  the  Psalmist  says,  spontaneously  "  do  his  com- 
mandments, hearkening  unto  the  voice  of  his  word."  (ii)  We 
are  therefore  commanded  to  desire  that,  as  in  heaven  nothing  is 
done  but  according  to  the  Divine  will,  and  the  angels  are 
placidly  conformed  to  every  thing  that  is  right,  so  the  earth, 
all  obstinacy  and  depravity  being  annihilated,  may  be  subject 
to  the  same  government.  And  in  praying  for  this,  we  renounce 
our  own  carnal  desires  ;  because,  unless  we  resign  all  our  affec- 
tions to  God,  we  are  guilty  of  all  the  opposition  in  our  power 
to  his  will,  for  nothing  proceeds  from  us  but  what  is  sinful. 
And  we  are  likewise  habituated  by  this  petition  to  a  renuncia- 
tion of  ourselves,  that  God  may  rule  us  according  to  his  own 
pleasure  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  that  he  may  also  create  in  us 
new  minds  and  new  hearts,  annihilating  our  own,  that  we  may 
experience  no  emotion  of  desire  \vithin  us,  but  a  mere  consent 
to  his  will  ;  in  a  word,  that  we  may  have  no  will  of  our 
own,  but  that  our  hearts  may  be  governed  by  his  Spirit,  by 
whose  internal  teachings  we  may  learn  to  love  those  things 
which  please  him,  and  to  hate  those  which  he  disapproves  ; 
consequently,  that  he  may  render  abortive  all  those  desires 
which  are  repugnant  to  his  will.  These  are  the  three  first 
clauses  of  this  prayer,  in  praying  which  we  ought  solely  to 
have  in  view  the  glory  of  God,  omitting  all  consideration  of 
ourselves,  and  not  regarding  any  advantage  of  our  own,  which, 
though  they  largely  contribute  to  it,  should  not  be  our  end  in 
these  petitions.  But  though  all  these  things,  even  if  we  never 
think  of  them,  nor  wish  for  them,  nor  request  them,  must 
nevertheless  happen  in  their  appointed  time,  yet  they  ought  to 
be  the  objects  of  our  wishes,  and  the  subjects  of  our  prayers. 
And  such  petitions  it  will  be  highly  proper  for  us  to  oiler,  that 
we  may  testify  and  profess  ourselves  to  be  the  servants  and 
sons  of  God  ;  manifesting  the  sincerest  devotedness,  and  mak- 
ing the  most  zealous  cllbrts  in  our  power  for  advancing  the 
honour  which  is  due  to  him,  both  as  a  Master  and  as  a  Father. 
Persons,  therefore,  who  are  not  incited,  by  this  ardent  zeal  for 
promoting  the  glory  of  God,  to  pray,  that  his  name  may  be 

(n)  Psalm  ciii.  20. 

V 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  129 

hallowed,  that  his  kingdom  may  come,  and  that  his  will  may 
be  done,  are  not  to  be  numbered  among  his  sons  and  servants  ; 
and  as  ail  these  things  will  be  accomplished  in  opposition  to 
their  inclinations,  so  they  will  contribute  to  their  confusion 
and  destruction. 

XLIY.  Next  follows  the  second  part  of  the  prayer,  in  which 
we  descend  to  our  own  interests ;  not  that  we  must  dismiss  all 
thoughts  of  the  Divine  glory,  (which,  according  to  Paul,  (o) 
should  be  regarded  even  in  eating  and  drinking,)  and  only  seek 
what  is  advantageous  to  ourselves ;  but  we  have  already  an- 
nounced that  this  is  the  distinction  —  that  God,  by  exclu- 
sively claiming  three  petitions,  absorbs  us  entirely  in  the  con- 
sideration of  himself,  that  thus  he  may  prove  our  piety  ;  after- 
wards he  permits  us  to  attend  to  our  own  interests,  yet  on  this 
condition^  that  the  end  of  all  our  requests  be  the  illustration  of 
his  glory,  by  whatever  benefits  he  confers  on  us,  since  nothing 
is  more  reasonable  than  that  we  live  and  die  to  him.  But  the 
first  petition  of  the  second  part.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily 
BREAD,  is  a  general  request  to  God  for  a  supply  of  all  our  corpo- 
real wants  in  the  present  state,  not  only  for  food  and  clothing, 
but  also  for  every  thing  which  he  sees  to  be  conducive  to 
our  good,  that  we  may  eat  our  bread  in  peace.  By  this  we 
briefly  surrender  ourselves  to  his  care,  and  commit  ourselves  to 
his  providence,  that  he  may  feed,  nourish,  and  preserve  us. 
For  our  most  benevolent  Father  disdains  not  to  receive  even 
our  body  into  his  charge  and  protection,  that  he  may  exercise 
our  faith  in  these  minute  circumstances,  while  we  expect  every 
thing  from  him,  even  down  to  a  crumb  of  bread  and  a  drop  of 
water.  For  since  it  is  a  strange  effect  of  our  iniquity,  to  be 
affected  and  distressed  with  greater  solicitude  for  the  body  than 
for  the  soul,  many,  who  venture  to  confide  to  God  the  interests  of 
their  souls,  are  nevertheless  still  solicitous  concerning  the  body, 
still  anxious  what  they  shall  eat  and  what  they  shall  wear ;  and 
unless  they  have  an  abundance  of  corn,  wine,  and  oil,  for  the 
supply  of  their  future  wants,  tremble  with  fear.  Of  so  much 
greater  importance  to  us  is  the  shadow  of  this  transitory  life, 
than  that  eternal  immortality.  But  they  who,  confiding  iu 
God,  have  once  cast  oflT  that  anxiety  for  the  concerns  of  the 
body,  expect  likewise  to  receive  from  him  superior  blessings, 
even  salvation  and  eternal  life.  It  is  therefore  no  trivial  exer- 
cise of  faith,  to  expect  from  God  those  things  which  otherwise 
fill  us  with  so  much  anxiety  ;  nor  is  it  a  small  proficiency  when 
we  have  divested  ourselves  of  this  infidelity,  which  is  almost 
universally  interwoven  with  the  human  constitution.  The 
speculations  of  some,  concerning  supernatural  bread,  appear  to 

(o)  1  Cor.  X.  31. 
VOL.    II.  17 


130  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    HI. 

me  not  very  consonant  to  the  meaning  of  Christ ;  for  if  we  did 
not  ascribe  to  God  the  character  of  our  Supporter  even  in  this 
transitory  life,  our  prayer  would  be  defective.  The  reason  which 
they  allege  has  too  much  profanity  ;  that  it  is  unbecoming  for 
the  children  of  God,  who  ought  to  be  spiritual,  not  only  to 
devote  their  own  attention  to  terrestrial  cares,  but  also  to  in- 
volve God  in  the  same  anxieties  with  themselves ;  as  though, 
truly,  his  benediction  and  paternal  favour  were  not  conspicuous 
even  in  our  sustenance  ;  or  there  were  no  meaning  in  the 
assertion,  that  "godliness  hath  promise  of  the  life  that  now  is, 
and  of  that  which  is  to  come."  (p)  Now,  though  remission  of 
sins  is  of  nuich  greater  value  than  corporeal  aliments,  yet 
Christ  has  given  the  first  place  to  the  inferior  blessing,  that  he 
might  gradually  raise  us  to  the  two  remaining  petitions,  which 
properly  pertain  to  the  heavenly  life  ;  in  which  he  has  con- 
sulted our  dulness.  We  are  commanded  to  ask  "  our  bread,"' 
that  we  may  be  content  with  the  portion  which  our  heavenly 
Father  deigns  to  allot  us,  nor  practise  any  illicit  arts  for  the 
love  of  lucre.  In  the  mean  time,  it  must  be  understood  that  it 
becomes  ours  by  a  title  of  donation  ;  because  neither  our  in- 
dustry, nor  our  labour,  nor  our  hands,  (as  is  observed  by  Mo- 
ses,) (7)  acquire  any  thing  for  us  of  themselves,  when  unat- 
tended by  the  Divine  blessing ;  and  that  even  an  abundance 
of  bread  would  not  be  of  the  least  service  to  us,  unless  it  were 
by  the  Divine  power  converted  into  nourishment.  And  there- 
fore this  liberality  of  God  is  equally  as  necessary  to  the  rich  as 
to  the  poor ;  for  though  their  barns  and  cellars  were  full,  they 
would  faint  with  hunger  and  thirst,  unless  through  his  good- 
ness they  enjoyed  their  food.  The  expression  "  this  day,"' 
or  "  day  by  day,"  as  it  is  in  the  other  Evangelist,  and  the 
epithet  daily,  restrain  the  inordinate  desire  of  transitory  things, 
with  which  we  are  often  violently  inflamed,  and  which  leads 
to  other  evils ;  since  if  we  have  a  greater  abundance,  we  fondly 
lavish  it  away  in  pleasure,  delights,  ostentation,  and  other  kinds 
of  luxury.  Therefore  we  are  enjoined  to  ask  only  as  much  as 
will  supply  our  necessity,  and  as  it  were  for  the  present  day, 
with  this  confidence,  that  our  heavenly  Father,  after  having 
fed  us  to-day,  will  not  fail  us  to-morrow.  Whatever  aflhience, 
then,  we  possess,  even  when  our  barns  and  cellars  are  full,  yet 
it  behoves  us  always  to  ask  for  our  daily  bread  ;  because  it 
must  be  considered  as  an  undeniable  truth,  that  all  property  is 
nothing,  any  further  than  the  Lord,  by  the  efiusions  of  his 
favour,  blesses  it  with  continual  improvement  ;  and  that  even 
what  we  have  in  our  possession  is  not  our  own,  any  further  than 
as  he  hourly  bestows  on  us  some  portion  of  it,  and  grants  us  the 

(p)  1  Tim.  iv.  8.  V         (f)  Lev.  xxvi.  20. 


CHAP.  XX.]  christ;an  religion.  131 

use  of  it.  Since  the  pride  of  man  does  not  easily  suffer  itself 
to  be  convinced  of  this,  the  Lord  declares  that  he  has  given  to 
all  ages  an  eminent  proof  of  it,  by  feeding  his  people  with 
manna  in  the  desert,  in  order  to  apprize  us  "  that  man  doth  not 
live  by  bread  only,  but  by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of 
his  mouth  ;  "  (r)  which  implies,  that  it  is  his  power  alone  by 
which  our  life  and  strength  are  sustained,  although  he  commu- 
nicates it  to  us  by  corporeal  means  ;  as  he  is  accustomed  to 
teach  us  likewise  by  an  opposite  example,  when  he  breaks,  at 
his  pleasure,  the  strength  (and,  as  he  himself  calls  it,  "  the 
staff")  of  bread,  so  that  though  men  eat  they  pine  with  hunger, 
and  though  they  drink  are  parched  with  thirst,  (s)  Now,  they 
who  are  not  satisfied  with  daily  bread,  but  whose  avidity  is 
insatiable,  and  whose  desires  are  unbounded,  and  they  who  are 
satiated  with  their  abundance,  and  think  themselves  secure 
amid  their  immense  riches,  and  who  nevertheless  supplicate  the 
Divine  Being  in  this  petition,  are  guilty  of  mocking  him.  For 
the  former  ask  what  they  would  not  wish  to- obtain,  and  even 
what  most  of  all  they  abominate,  that  is,  daily  bread  only  ; 
they  conceal  from  God,  as  much  as  they  can,  their  avaricious 
disposition  ;  whereas  true  prayer  ought  to  pour  out  before  him 
the  whole  mind,  and  all  the  inmost  secrets  of  the  soul ;  and  the 
latter  implore  what  they  arc  far  from  expecting  to  receive  from 
him,  what  they  think  they  have  in  their  own  possession.  In 
its  being  called  "  ours,"  the  Divine  goodness  is,  as  we  have 
observed,  the  more  conspicuous,  since  it  makes  that  ours,  to 
which  we  have  no  claim  of  right.  Yet  we  must  not  reject  the 
explanation  which  1  have  likewise  hinted  at,  that  it  intends 
also  such  as  is  acquired  by  just  and  innocent  labour,  and  not 
procured  by  acts  of  deception  and  rapine;  because,  whatever 
we  acquire  by  any  criminal  methods,  is  never  our  own.  but 
belongs  to  others.  Our  praying  that  it  may  be  "  given  "  to  us 
signifies  that  it  is  the  simple  and  gratuitous  donation  of  God, 
from  what  quarter  soever  we  receive  it ;  even  when  it  most  of 
all  appears  to  be  obtained  by  our  own  skill  and  industry,  and  to 
be  procured  by  our  own  hands  ;  since  it  is  solely  the  effect  of 
his  blessing,  that  our  labours  are  attended  with  success. 

XLV.  It  follows  —  Forgive  us  our  debts;  in  which  peti- 
tion,, and  the  next,  Christ  has  comprised  whatever  relates  to 
the  heavenly  life  ;  as  in  these  two  parts  consists  the  spiritual 
covenant  which  God  has  made  for  the  salvation  of.  his  Church 
—  "I  will  write  my  law  in  their  hearts,  and  will  pardon  their 
iniquities."  (t)  Here  Christ  begins  with  remission  of  sins  :  im- 
mediately at^ter,  he  subjoins  a  second  favour  —  that  God  would 
defend  us  by  the  power,  and  support  us  by  the  aid,  of  his  Spirit, 

(r)  Deut.  viii.  3.    Matt.  iv.  4.  (s)  Lev.  xxvi.  26 

(0  Jer.  .Txxi.  33,  34;  xxxiii.  8. 


132  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

to  enable  ns  to  stand  unconquered  against  all  temptations.  Sins 
he  calls  debts,  because  we  owe  the  penalty  of  them  —  a  debt  we 
are  altogether  incapable  of  discharging,  unless  we  are  released 
by  this  remission,  which  is  a  pardon  flowing  from  his  gratui- 
tous mercy,  when  he  freely  cancels  these  debts  without  any 
payment  from  us,  being  satisfied  by  his  own  mercy  in  Christ, 
who  has  once  given  himself  for  our  redemption.  Those,  there- 
fore, who  rely  on  God's  being  satisfied  with  their  own  merits,  or 
the  merits  of  others,  and  persuade  themselves  that  remission  of 
sins  is  purchased  by  these  satisfactions,  have  no  interest  in  this 
gratuitous  forgiveness  ;  and  while  they  call  upon  God  in  this 
form,  they  are  only  subscribing  their  own  accusation,  and  even 
sealing  their  condemnation  with  their  own  testimony.  For 
they  confess  themselves  debtors,  unless  they  are  discharged  by 
the  benefit  of  remission,  which  nevertheless ,  they  accept  not, 
but  rather  refuse,  while  they  obtrude  upon  God  their  own 
merits  and  satisfactions.  For  in  this  Avay  they  do  not  implore 
his  mercy,  but  appeal  to  his  judgment.  They  who  amuse 
themselves  with  dreams  of  perfection,  superseding  the  necessity 
of  praying  for  pardon,  may  have  disciples  whom  itching  ears 
lead  into  delusions ;  but  it  must  be  clear  that  all  whom  they 
gain  are  perverted  from  Christ,  since  he  teaches  all  to  confess 
their  guilt,  and  receives  none  but  sinners ;  not  that  he  would 
flatter  and  encourage  sins,  but  because  he  knew  that  believers 
are  never  wholly  free  from  the  vices  of  their  flesh,  but  always 
remain  obnoxious  to  the  judgment  of  God.  It  ought,  indeed, 
to  be  the  object  of  our  desires  and  strenuous  exertions,  that, 
having  fully  discharged  every  part  of  our  duty,  we  may  truly 
congratulate  ourselves  before  God  on  being  pure  from  every 
stain ;  but  as  it  pleases  God  to  restore  his  image  within  us  by 
degrees,  so  that  some  contagion  always  remains  in  our  flesh, 
the  remedy  ought  never  to  be  neglected.  Now,  if  Christ,  by 
the  authority  given  him  by  the  Father,  enjoins  us,  as  long  as 
we  live,  to  have  recourse  to  prayer  for  the  pardon  of  guilt,  who 
Avill  tolerate  the  new  teachers,  who  endeavour  to  dazzle  the 
eyes  of  the  simple  with  a  visionary  phantom  of  perfect  inno- 
cence, and  fill  them  with  a  confidence  in  the  possibility  of 
their  being  delivered  from  all  sin  ?  which,  according  to  John, 
is  no  other  than  making  God  a  liar,  (u)  At  the  same  time,  also, 
these  worthless  men,  by  obliterating  one  article,  mutilate,  and 
so  totally  invalidate,  the  covenant  of  God,  in  which  we  have 
seen  our  salvation  is  contained;  being  thus  guilty  not  only  of 
sacrilege  by  separating  things  so  united,  but  also  of  impiety  and 
cruelty,  by  overwhelming  miserable  souls  with  despair,  and  of 
treachery  to  themselves  and  others,  by  contracting  a  habit  of 
carelessness,   in  diametrical  opposition  to  the  Divine  mercy. 

(u)  1  John  i.  lO. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  133 

The  objection  of  some,  that  in  wishing  the  advent  of  God's  king- 
dom, we  desire  at  the  same  time  the  abohtion  of  sin,  is  too 
puerile  ;  because,  in  the  first  part  of  the  prayer,  we  have  an  ex- 
hibition of  the  highest  perfection,  but  here  of  infirmity.  Thus 
these  two  things  are  perfectly  consistent,  that  in  aspiring  to- 
wards the  mark  we  may  not  neglect  the  remedies  required  by 
our  necessity.  Lastly,  we  pray  that  we  may  be  forgiven  as 
WE  FORGIVE  OUR  DEBTORS  ;  that  is,  as  we  forgive  and  pardon 
all  who  have  ever  injured  us,  either  by  unjust  actions  or  by 
contumelious  language.  Not  that  it  is  our  province  to  forgive 
the  guilt  of  sin  and  transgression ;  this  is  the  prerogative  of 
God  alone  :  our  forgiveness  consists  in  divesting  the  mind  of 
anger,  enmity,  and  desire  of  revenge,  and  losing  the  memory 
of  injuries  by  a  voluntary  forgetfulness.  Wherefore  we  must 
not  pray  to  God  for  forgiveness  of  sins,  unless  we  also  forgive 
all  the  offences  and  injuries  of  others  against  us,  either  present 
or  past.  But  if  we  retain  any  enmities  in  our  minds,  meditate 
acts  of  revenge,  and  seek  opportunities  of  annoyance,  and  even 
if  we  do  not  endeavour  to  obtain  reconciliation  with  our  ene- 
mies, to  oblige  them  by  all  kind  offices,  and  to  render  them 
our  friends,  —  we  beseech  God,  by  this  petition,  not  to  grant  us 
remission  of  sins.  For  we  supplicate  him  to  grant  to  us  what  we 
grant  to  others.  This  is  praying  him  not  to  grant  it  to  us,  unless 
we  grant  it  also.  What  do  persons  of  this  description  gain  by 
their  prayers  but  a  heavier  judgment  ?  Lastly,  it  must  be 
observed,  that  this  is  not  a  condition,  that  he  would  forgive  us 
as  we  forgive  our  debtors,  because  we  can  merit  his  forgive- 
ness of  us  by  our  forgiveness  of  others,  as  though  it  described 
the  cause  of  his  forgiveness ;  but,  by  this  expression,  the  Lord 
intended,  partly  to  comfort  the  weakness  of  our  faith ;  for  he 
has  added  this  as  a  sign,  that  we  may  be  as  certainly  assured 
of  remission  of  sins  being  granted  us  by  him,  as  we  are  certain 
and  conscious  of  our  granting  it  to  others  ;  if,  at  the  same  time, 
our  minds  be  freed  and  purified  from  all  hatred,  envy,  and  re- 
venge ;  partly  by  this,  as  a  criterion,  he  expunges  from  the 
number  of  his  children,  those  who,  hasty  to  revenge  and 
difficult  to  forgive,  maintain  inveterate  enmities,  and  cherish 
in  their  own  hearts  towards  others,  that  indignation  which 
they  deprecate  from  themselves,  that  they  may  not  presume  to 
invoke  him  as  their  Father.  Which  is  also  clearly  expressed 
by  Luke  in  Christ's  own  words. 

XLVL  The  sixth  petition  is,  Lead  us  not  into  tempta- 
tion, BUT  deliver  us  FROM  EVIL.  Tliis,  as  we  have  said,  corre- 
sponds to  the  promise  respecting  the  law  of  God  to  be  engraven 
in  our  hearts.  But  because  our  obedience  to  God  is  not  with- 
out continual  warfare,  and  severe  and  arduous  conflicts,  we  here 
pray  for  arms,  and  assistance  to  enable  us  to  gain  the  victory. 


134  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

This  suggests  to  us  our  necessity,  not  only  of  the  grace  of  the 
Spirit  within  us  to  soften,  bend,  and  direct  our  hearts  to  obe- 
dience to  God,  but  also  of  his  aid  to  render  us  invincible,  in 
opposition  to  all  the  stratagems  and  violent  assaults  of  Satan. 
Now,  the  forms  of  temptations  are  many  and  various.  For  the 
corrupt  conceptions  of  the  mind,  provoking  us  to  transgressions 
of  the  law,  whether  suggested  by  our  own  concupiscence  or 
excited  by  the  devil,  are  temptations ;  and  things  not  evil  in 
themselves,  nevertheless  become  temptations  through  the  sub- 
tlety of  the  devil,  when  they  are  obtruded  on  our  eyes  in  such 
a  manner  that  their  intervention  occasions  our  seduction  or 
declension  from  God.  And  these  temptations  are  either  from 
prosperous,  or  from  adverse  events.  From  prosperous  ones,  as 
riches,  power,  honours ;  which  generally  dazzle  men's  eyes  by 
their  glitter  and  external  appearance  of  goodness,  and  insnare 
them  with  their  blandishments,  that,  caught  with  such  delusions 
and  intoxicated  with  such  delights,  they  forget  their  God.  From 
unpropitious  ones,  as  poverty,  reproaches,  contempt,  afflictions, 
and  other  things  of  this  kind  ;  overcome  with  the  bitterness  and 
difficulty  of  which,  they  fall  into  despondency,  cast  away  faith 
and  hope,  and  at  length  become  altogether  alienated  from  God. 
To  both  these  kinds  of  temptations  which  assail  us,  whether 
kindled  within  us  by  our  concupiscence,  or  presented  to  us  by 
the  craft  of  Satan,  we  pray  our  heavenly  Father  not  to  permit 
us  to  yield,  but  rather  to  sustain  and  raise  us  up  with  his  hand, 
that,  strong  in  his  might,  we  may  be  able  to  stand  firm  against 
all  the  assaults  of  our  malignant  enemy,  whatever  imaginations 
he  may  inject  into  our  minds  ;  and  also,  that  whatever  is  pre- 
sented to  us  on  either  quarter,  we  may  convert  it  to  our  benefit ; 
that  is,  by  not  being  elated  with  prosperity  or  dejected  with 
adversity.  Yet  we  do  not  here  pray  for  an  entire  exemption 
from  all  temptations,  which  we  very  much  need,  to  excite, 
stimulate,  and  animate  us,  lest  we  should  grow  torpid  with  too 
much  rest.  For  it  was  not  without  reason  that  David  wished 
to  be  tempted  or  tried ;  nor  is  it  without  cause  that  the  Lord 
daily  tries  his  elect,  chastising  them  by  ignominy,  poverty,  tribu- 
lation, and  the  cross  in  various  forms.  But  the  temptations  of 
God  are  widely  diflerent  from  those  of  Satan.  Satan  tempts 
to  overthrow,  condemn,  confound,  and  destroy.  But  God,  that, 
by  proving  his  people,  he  may  make  a  trial  of  their  sincerity, 
to  confirm  their  strength  by  exercising  it,  to  ijiortify,  purify, 
and  refine  their  flesh,  which,  without  such  restraints,  would 
run  into  the  greatest  excesses.  Besides,  Satan  attacks  persons 
unarmed  and  unprepared,  to  overwhelm  the  unwary.  "  God, 
with  the  temptation,  also  makes  a  way  to  escape,  that  they 
may  be  able  to  bear  "  whatever  he  brings  upon  them,  (y)     By 

(y)  1  Cor.  X.  15. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  135 

the  word  evil,  whether  we  understand  the  devil  or  sin,  is  of  Httle 
importance.  Satan  himself,  indeed,  is  the  enemy  that  lies  in 
wait  for  our  life  ;  but  sin  is  the  weapon  with  which  he  seeks 
our  destruction.  Our  petition  therefore  is,  that  we  may  not 
be  overwhelmed  and  conquered  by  any  temptations,  but  that 
we  may  stand,  strong  in  the  power  of  the  Lord,  against 
all  adverse  powers  that  assault  us,  which  is  not  to  submit 
to  temptations  ;  that  being  taken  into  his  custody  and  charge, 
and  being  secure  in  his  protection,  we  may  persevere  uncon- 
quered,  and  rise  superior  to  sin,  death,  the  gates  of  hell,  and 
the  whole  kingdom  of  the  devil.  This  is  being  delivered 
from  evil.  Here  it  must  also  be  carefully  remarked,  that  it  is 
not  in  our  power  to  contend  with  so  powerful  an  enemy  as  the 
devil,  and  sustain  the  violence  of  his  assaults.  Otherwise  it 
would  be  useless,  or  insulting,  to  supplicate  from  God  what  we 
already  possessed  in  ourselves.  Certainly,  they  who  prepare 
themselves  for  such  a  combat  with  self-confidence,  are  not 
sufficiently  aware  of  the  skill  and  prowess  of  the  enemy  that 
they  have  to  meet.  Now,  we  pray  to  be  delivered  from  his 
power,  as  from  the  mouth  of  a  ravenous  and  raging  lion,  just 
about  to  tear  us  with  his  teeth  and  claws,  and  to  swallow  us 
down  his  throat,  unless  the  Lord  snatch  us  from  the  jaws  of 
death ;  knowing,  at  the  same  time,  that  if  the  Lord  shall  be 
present  and  fight  for  us  while  we  are  silent,  in  his  strength 
"  we  shall  do  valiantly."  {z)  Let  others  confide  as  they  please 
in  the  native  abilities  and  powers  of  free-will,  which  they 
suppose  themselves  to  possess,  —  let  it  be  sufficient  for  us,  to 
stand  and  be  strong  in  the  power  of  God  alone.  But  this 
petition  comprehends  more  than  at  first  appears.  For  if  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  our  strength  for  fighting  the  battle  with  Satan, 
we  shall  not  be  able  to  gain  the  victory,  till,  being  full  of  him, 
we  shall  have  laid  aside  all  the  infirmity  of  our  flesh.  When 
we  pray  for  deliverance  from  Satan  and  sin,  therefore,  we  pray 
to  be  frequently  enriched  with  new  accessions  of  Divine  grace  ; 
till,  being  quite  filled  with  them,  we  may  be  able  to  triumph 
over  all  evil.  To  some  there  appears  a  difficulty  and  harshness 
in  our  petition  to  God,  that  he  will  not  lead  us  into  temptation, 
whereas,  according  to  James,  it  is  contrary  to  his  nature  for 
him  to  tempt  us.  (a)  But  this  objection  has  already  been 
partly  answered,  because  our  own  lust  is  properly  the  cause  of 
all  the  temptations  that  overcome  us,  and  therefore  we  are 
charged  with  the  guilt.  Nor  does  James  intend  any  other  than  to 
assert  the  futility  and  injustice  of  transferring  to  God  the  vices 
which  we  are  constrained  to  impute  to  ourselves,  because  Ave 
are  conscious  of  our  being  guilty  of  them.     But  notwithstanding 

(z)  Psalm  Ix.  12.  (a)  James  i.  13,  14. 


136  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

"this,  God  may,  when  he  sees  fit,  deliver  us  to  Satan,  abandon 
us  to  a  reprobate  mind  and  sordid  passions,  and  so  lead  us  into 
temptations,  by  a  righteous  yet  often  secret  judgment ;  the 
cause  being  frequently  concealed  from  man,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  well  known  to  him.  Whence  it  is  inferred,  that  there  is 
no  impropriety  in  this  mode  of  expression,  if  we  are  persuaded 
that  there  is  any  meaning  in  his  frequent  threatenings,  that  he 
will  manifest  his  vengeance  on  the  reprobate,  by  smiting  them 
with  blindness  and  hardness  of  heart. 

XLVII.  These  three  petitions,  in  which  we  particularly  com- 
mend to  God  ourselves  and  all  our  concerns,  evidently  prove, 
what  we  have  before  asserted,  that  the  prayers  of  Christians 
ought  to  be  public,  and  to  regard  the  public  edification  of 
the  Church,  and  the  advancement  of  the  communion  of  be- 
lievers. For  each  individual  does  not  supplicate  the  gift  of 
any  favour  to  himself  in  particular ;  but  we  all  in  common 
pray  for  our  bread,  the  remission  of  our  sins,  that  we  may  not 
be  led  into  temptation,  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  evil. 
The  cause  is  likewise  subjoined,  which  gives  us  such  great 
boldness  in  asking,  and  confidence  of  obtaining  ;  which,  though 
not  to  be  found  in  the  Latin  copies,  yet  appears  too  apposite  to 
this  place  to  be  omitted  —  namely.  His  is  the  kingdom,  and 
THE  POWER,  and  THE  GLORY  FOR  EVER.  This  is  a  solid  aud 
secure  basis  for  our  faith  ;  for  if  our  prayers  were  to  be  recom- 
mended to  God  by  our  own  merit,  who  could  dare  to  utter  a 
word  in  his  presence  ?  Now,  all  miserable,  unworthy,  and 
destitute  as  we  are  of  every  recommendation,  yet  we  shall 
never  want  an  argument  or  plea  for  our  prayers :  our  confi- 
dence can  never  forsake  us ;  for  our  Father  can  never  be  de- 
prived of  his  kingdom,  power,  and  glory.  The  whole  is  con- 
cluded with  Amen  ;  which  expresses  our  ardent  desire  to  obtain 
the  blessings  supplicated  of  God,  and  confirms  our  hope  that 
all  these  things  are  already  obtained,  and  will  certainly  be 
granted  to  us ;  because  they  are  promised  by  God,  who  is  in- 
capable of  deception.  And  this  agrees  with  that  form  of  peti- 
tion already  quoted  —  "Do  this,  O  Lord,  for  thy  name's  sake, 
not  for  our  sake,  or  for  our  righteousness  ;  "  in  which  the  saints 
not  only  express  the  end  of  their  prayers,  but  acknowledge  that 
they  are  luiworthy  to  obtain  it,  unless  God  derive  the  cause 
from  himself,  and  that  their  confidence  of  success  arises  solely 
from  his  nature. 

XLVin.  Whatever  we  ought,  or  are  even  at  liberty,  to 
seek  from  God,  is  stated  to  us  in  this  model  and  directory  for 
prayer,  given  by  that  best  of  masters,  Christ,  whom  the  Father 
has  set  over  us  as  our  Teacher,  and  to  whom  alone  he  has  en- 
joined us  to  listen,  (b)     For  he  was  always  his  eternal  wisdom, 

(t)  Matt.  xvii.  5. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  137 

and  being  made  man,  was  given  to  men  as  the  Angel  of  great 
counsel,  (c)  And  this  prayer  is  so  comprehensive  and  com- 
plete, that  whatever  addition  is  made  of  any  thing  extraneous 
or  foreign.,  not  capable  of  being  referred  to  it,  is  impious  and 
unworthy  of  the  approbation  of  God.  For  in  this  summary  he 
has  prescribed  what  is  worthy  of  him,  what  is  acceptable  to 
him,  what  is  necessary  for  us,  and,  in  a  word,  what  he  chooses 
to  bestow.  Wherefore  those  who  presume  to  go  beyond  it, 
and  to  ask  of  God  any  thing  else,  in  the  first  place,  are  deter- 
mined to  make  some  addition  of  their  own  to  the  wisdom  of 
God,  which  cannot  be  done  without  folly  and  blasphemy ;  in 
the  next  place,  despising  the  limits  fixed  by  the  will  of  God, 
they  are  led  far  astray  by  their  own  irregular  desires ;  and  in 
the  last  place,  they  will  never  obtain  any  thing,  since  they 
pray  without  faith.  And  there  is  no  doubt  that  all  prayers  of 
this  kind  are  made  without  faith,  because  they  are  not  sanc- 
tioned by  the  word  of  God,  the  only  basis  on  which  faith  can 
stand.  But  they  who  neglect  the  Master's  rule,  and  indulge 
their  own  desires,  not  only  deviate  from  the  word  of  God,  but 
make  all  possible  opposition  against  it.  With  equal  beauty  and 
truth,  therefore,  TertuUian  has  called  this  a  legitimate  'prayer, 
tacitly  implying,  that  all  others  are   irregular  and  unlawful. 

XLIX.  We  would  not  here  be  understood,  as  if  we  were 
confined  to  this  form  of  prayer,  without  the  liberty  of  changing 
a  word  or  syllable.  For  the  Scriptures  contain  many  prayers, 
expressed  in  words  very  different  from  this,  yet  written  by  the 
same  Spirit,  and  very  profitable  for  our  use.  Many,  which 
have  little  verbal  resemblance  to  it,  are  continually  suggested 
to  believers  by  the  same  Spirit.  We  only  mean  by  these  ob- 
servations, that  no  one  should  even  seek,  expect,  or  ask  for  any 
thing  that  is  not  summarily  comprehended  in  this  prayer, 
though  there  may  be  a  diversity  of  expression,  without  any 
variation  of  sense.  As  it  is  certain  that  all  the  prayers  con- 
tained in  the  Scriptures,  or  proceeding  from  pious  hearts,  are 
referred  to  this,  so  it  is  impossible  to  find  one  any  where  which 
can  surpass  or  even  equal  the  perfection  of  this.  Here  is 
nothing  omitted  which  ought  to  be  recollected  for  the  praises 
of  God,  nothing  that  should  occur  to  the  mind  of  man  for  his  own 
advantage ;  and  the  whole  is  so  complete,  as  justly  to  inspire 
universal  despair  of  attempting  any  improvement.  To  con- 
clude ;  let  us  remember,  that  this  is  the  teaching  of  Divine 
wisdom,  which  taught  what  it  willed,  and  willed  what  is 
needful. 

L.  But  though  we  have  before  said  that  we  ought  to  be 
always  aspiring   towards  God  with  our  minds,  and  praying 

(c)  Isaiah  xi.  2.  • 

VOL.    II.  18 


138  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

without  intermission,  yet  as  our  weakness  requires  many  as- 
sistances, and  our  indolence  needs  to  be  stimulated,  we  ought 
every  one  of  us,  for  the  sake  of  regularity,  to  appoint  particular 
hours  which  should  not  elapse  without  prayer,  and  which 
should  witness  all  the  allections  of  the  mind  entirely  engaged 
in  this  exercise  ;  as,  when  we  rise  in  the  morning,  before  we 
enter  on  the  business  of  the  day,  when  we  sit  down  to  meat, 
when  we  have  been  fed  by  the  Divine  blessing,  when  we  re- 
tire to  rest.  This  must  not  be  a  superstitious  observance  of 
hours,  by  which,  as  if  discharging  our  debt  to  God,  we  may 
fancy  ourselves  discharged  from  all  obligation  for  the  remain- 
ing hours ;  but  a  discipUne  for  our  weakness,  which  may  thus, 
from  time  to  time,  be  exercised  and  stimulated.  It  must  es- 
pecially be  the  object  of  our  solicitous  care,  whenever  we  are 
oppressed,  or  see  others  oppressed,  with  adversity,  immediately 
to  resort  to  him  with  celerity,  not  of  body,  but  of  mind  ;  second- 
ly, to  suffer  no  prosperity  of  our  own  or  others  to  pass  with- 
out testifying  our  acknowledgment  of  his  hand  by  praise  and 
thanksgiving ;  lastly,  we  must  carefully  observe  this  in  every 
prayer,  that  we  entertain  not  the  thought  of  binding  God  to  cer- 
tain circumstances,  or  prescribing  to  him  the  time,  the  place,  or 
the  manner  of  his  proceedings.  As  we  are  taught  by  this  prayer 
to  fix  no  law,  to  impose  no  condition  on  him,  but  to  leave  it  to 
his  will  to  do  what  he  intends,  in  the  manner,  at  the  time, 
and  in  the  place  he  pleases,  therefore,  before  we  form  a  peti- 
tion for  ourselves,  we  first  pray  that  his  will  may  be  done ; 
thereby  submitting  our  will  to  his,  that,  being,  as  it  were,  bridled 
and  restrained,  it  may  not  presume  to  regulate  God,  but  may 
constitute  him  the  arbiter  and  ruler  of  all  its  desires. 

LI.  If,  with  minds  composed  to  this  obedience,  we  suffer 
ourselves  to  be  governed  by  the  laws  of  Divine  Providence,  we 
shall  easily  learn  to  persev^ere  in  prayer,  and  with  suspended 
desires  to  wait  patiently  for  the  Lord  ;  assured,  though  he  does 
not  discover  himself,  yet  that  he  is  always  near  us,  and  in  his 
own  time  will  declare  that  his  ears  have  not  been  deaf  to  those 
prayers  which,  to  human  apprehension,  seemed  to  be  neglected. 
Now,  this,  if  God  do  not  at  any  time  answer  our  first  prayers, 
will  be  an  immediate  consolation,  to  prevent  our  sinking  into 
despair,  like  those  who,  actuated  only  by  their  own  ardour,  call 
upon  God  in  such  a  manner,  that  if  he  do  not  attend  to  their 
first  transports,  and  afford  them  present  aid,  ■  they  at  once 
imagine  him  to  be  displeased  and  angry  with  them,  and,  casting 
away  all  hope  of  succeeding  in  their  prayers,  cease  to  call  upon 
him.  But  deferring  our  hope  with  a  well-tempered  equanimity, 
let  us  rather  practise  the  perseverance  so  highly  recommended 
to  us  in  the  Scriptures.  For  in  the  Psalms  we  may  frequently 
observe    how    D>ivid   and   other   faithful  men,    when,   almost 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  139 

wearied  with  praying,  they  seemed  to  beat  the  air,  and  God 
seemed  deaf  to  their  petitions,  yet  did  not  desist  from  praying  ; 
because  the  authority  of  the  Divine  word  is  not  maintained, 
unless  it  be  fully  credited,  notwithstanding  the  appearance  of 
any  circumstances  to  the  contrary.  Nor  let  us  tempt  God,  and 
provoke  him  against  us  by  wearying  him  with  our  presump- 
tion ;  which  is  the  practice  of  many  who  merely  bargain  with 
God  on  a  certain  condition,  and  as  though  he  were  subservient 
to  their  passions,  bind  him  with  laws  of  their  own  stipulation  ; 
with  which  unless  he  immediately  complies,  they  give  way  to 
anger  and  fretfulness,  to  cavils,  and  murmurs,  and  rage.  To 
such  persons,  therefore,  he  frequently  grants  in  his  wrath  what 
he  denies  in  mercy  to  others.  This  is  exemplified  in  the 
children  of  Israel,  for  whom  it  had  been  better  for  the  Lord  not 
to  have  heard  them,  than  for  them  to  swallow  his  indignation 
with  the  meat  that  he  sent  them,  {d) 

LII.  But  if,  after  long  waiting,  our  sense  neither  understands 
what  advance  we  have  made  by  praying,  nor  experiences  any 
advantage  resulting  from  it,  yet  our  faith  will  assure  us,  what 
cannot  be  perceived  by  sense,  that  we  have  obtained  what  was 
expedient  for  us,  since  the  Lord  so  frequently  and  so  certainly 
promises  to  take  care  of  our  troubles  when  they  have  been  once 
deposited  in  his  bosom.  And  thus  he  will  cause  us  to  pos- 
sess abundance  in  poverty,  and  consolation  in  affliction.  For 
though  all  things  fail  us,  yet  God  will  never  forsake  us ;  he 
cannot  disappoint  the  expectation  and  patience  of  his  people. 
He  will  amply  compensate  us  for  the  loss  of  all  others,  for  he 
comprehends  in  himself  all  blessings,  which  he  will  reveal  to  us 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  when  his  kingdom  will  be  fully  mani- 
fested. Besides,  though  God  grants  our  prayers,  he  does  not 
always  answer  them  according  to  the  express  form  of  the 
request ;  but  seeming  to  keep  us  in  suspense,  shows  by  un- 
known means  that  our  prayers  were  not  in  vain.  This  is  the 
meaning  of  these  words  of  John  :  ''If  we  know  that  he  heareth 
us,  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  know  that  we  have  the  petitions 
that  we  desired  of  him."  (e)  This  seems  to  be  a  feeble  super- 
fluity of  expression,  but  is  in  reality  a  very  useful  declaration, 
that  God,  even  when  he  does  not  comply  with  our  desires,  is 
nevertheless  favourable  and  propitious  to  our  prayers,  so  that  a 
hope  depending  upon  his  word  can  never  disappoint  us.  Now, 
this  patience  is  very  necessary  to  support  believers,  who  would 
not  long  stand  unless  they  relied  upon  it.  For  the  Lord 
proves  his  people  with  heavy  trials,  and  exercises  them  with 
severity  ;  frequently  driving  them  to  various  kinds  of  extremi- 
ties, and  suffering  them  to  remain  in  them  a  long  time  before  he 

{d)  Num.  xi.  IS,  33.  (e)  1  John  v.  15. 


140  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

grants  them  any  enjoyment  of  his  grace ;  and  as  Hannah  says, 
'•  The  Lord  killeth,  and  maketh  alive  ;  he  bringeth  down  to 
the  grave,  and  bringeth  up."  (/)  In  such  distresses  must  they 
not  inevitably  faint  in  their  minds,  and  fall  into  despair,  unless, 
in  the  midst  of  their  affliction  and  desolation,  and  almost,  death, 
they  were  revived  by  this  reflection,  that  God  regards  them, 
and  that  the  end  of  their  present  evils  is  approaching  ?  But 
though  they  rely  on  the  certainty  of  this  hope,  they  at  the  same 
time  cease  not  to  pray ;  because,  without  constant  perseverance 
in  prayer,  we  pray  to  no  purpose. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 


ETEKNAL    ELECTION,    OR    GOD's    PREDESTINATION    OF    SOME    TO 
SALVATION,    AND    OF    OTHERS    TO    DESTRUCTION. 

The  covenant  of  life  not  being  equally  preached  to  all,  and 
among  those  to  whom  it  is  preached  not  always  finding  the 
same  reception,  this  diversity  discovers  the  wonderful  depth  of 
the  Divine  judgment.  Nor  is  it  to  be  doubted  that  this  variety 
also  follows,  subject  to  the  decision  of  God's  eternal  election. 
If  it  be  evidently  the  result  of  the  Divine  will,  that  salvation  is 
freely  oftered  to  some,  and  others  are  prevented  from  attaining 
it,  —  this  immediately  gives  rise  to  important  and  difficult  ques- 
tions, which  are  incapable  of  any  other  explication,  than  by  the 
establishment  of  pious  minds  in  what  ought  to  be  received 
concerning  election  and  predestination  —  a  question,  in  the 
opinion  of  many,  full  of  perplexity  ;  for  they  consider  nothing 
more  unreasonable,  than  that,  of  the  common  mass  of  mankind, 
some  should  be  predestinated  to  salvation,  and  others  to  de- 
struction. But  how  unreasonably  they  perplex  themselves  will 
afterwards  appear  from  the  sequel  of  our  discourse.  Besides, 
the  very  obscurity  which  excites  such  dread,  not  only  displays 
the  utility  of  this  doctrine,  but  shows  it  to  be  productive  of  the 
most  delightful  benefit.  We  shall  never  be  clearly  convinced 
as  we  ought  to  be,  that  our  salvation  flows  from  the  fountain 
of  God's  free  mercy,  till  we  are  acquainted  with  his  eternal 
election,  which  illustrates  the  grace  of  God  by  this  comparison, 
that  he  adopts  not  all  promiscuously  to  the  hope  of  salvation, 
but  gives  to  some  what  he  refuses  to  others.  Ignorance  of  this 
principle  evidently  detracts  from  the  Divine  glory,  and  dimi- 

(/)  1  Sam.  ii.  6. 


CHAP.    XXI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  141 

nishes  real  humility.  But  according  to  Paul,  what  is  so  neces- 
sary to  be  known,  never  can  be  known,  unless  God,  without 
any  regard  to  works,  chooses  those  whom  he  has  decreed.  "  At 
this  present  time  also,  there  is  a  remnant  according  to  the 
election  of  grace.  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of  works  ; 
otherwise,  grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if  it  be  of  works,  then 
it  is  no  more  grace ;  otherwise,  work  is  no  more  work."  {g) 
If  we  need  to  be  recalled  to  the  origin  of  election,  to  prove  that 
we  obtain  salvation  from  no  other  source  than  the  mere  goodness 
of  God,  they  who  desire  to  extinguish  this  principle,  do  all 
they  can  to  obscure  what  ought  to  be  magnificently  and  loudly 
celebrated,  and  to  pluck  up  humility  by  the  roots.  In  ascribing 
the  salvation  of  the  remnant  of  the  people  to  the  election  of 
grace,  Paul  clearly  testifies,  that  it  is  then  only  known  that 
God  saves  whom  he  will  of  his  mere  good  pleasure,  and  does 
not  dispense  a  reward  to  which  there  can  be  no  claim.  They 
who  shut  the  gates  to  prevent  any  one  from  presuming  to 
approach  and  taste  this  doctrine,  do  no  less  injury  to  man  than 
to  God ;  for  nothing  else  will  be  sufficient  to  produce  in  us 
suitable  humility,  or  to  impress  us  with  a  due  sense  of  our  great 
obligations  to  God.  Nor  is  there  any  other  basis  for  solid 
confidence,  even  according  to  the  authority  of  Christ,  who,  to 
deliver  us  from  all  fear,  and  render  us  invincible  amidst  so  many 
dangers,  snares,  and  deadly  conflicts,  promises  to  preserve  in 
safety  all  whom  the  Father  has  committed  to  his  care.  Whence 
we  infer,  that  they  who  know  not  themselves  to  be  God's 
peculiar  people  will  be  tortured  with  continual  anxiety ;  and 
therefore,  that  the  interest  of  all  believers,  as  well  as  their 
own,  is  very  badly  consulted  by  those  who,  blind  to  the  three 
advantages  we  have  remarked,  would  wholly  remove  the  foun- 
dation of  our  salvation.  And  hence  the  Church  rises  to  our 
view,  which  otherwise,  as  Bernard  justly  observes,  could  neither 
be  discovered  nor  recognized  among  creatures,  being  in  two 
respects  wonderfully  concealed  in  the  bosom  of  a  blessed  pre- 
destination, and  in  the  mass  of  a  miserable  damnation.  But 
before  I  enter  on  the  subject  itself,  I  must  address  some  pre- 
liminary observations  to  two  sorts  of  persons.  The  discussion 
of  predestination  —  a  subject  of  itself  rather  intricate  —  is  made 
very  perplexed,  and  therefore  dangerous,  by  human  curiosity, 
which  no  barriers  can  restrain  from  wandering  into  forbidden 
labyrinths,  and  soaring  beyond  its  sphere,  as  if  determined  to 
leave  none  of  the  Divine  secrets  un scrutinized  or  unexplored. 
As  we  see  multitudes  every  where  guilty  of  this  arrogance  and 
presumption,  and  among  them  some  who  are  not  censurable 
in  other  respects,  it  is  proper  to  admonish  them  of  the  bounds 

{g)  Rom.  xi.  5,  6. 


142  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IJI. 

of  their  duty  on  this  subject.  First,  then,  let  them  remember 
that  when  they  inquire  into  predestination,  they  penetrate  the 
inmost  recesses  of  Divine  wisdom,  where  the  careless  and 
confident  intruder  will  obtain  no  satisfaction  to  his  curiosity, 
but  will  enter  a  labyrinth  from  which  he  will  find  no  way  to 
depart.  For  it  is  unreasonable  that  man  should  scrutinize  with 
impunity  those  things  which  the  Lord  has  determined  to  be 
hidden  in  himself;  and  investigate,  even  from  eternity,  that 
sublimity  of  wisdom  which  God  would  have  us  to  adore  and 
not  comprehend,  to  promote  our  admiration  of  his  glory.  The 
secrets  of  his  will  which  he  determined  to  reveal  to  us,  he 
discovers  in  his  word ;  and  these  are  all  that  he  foresaw  would 
concern  us  or  condnce  to  our  advantage. 

II.  "  We  are  come  into  the  way  of  faith,"  says  Augustine  ; 
"let  us  constantly  pursue  it.  It  conducts  into  the  king's 
palace,  in  which  are  hidden  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and 
knowledge.  For  the  Lord  Christ  himself  envied  not  his  great 
and  most  select  disciples  when  he  said,  '  I  have  many  things  to 
say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now.'  We  must  walk, 
we  must  improve,  we  must  grow,  that  our  hearts  may  be  able 
to  understand  those  things  of  which  we  are  at  present  incapa- 
ble. If  the  last  day  finds  us  improving,  we  shall  then  learn 
what  we  never  could  learn  in  the  present  state."  If  we  only 
consider  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  the  only  way  to  lead  us 
to  an  investigation  of  all  that  ought  to  be  believed  concerning 
him,  and  the  only  light  to  enlighten  us  to  behold  all  that  ought 
to  be  seen  of  him,  this  consideration  will  easily  restrain  and 
preserve  us  from  all  presumption.  For  we  shall  know  that 
when  we  have  exceeded  the  limits  of  the  word,  we  shall  get 
into  a  devious  and  darksome  course,  in  which  errors,  slips,  and 
falls,  will  often  be  inevitable.  Let  us,  then,  in  the  first  place, 
bear  in  mind,  that  to  desire  any  other  knowledge  of  predestina- 
tion than  what  is  unfolded  in  the  word  of  God,  indicates  as 
great  folly,  as  a  wish  to  walk  through  unpassable  roads,  or  to 
see  in  the  dark.  Nor  let  us  be  ashamed  to  be  ignorant  of  some 
things  relative  to  a  subject  in  which  there  is  a  kind  of  learned 
ignorance.  Rather  let  us  abstain  with  cheerfulness  from  the 
pursuit  of  that  knowledge,  the  atfectation  of  which  is  foolish, 
dangerous,  and  even  fatal.  But  if  we  are  stimulated  by  the 
wantonness  of  intellect,  we  must  oppose  it  with  a  reflection 
calculated  to  repress  it,  that  as  "  it  is  not  good  to  eat  much 
honey,  so  for  men  to  search  their  own  glory,  is  not  glory."  (h) 
For  there  is  sufficient  to  deter  us  from  that  presumption,  which 
can  only  precipitate  us  into  ruin. 

III.  Others,  desirous  of  remedying  this  evil,  will  have  all 

(A)  Prov.  xxv.^7. 


CHAP.    XXI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  143 

mention  of  predestination  to  be  as  it  were  buried  ;  they  teach 
men  to  avoid  every  question  concerning  it  as  they  would  a 
precipice.  Though  their  moderation  is  to  be  commended,  in 
judging  that  mysteries  ought  to  be  handled  with  such  great 
sobriety,  yet,  as  they  descend  too  low,  they  have  little  influence 
on  the  mind  of  man,  which  refuses  to  submit  to  unreasonable 
restraints.  To  observe,  therefore,  the  legitimate  boundary  on 
this  side  also,  we  must  recur  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  which 
affords  a  certain  rule  for  the  understanding.  For  the  Scripture 
is  the  school  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  which,  as  nothing  necessary 
and  useful  to  be  known  is  omitted,  so  nothing  is  taught  which 
it  is  not  beneficial  to  know.  Whatever,  therefore,  is  declared 
in  the  Scripture  concerning  predestination,  we  must  be  cautious 
not  to  withhold  from  believers,  lest  we  appear  either  to  de- 
fraud them  of  the  favor  of  their  God,  or  to  reprove  and  censure 
the  Holy  Spirit  for  publishing  what  it  would  be  useful  by  any 
means  to  suppress.  Let  us,  I  say,  permit  the  Christian  man  to 
open  his  heart  and  his  ears  to  all  the  discourses  addressed  to 
him  by  God,  only  with  this  moderation,  that  as  soon  as  the 
Lord  closes  his  sacred  mouth,  he  shall  also  desist  from  further 
inquiry.  This  will  be  the  best  barrier  of  sobriety,  if  in  learn- 
ing we  not  only  follow  the  leadings  of  God,  but  as  soon  as  he 
ceases  to  teach,  we  give  up  our  desire  of  learning.  Nor  is  the 
danger  they  dread,  sufficient  to  divert  our  attention  from  the 
oracles  of  God.  It  is  a  celebrated  observation  of  Solomon,  that 
"  it  is  the  glory  of  God  to  conceal  a  thing."  (?)  But,  as  both 
piety  and  common  sense  suggest  that  this  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood generally  of  every  thing,  we  must  seek  for  the  proper 
distinction,  lest  we  content  ourselves  with  brutish  ignorance 
under  the  pretext  of  modesty  and  sobriety.  Now,  this  distinc-' 
tion  is  clearly  expressed  in  a  few  words  by  Moses.  "  The 
secret  things,"  he  says,  "  belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God ;  but 
those  things  which  are  revealed  belong  unto  us,  and  to  our 
children  for  ever,  that  we  may  do  all  the  words  of  this  law."  (k) 
For  we  see  how  he  enforces  on  the  people  attention  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  law  only  by  the  celestial  decree,  because  it 
pleased  God  to  promulgate  it ;  and  restrains  the  same  people 
within  those  limits  with  this  single  reason,  that  it  is  not  lawful 
for  mortals  to  intrude  into  the  secrets  of  God. 

IV.  Profane  persons,  I  confess,  suddenly  lay  hold  of  some- 
thing relating  to  the  subject  of  predestination,  to  furnish  occa- 
sion for  objections,  cavils,  reproaches,  and  ridicule.  But  if  we 
are  frightened  from  it  by  their  impudence,  all  the  princi- 
pal articles  of  the  faith  must  be  concealed,  for  there  is  scarcely 
one  of  them  which  such  persons  as  these  leave  unviolated  by 

(i)  Prov.  XXV.  2.  (k)  Deut.  xxix.  29. 


144  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III, 

blasphemy.  The  refractory  mind  will  discover  as  much  inso- 
lence, on  hearing  that  there  are  three  persons  in  the  Divine 
essence,  as  on  being  told,  that  when  God  created  man,  he  fore- 
saw wliat  would  happen  concerning  him.  Nor  will  they 
refrain  from  derision  on  being  informed,  that  little  more  than 
five  thousand  years  have  elapsed  since  the  creation  of  the 
world.  They  will  ask  why  the  power  of  God  was  so  long  idle 
and  asleep.  Nothing  can  be  advanced  which  they  will  not 
endeavour  to  ridicule.  Must  we,  in  order  to  check  these  sacri- 
leges, say  nothing  of  the  Divinity  of  the  Son  and  Spirit,  or  pass 
over  in  silence  the  creation  of  the  world  ?  In  this  instance,  and 
every  other,  the  truth  of  God  is  too  powerful  to  dread  the 
detraction  of  impious  men  ;  as  is  strenuously  maintained  by 
Augustine,  in  his  treatise  on  the  Perseverance  of  the  Faithful. 
We  see  the  false  apostles,  with  all  their  defamation  and  accu- 
sation of  the  true  doctrine  of  Paul,  could  never  succeed  to 
make  him  ashamed  of  it.  Their  assertion,  that  all  this  discus- 
sion is  dangerous  to  pious  minds,  because  it  is  inconsistent 
with  exhortations,  shakes  their  faith,  and  disturbs  and  discou- 
rages the  heart  itself,  is  without  any  foundation.  Augustine 
admits,  that  he  was  frequently  blamed,  on  these  accounts,  for 
preaching  predestination  too  freely ;  but  he  readily  and  am- 
ply refutes  them.  But  as  many  and  various  absurdities  are 
crowded  upon  us  here,  we  prefer  reserving  every  one  to  be 
refuted  in  its  proper  place.  1  only  desire  this  general  admis- 
sion, that  we  should  neither  scrutinize  those  things  which  the 
Lord  has  left  concealed,  nor  neglect  those  which  he  has  openly 
exhibited,  lest  we  be  condemned  for  excessive  curiosity  on  the 
one  hand,  or  for  ingratitude  on  the  other.  For  it  is  judiciously 
'remarked  by  Augustine,  that  we  may  safely  follow  the  Scrip- 
ture, which  proceeds  as  with  the  pace  of  a  mother  stooping  to 
the  weakness  of  a  child,  that  it  may  not  leave  our  weak  capa- 
cities behind.  But  persons  who  are  so  cautious  or  timid,  as  to 
wish  predestination  to  be  buried  in  silence,  lest  feeble  minds 
should  be  disturbed,  —  with  what  pretext,  I  ask,  will  they  gloss 
over  their  arrogance,  which  indirectly  charges  God  with  foolish 
inadvertency,  as  though  he  foresaw  not  the  danger  which  they 
suppose  they  have  had  the  penetration  to  discover.  Whoever, 
therefore,  endeavours  to  raise  prejudices  against  the  doctrine 
of  predestination,  openly  reproaches  God,  as  though  something 
had  inconsiderately  escaped  from  him  that  is  pernicious  to  the 
Church. 

V.  Predestination,  by  which  God  adopts  some  to  the  hope 
of  life,  and  adjudges  others  to  eternal  death,  no  one,  desirous 
of  the  credit  of  piety,  dares  absolutely  to  deny.  But  it  is  in- 
volved in  many  cavils,  especially  by  those  who  make  fore- 
knowledge the  cause  of  it.     We  maintain,  that  both  belong  to 


CHAP.    XXI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  146 

God  ;  but  it  is  preposterous  to  represent  one  as  dependent  on 
the  other.  When  we  attribute  foreknowledge  to  God,  we  mean 
that  all  things  have  ever  been,  and  perpetually  remain,  before 
his  eyes,  so  that  to  his  knowledge  nothmg  is  future  or  past,  but 
all  things  are  present ;  and  present  in  such  a  manner,  that  he 
does  not  merely  conceive  of  them  from  ideas  formed  in  his 
mind,  as  things  remembered  by  us  appear  present  to  our  minds, 
but  really  beholds  and  sees  them  as  if  actually  placed  before  him. 
And  this  foreknowledge  extends  to  the  whole  world,  and  to  all 
the  creatures.  Predestination  we  call  the  eternal  decree  of 
God,  by  which  he  has  determined  in  himself,  what  he  would 
have  to  become  of  every  individual  of  mankind.  For  they  are 
not  all  created  with  a  similar  destiny  ;  but  eternal  life  is  fore- 
ordained for  some,  and  eternal  damnation  for  others.  Every 
man,  therefore,  being  created  for  one  or  the  other  of  these  ends, 
we  say,  he  is  predestinated  either  to  life  or  to  death.  This  God 
has  not  only  testified  in  particular  persons,  but  has  given  a 
specimen  of  it  in  the  whole  posterity  of  Abraham,  which  should 
evidently  show  the  future  condition  of  every  nation  to  depend 
upon  his  decision.  "  When  the  Most  High  divided  the  nations, 
when  he  separated  the  sons  of  Adam,  the  Lord's  portion  was 
his  people;  Jacob  was  the  lot  of  his  inheritance."  (^)  The 
separation  is  before  the  eyes  of  all :  in  the  person  of  Abraham, 
as  in  the  dry  trunk  of  a  tree,  one  people  is  peculiarly  chosen 
to  the  rejection  of  others  :  no  reason  for  this  appears,  except 
that  Moses,  to  deprive  their  posterity  of  all  occasion  of  glorying, 
teaches  them  that  their  exaltation  is  wholly  from  God's  gra- 
tuitous love.  He  assigns  this  reason  for  their  deliverance,  that 
"  he  loved  their  fathers,  and  chose  their  seed  after  them."  (w) 
More  fully  in  another  chapter  :  "  The  Lord  did  not  set  his  love 
upon  you,  nor  choose  yon,  because  you  were  more  in  number 
than  any  people  ;  but  because  the  Lord  loved  you."  (?i)  He 
frequently  repeats  the  same  admonition  :  "  Behold,  the  heaven 
is  the  Lord's  thy  God,  the  earth  also,  with  all  that  therein  is. 
Only  the  Lord  had  a  delight  in  thy  fathers  to  love  them,  and 
he  chose  their  seed  after  them."  (o)  In  another  place,  sancti- 
fication  is  enjoined  upon  them,  because  they  were  chosen  to 
be  a  peculiar  people.  ( p)  And  again,  elsewhere,  love  is  asserted 
to  be  the  cause  of  their  protection.  It  is  declared  by  the  united 
voice  of  the  faithful,  "  He  hath  chosen  our  inheritance  for  us, 
the  excellency  of  Jacob,  whom  he  loved."  {q)  For  the  gifts 
conferred  on  them  by  God,  they  all  ascribe  to  gratuitous  love, 
not  only  from  a  consciousness  that  these  were  not  obtained  by 
any  merit  of  theirs,  but  from  a  conviction,  that  the  holy  patri- 

(/)    Dent,  xxxii.  8,  9.  (n)  Deut.  vii.  7,  8.  (;;)  Deut.  xxiii. 

(wi)  Ueut.  iv.  37.  (o)  Deut.  x.  14,  15.  {q)  Psalm  xlvii.  4. 

VOL.    II.  19 


146  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

arch  himself  was  not  endued  with  such  excellence  as  to  acquire 
the  privilege  of  so  great  an  hononr  for  himself  and  his  pos- 
terity. And  the  more  effectually  to  demolish  all  pride,  he 
reproaches  them  with  having  deserved  no  favour,  being  "  a  stiff- 
necked  and  rebellious  people."  (?')  The  prophets  also  fre- 
quently reproach  the  Jews  with  the  unwelcome  mention  of  this 
election,  because  they  had  shamefully  departed  from  it.  Let 
them,  however,  now  come  forward,  who  wish  to  restrict  the 
election  of  God  to  the  desert  of  men,  or  the  merit  of  works. 
When  they  see  one  nation  preferred  to  all  others,  —  when  they 
hear  that  God  had  no  inducement  to  be  more  favourable  to  a 
few,  and  ignoble,  and  even  disobedient  and  obstinate  people,  — 
will  they  quarrel  with  him  because  he  has  chosen  to  give  such 
an  example  of  mercy  ?  But  their  obstreperous  clamours  will 
not  impede  his  work,  nor  will  the  reproaches  they  hurl  against 
Heaven,  injure  or  affect  his  justice  ;  they  will  rather  recoil 
upon  their  own  heads.  To  this  principle  of  the  gracious  cove- 
nant, the  Israelites  are  also  recalled  whenever  thanks  are  to 
be  rendered  to  God,  or  their  hopes  are  to  be  raised  for  futurity. 
"  He  hath  made  us,  and  not  we  ourselves,"  says  the  Psalmist : 
"  we  are  his  people,  and  the  sheep  of  his  pasture."  (s)  It  is  not 
without  reason  that  the  negation  is  added,  "not  we  ourselves," 
that  they  may  know  that  of  all  the  benefits  they  enjoy,  God  is 
not  only  the  Author,  but  derived  the  cause  from  himself,  there 
being  nothing  in  them  deserving  of  such  great  honour.  He 
also  enjoins  them  to  be  content  with  the  mere  good  pleasure 
of  God,  in  these  words :  "  O  ye  seed  of  Abraham  his  servant, 
ye  children  of  Jacob  his  chosen."  And  after  having  recounted 
the  continual  benefits  bestowed  by  God  as  fruits  of  election,  he 
at  length  concludes  that  he  had  acted  with  such  liberality,  "  be- 
cause he  remembered  his  covenant."  (t)  Consistent  with  this 
doctrine  is  the  song  of  the  whole  Church  :  "  Thy  right  hand, 
and  thine  arm,  and  the  light  of  thy  coimtcnance,  gave  our  fa- 
thers the  land,  because  thou  hadst  a  favour  unto  them."  (u) 
It  must  be  observed  that  where  mention  is  made  of  the  land, 
it  is  a  visible  symbol  of  the  secret  separation,  which  compre- 
hends adoption.  David,  in  another  place,  exhorts  the  people 
to  the  same  gratitude  :  "  Blessed  is  the  nation  whose  God  is 
the  Lord  ;  and  the  people  whom  he  hath  chosen  for  his  own 
inheritance."  (.r)  Samuel  animates  to  a  good  hope  :  "  The 
Lord  will  not  forsake  his  people,  for  his  great  name's  sake  ; 
because  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord  to  make  you  his  people."  (ij) 
David,  when  his  faith  is  assailed,  thus  arms  himself  for  the 
conflict :   "  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest,  and  causest 


(0  Dcut.  ix.  6,  7.  (0  Psalm  cv.  (i,  8.  (a:)  Psalm  .xxxiii.  12. 

(*•)  Psalm  c.  3.  (u)  Psalm  xliv.  3.  (y)  1  Sam.  xii.  22. 


CHAP,    XXI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGIOX.  147 

to  approach  unto  thee  ;  he  shall  dwell  in  thy  courts."  (z) 
But  since  the  election  hidden  in  God  has  been  confirmed  by 
the  first  deliverance,  as  well  as  by  the  second  and  other  inter- 
mediate blessings,  the  word  choose  is  transferred  to  it  in  Isaiah  : 
"  The  Lord  will  have  mercy  on  Jacob,  and  will  yet  choose 
Israel ;  "  (a)  because,  contemplating  a  future  period,  he  declares 
that  the  collection  of  the  residue  of  the  people,  whom  he  had 
appeared  to  have  forsaken,  would  be  a  sign  of  the  stable  and 
sure  election,  which  had  likewise  seemed  to  fail.  When  he 
says  also,  in  another  place,  "  I  have  chosen  thee,  and  not  cast 
thee  away,"  (b)  he  commends  the  continual  course  of  his  sig- 
nal liberahty  and  paternal  benevolence.  The  angel,  in  Zecha- 
riah,  speaks  more  plainly  :  "  The  Lord  shall  choose  Jerusalem 
again ;  "  (c)  as  though  his  severe  chastisement  had  been  a 
rejection,  or  their  exile  had  been  an  interruption  of  election  ; 
which,  nevertheless,  remains  inviolable,  though  the  tokens  of 
it  are  not  always  visible. 

VL  We  must  now  proceed  to  a  second  degree  of  election, 
still  more  restricted,  or  that  in  which  the  Divine  grace  was 
displayed  in  a  more  special  manner,  when  of  the  same  race  of 
Abraham  God  rejected  some,  and  by  nourishing  others  in  the 
Church,  proved  that  he  retained  them  among  his  children. 
Ishmael  at  first  obtained  the  same  station  as  his  brother  Isaac, 
for  the  spiritual  covenant  was  equally  sealed  in  him  by  the 
symbol  of  circumcision.  He  is  cut  off;  afterwards  Esau; 
lastly,  an  innumerable  multitude,  and  almost  all  Israel.  In 
Isaac  the  seed  was  called  ;  the  same  calling  continued  in  Jacob. 
God  exhibitQd  a  similar  example  in  the  rejection  of  Saul,  which 
is  magnificently  celebrated  by  the  Psalmist  :  "  He  refused  the 
tabernacle  of  Joseph,  and  chose  not  the  tribe  of  Ephraim,  but 
chose  the  tribe  of  Judah ;  "  (d)  and  this  the  sacred  history  fre- 
quently repeats,  that  the  wonderful  secret  of  Divine  grace  may 
be  more  manifest  in  that  change.  I  grant,  it  was  by  their  own 
crime  and  guilt  that  Ishmael,  Esau,  and  persons  of  similar  cha- 
racters, fell  from  the  adoption  ;  because  the  condition  annexed 
was,  that  they  should  faithfully  keep  the  covenant  of  God, 
which  they  perfidiously  violated.  Yet  it  was  a  peculiar  favour 
of  God,  that  he  deigned  to  prefer  them  to  other  nations  ;  as  it 
is  said  in  the  Psalms  :  "  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  nation  : 
and  as  for  his  judgments,  they  have  not  known  tliem."  (e) 
But  I  have  justly  said  that  here  are  two  degrees  to  be  remarked  ; 
for  in  the  election  of  the  whole  nation,  God  has  already  shown 
that  in  his  mere  goodness  he  is  bound  by  no  laws,  but  is  per- 
fectly free,  so  that  none  can  require  of  him  an  equal  distribu- 


(z)  Psalm  Ixv.  4.  (h)  Isaiah  xli.  9.  (d)  Psalm  Ixxviii.  67,  68. 

(a)  Isaiah  xiv.  1.  (c)  Zech.  ii.  12.  (e)  Psalm  cxlvii.  20. 


148  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    Hi. 

tion  of  grace,  the  inequality  of  which  demonstrates  it  to  be 
truly  gratuitous.  Therefore  Malachi  aggravates  the  ingratitude 
of  Israel,  because,  though  not  only  elected  out  of  the  whole 
race  of  mankind,  but  also  separated  from  a  sacred  family  to  be 
a  peculiar  people,  they  perfidiously  and  impiously  despised  God 
their  most  beneficent  Father.  "  Was  not  Esau  Jacob's  bro- 
ther ?  saith  the  Lord  :  yet  1  loved  Jacob,  and  I  hated  Esau."  (/) 
For  God  takes  it  for  granted,  since  both  were  sons  of  a  holy 
father,  successors  of  the  covenant,  and  branches  from  a  sacred 
root,  that  the  children  of  Jacob  were  already  laid  under  more 
than  common  obligations  by  their  admission  to  that  honour  ; 
but  Esau  the  first-born  having  been  rejected,  and  their  father, 
though  inferior  by  birth,  having  been  made  the  heir,  he  proves 
them  guilty  of  double  ingratitude,  and  complains  of  their  vio- 
lating this  twofold  claim. 

VII.  Though  it  is  sufficiently  clear,  that  God,  in  his  secret 
counsel,  freely  chooses  whom  he  will,  and  rejects  others,  his 
gratuitous  election  is  but  half  displayed  till  we  come  to  particu- 
lar individuals,  to  whom  God  not  only  offers  salvation,  but  as- 
signs it  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  certainty  of  the  effect  is 
liable  to  no  suspense  or  doubt.  These  are  included  in  that 
one  seed  mentioned  by  Paul ;  for  though  the  adoption  was  de- 
posited in  the  hand  of  Abraham,  yet  many  ot  his  posterity 
being  cut  off  as  putrid  members,  in  order  to  maintain  the  effi- 
cacy and  stability  of  election,  it  is  necessary  to  ascend  to  the 
head,  in  whom  their  heavenly  Father  has  bound  his  elect  to 
each'  other,  and  united  them  to  himself  by  an  indissoluble 
bond.  Thus  the  adoption  of  the  family  of  Abraham  displayed 
the  favour  of  God,  which  he  denied  to  others;  but  in  the 
members  of  Christ  there  is  a  conspicuous  exhibition  of  the 
superior  efficacy  of  grace  ;  because,  being  united  to  their  head, 
they  never  fail  of  salvation.  Paul,  therefore,  justly  reasons 
from  the  passage  of  Malachi  which  I  have  just  quoted,  that 
where  God,  introducing  the  covenant  of  eternal  life,  invites  any 
people  to  himself,  there  is  a  peculiar  kind  of  election  as  to  part 
of  them,  so  that  he  does  not  efficaciously  choose  all  with  indis- 
criminate grace.  The  declaration,  "  Jacob  have  I  loved,"  re- 
spects the  whole  posterity  of  the  patriarch,  whom  the  prophet 
there  opposes  to  the  descendants  of  Esau.  Yet  this  is  no  ob- 
jection to  our  having  in  the  person  of  one  individual  a  specimen 
of  the  election,  which  can  never  fail  of  attaining  its  full  eflect. 
These,  who  truly  belong  to  Christ,  Paul  correctly  observes,  are 
called '"a  remnant;"  for  experience  proves,  that  of  a  great 
multitude  the  most  part  fall  away  and  disappear,  so  that  often 
only  a  small  portion  remains.     That  the  general  election  of  a 

(/)  Mai.  i.  2,  3. 


CHAP.    XXI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  149 

people  is  not  always  effectual  and  permanent,  a  reason  readily 
presents  itself,  because,  when  God  covenants  with  them,  he  does 
not  also  give  them  the  spirit  of  regeneration  to  enable  them  to 
persevere  in  the  covenant  to  the  end ;  but  the  external  call, 
without  the  internal  efficacy  of  grace,  which  would  be  suffi- 
cient for  their  preservation,  is  a  kind  of  medium  between  the 
rejection  of  all  mankind  and  the  election  of  the  small  number 
of^  believers.  The  whole  nation  of  Israel  was  called  "  God's 
inheritance,"  though  many  of  them  were  strangers ;  but  God, 
having  firmly  covenanted  to  be  their  Father  and  Redeemer, 
regards  that  gratuitous  favour  rather  than  the  defection  of  mul- 
titudes ;  by  whom  his  truth  was  not  violated,  because  his  pre- 
servation of  a  certain  remnant  to  himself,  made  it  evident  that  his 
calling  was  without  repentance.  For  God's  collection  of  a 
Church  for  himself,  from  time  to  time,  from  the  children  of 
Abraham,  rather  than  from  the  profane  nations,  was  in  con- 
sideration of  his  covenant,  which,  being  violated  by  the  multi- 
tude, he  restricted  to  a  iew,  to  prevent  its  total  failure.  Lastly, 
the  general  adoption  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  was  a  visible  re- 
presentation of  a  greater  blessing,  which  God  conferred  on  a 
few  out  of  the  multitude.  This  is  the  reason  that  Paul  so 
carefully  distinguishes  the  descendants  of  Abraham  according 
to  the  fle.sli,  from  his  spiritual  children  called  after  the  example 
of  Isaac.  Not  that  the  mere  descent  from  Abraham  was  a  vain 
and  unprofitable  thing,  which  could  not  be  asserted  without 
depreciating  the  covenant ;  but  because  to  the  latter  alone  the 
immutable  counsel  of  God,  in  which  he  predestinated  whom 
he  would,  was  of  itself  effectual  to  salvation.  But  1  advise  my 
readers  to  adopt  no  prejudice  on  either  side,  till  it  shall  appear 
from  adduced  passages  of  Scripture  what  sentiments  ought  to 
be  entertained.  In  conformity,  therefore,  to  the  clear  doctrine 
of  the  Scripture,  we  assert,  that  by  an  eternal  and  immutable 
counsel,  God  has  once  for  all  determined,  both  whom  he  would 
admit  to  salvation,  and  whom  he  would  condemn  to  destruc- 
tion. We  affirm  that  this  counsel,  as  far  as  concerns  the  elect, 
is  founded  on  his  gratuitous  mercy,  totally  irrespective  of 
human  merit ;  but  that  to  those  whom  he  devotes  to  condem- 
nation, the  gate  of  life  is  closed  by  a  just  and  irreprehensible, 
but  incompiehensible,  judgment.  In  the  elect,  we  consider 
calling  as  an  evidence  of  election,  and  justification  as  another 
token  of  its  manifestation,  till  they  arrive  in  glory,  which  con- 
stitutes its  completion.  As  God  seals  his  elect  by  vocation 
and  justification,  so  by  excluding  the  reprobate  from  the  know- 
ledge of  his  name  and  the  sanctification  of  his  Spirit,  he  afibrds 
an  indication  of  the  judgment  that  awaits  them.  Here  I  shall 
pass  over  many  fictions  fabricated  by  foolish  men  to  overthrow 
predestination.     It   is  unnecessary  to  refute  things  which,  as 


150  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    II  , 

soon  as  they  are  advanced,  sufficiently  prove  their  own  false- 
hood. I  shall  dwell  only  on  those  things  which  are  subjects 
of  controversy  among  the  learned,  or  which  may  occasion  dif- 
ficulty to  simple  minds,  or  which  impiety  speciously  pleads  in 
order  to  stigmatize  the  Divine  justice. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

TESTIMONIES    OF    SCRIPTURE    IN    CONFIRMATION    OF    THIS    DOCTRINE. 

All  the  positions  we  have  advanced  are  controverted  by  ma- 
ny, especially  the  gratuitous  election  of  believers,  which  never- 
theless cannot  be  shaken.  It  is  a  notion  commonly  entertained, 
that  God,  foreseeing  what  would  be  the  respective  merits  of 
every  individual,  makes  a  correspondent  distinction  between 
different  persons  ;  that  he  adopts  as  his  children  such  as  he 
foreknows  will  be  deserving  of  his  grace,  and  devotes  to  the 
damnation  of  death  others,  whose  dispositions  he  sees  will  be 
inclined  to  wickedness  and  impiety.  Thus  they  not  only 
obscure  election  by  covering  it  with  the  veil  of  foreknow- 
ledge, but  pretend  that  it  originates  in  another  cause.  Nor  is 
this  commonly  received  notion  the  opinion  of  the  vulgar  only, 
for  it  has  had  great  advocates  in  all  ages ;  which  I  candidly 
confess,  that  no  one  may  cherish  a  confidence  of  injuring  our 
cause  by  opposing  us  with  their  names.  For  the  truth  of  God 
on  this  point  is  too  certain  to  be  shaken,  too  clear  to  be  over- 
thrown by  the  authority  of  men.  Others,  neither  acquainted 
with  the  Scripture,  nor  deserving  of  any  attention,  oppose  the 
sound  doctrine  with  extreme  presumption  and  intolerable  ef- 
frontery. God's  sovereign  election  of  some,  and  preterition  of 
others,  they  make  the  subject  of  formal  accusation  against 
him.  But  if  this  is  the  known  fact,  what  will  they  gain  by 
quarrelling  with  God  ?  We  teach  nothing  but  Avhat  experience 
has  proved,  that  God  has  always  been  at  liberty  to  bestow  his 
grace  on  whom  he  chooses.  I  mmU  not  inquire  how  the  pos- 
terity of  Abraham  excelled  other  nations,  unless  it  was  by  that 
favour,  the  cause  of  which  can  only  be  found  in  God.  Let  them 
answer  why  they  are  men,  and  not  oxen  or  asses  :  when  it  was 
in  God's  power  to  create  them  dogs,  he  formed  them  after  his 
own  image.  Will  they  allow  the  brute  animals  to  expostulate 
with  God  respecting  their  condition,  as  though  the  distinction 
were  unjust  ?  Their  enjoyment  of  a  privilege  which  they  have 
acquired  by  no  merits,  is  certainly  no  more  reasonable  than 


CHAP.    XXII. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  151 

God's  various  distribution  of  his  favours  according  to  the  mea- 
sure of  his  judgment.  If  they  make  a  transition  to  persons 
where  the  inequahty  is  more  offensive  to  them,  the  example 
of  Christ  at  least  ought  to  deter  them  from  carelessly  prating 
concerning  this  subHme  mystery.  A  mortal  man  is  conceived 
of  the  seed  of  David :  to  the  merit  of  what  virtues  will  they 
ascribe  his  being  made,  even  in  the  womb,  the  Head  of  angels, 
the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  the  Image  and  Glory  of  the 
Father,  the  Light,  Righteousness,  and  Salvation  of  the  world  ? 
It  is  judiciously  remarked  by  Augustine,  that  there  is  the 
brightest  example  of  gratuitous  election  in  the  Head  of  the 
Church  himself,  that  it  may  not  perplex  us  in  the  members  ; 
that  he  did  not  become  the  Son  of  God  by  leading  a  righteous 
life,  but  was  gratuitously  invested  with  this  high  honour,  that 
he  might  afterwards  render  others  partakers  of  the  gifts  be- 
stowed upon  him.  If  any  one  inquire,  why  others  are  not  all 
that  he  was,  or  why  we  are  all  at  such  a  vast  distance  from 
him, — why  we  are  all  corrupt,  and  he  purity  itself, — he  will 
betray  both  folly  and  impudence.  But  if  they  persist  in  the 
wish  to  deprive  God  of  the  uncontrollable  right  of  choosing 
and  rejecting,  let  them  also  take  away  what  is  given  to  Christ. 
Now,  it  is  of  importance  to  attend  to  what  the  Scripture  de- 
clares respecting  every  individual.  Paul's  assertion,  that  we 
were  "  chosen  in  Christ  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  (g) 
certainly  precludes  any  consideration  of  merit  in  us ;  for  it  is 
as  though  he  had  said,  our  heavenly  Father,  finding  nothing 
worthy  of  his  choice  in  all  the  posterity  of  Adam,  turned  his 
views  towards  his  Christ,  to  choose  members  from  his  body 
whom  he  would  admit  to  the  fellowship  of  life.  Let  be- 
lievers, then,  be  satisfied  with  this  reason,  that  we  were  adopted 
in  Christ  to  the  heavenly  inheritance,  because  in  ourselves  we 
were  incapable  of  such  high  dignity.  He  has  a  similar  remark 
in  another  place,  where  he  exhorts  the  Colossians  to  "  give 
thanks  unto  the  Father,  who  had  made  them  meet  to  be  parta- 
kers of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints."  (A)  If  election  precedes 
this  grace  of  God,  which  makes  us  meet  to  obtain  the  glory  of 
the  life  to  come,  what  will  God  find  in  us  to  induce  him  to 
elect  us  ?  Another  passage  from  this  apostle  will  still  more 
clearly  express  my  meaning.  "  He  hath  chosen  us,"  he  says, 
'■before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  according  to  the  good 
pleasure  of  his  will,  that  we  should  be  holy,  and  without  blame 
before  him  ;  "  (i)  where  he  opposes  the  good  pleasure  of  God 
to  all  our  merits  whatsoever. 

II.    To  render  the  proof  more  complete,  it  will  be  useful  to 
notice  all  the  clauses  of  that  passage,   which,  taken  in  connec- 

(g)  Ephes.  i.  4.  (A)  Col.  j.  12.  (i)  Ephes.  i.  4,  5. 


152  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    Hi. 

tion,  leave  no  room  for  doubt.  By  the  appellation  of  the  elect, 
or  chosen^  he  certainly  designates  believers,  as  he  soon  after 
declares:  wherefore  it  is  corrupting  the  term  by  a  shameful  fiction 
to  restrict  it  to  the  age  in  which  the  gospel  was  published.  Ry 
saying  that  they  were  elected  before  the  creation  of  the  world, 
he  precludes  every  consideration  of  merit.  For  what  could  be 
the  reason  for  discrimination  between  those  who  yet  had  no 
existence,  and  whose  condition  was  afterward  to  be  the  same 
in  Adam  ?  Now,  if  they  are  chosen  in  Christ,  it  follows,  not 
only  that  each  individual  is  chosen  out  of  himself,  but  also  that 
some  are  separated  from  others ;  for  it  is  evident,  that  all  are 
not  members  of  Christ.  The  next  clause,  stating  them  to  have 
been  "  chosen  that  they  might  be  holy,"  fully  refutes  the  error 
which  derives  election  from  foreknowledge ;  since  Paul,  on  the 
contrary,  declares  that  all  the  virtue  discovered  in  men  is  the 
effect  of  election.  If  any  inquiry  be  made  after  a  superior  cause, 
Paul  replies,  that  God  thus  "  predestinated,"  and  that  it  was 
"according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will."  This  overturns 
any  means  of  election  which  men  imagine  in  themselves ;  for 
all  the  benefits  conferred  by  God  for  the  spiritual  life,  he  repre- 
sents as  flowing  from  this  one  source,  that  God  elected  whom 
he  would,  and,  before  they  were  born,  laid  up  in  reserve  for 
them  the  grace  with  which  he  determined  to  favor  them. 

III.  Wherever  this  decree  of  God  reigns,  there  can  be  no 
consideration  of  any  works.  The  antithesis,  indeed,  is  not  pur- 
sued here  ;  but  it  must  be  understood,  as  it  is  amplified  by  the 
same  writer  in  another  place  :  "  Who  hath  called  us  with  a 
holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his 
own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus, 
before  the  Avorld  began."  {k)  And  we  have  already  shown 
that  the  following  clause,  "that  we  should  be  holy,"  removes 
every  difficulty.  For  say.  Because  he  foresaw  they  would  be 
holy,  therefore  he  chose  them,  and  you  will  invert  the  order  of 
Paul.  We  may  safely  infer,  then,  If  he  chose  us  that  we 
should  be  holy,  his  foresight  of  our  futm'e  holiness  was  not  the 
cause  of  his  choice.  For  these  two  propositions.  That  the 
holiness  of  believers  is  the  fruit  of  election,  and,  That  they 
attain  it  by  means  of  works,  are  incompatible  with  each  other. 
Nor  is  there  any  force  in  the  cavil  to  which  they  frequently 
resort,  that  the  grace  of  election  was  not  God's  reward  of  an- 
tecedent works,  but  his  gift  to  future  ones.  For  when  it  is 
said,  that  believers  were  elected  that  they  should  be  holy,  it 
is  fully  implied,  that  the  holiness  they  were  in  future  to  possess 
had  its  origin  in  election.  And  what  consistency  would  there 
be  in  asserting,  that  things  derived  from  election  were  the 

Q{)  2  Tim.  i.  9. 


CHAP.    XXII. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  lOO 

causes  of  election  ?  A  subsequent  clause  seems  further  to  con- 
firm what  he  had  said  —  "  according  to  his  good  pleasure,  which 
he  puri)0sed  in  himself."  (^)  For  the  assertion,  that  God  pur- 
posed in  himself,  is  equivalent  to  saying,  that  he  considered 
nothing  out  of  himself,  with  any  view  to  hiHuence  his  deter- 
mination. Therefore  he  immediately  subjoins,  that  the  great 
and  only  object  of  our  election  is,  "that  we  should  be  to  the 
praise  of"  Divine  "grace."  Certainly  the  grace  of  God  de- 
serves not  the  sole  praise  of  our  election,  unless  this  election  be 
gratuitous.  Now,  it  could  not  be  gratuitous,  if,  in  choosing  his 
people,  God  himself  considered  what  would  be  the  nature  of 
their  respective  works.  The  declaration  of  Christ  to  his  dis- 
ciples, therefore,  is  universally  applicable  to  all  believers  : 
"  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen  you  ;  "  (m)  which 
not  only  excludes  past  merits,  but  signifies  that  they  had  nothing 
in  themselves  to  cause  their  election,  independently  of  his  pre- 
venting mercy.  This  also  is  the  meaning  of  that  passage  of 
Paul,  "  Who  hath  first  given  to  him,  and  it  shall  be  recompensed 
unto  him  again?"  (ji)  For  his  design  is  to  show,  that  God's 
goodness  altogether  anticipates  men,  finding  nothing  in  them, 
either  past  or  future,  to  conciliate  his  favour  towards  them. 

IV.  In  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  where  he  goes  to  the 
bottom  of  this  argument,  and  pursues  it  more  at  length,  he  says, 
"  They  are  not  all  Israel  which  are  "  born  "  of  Israel ;  "  (o)  be- 
cause though  all  were  blessed  by  hereditary  right,  yet  the  suc- 
cession did  not  pass  to  all  alike.  This  controversy  originated 
in  the  pride  and  vain-glorying  of  the  Jewish  people,  who,  claim- 
ing for  themselves  the  title  of  the  Church,  would  make  the 
faith  of  the  gospel  to  depend  on  their  decision ;  just  as,  in 
the  present  day,  the  Papists  with  this  false  pretext  would  sub- 
stitute themselves  in  the  place  of  God.  Paul,  though  he  admits 
the  posterity  of  Abraham  to  be  holy  in  consequence  of  the 
covenant,  yet  contends  that  most  of  them  are  strangers  to 
it ;  and  that  not  only  because  they  degenerate,  from  legitimate 
children  becoming  spurious  ones,  but  because  the  preeminence 
and  sovereignty  belong  to  God's  special  election,  which  is  the 
sole  foundation  of  the  validity  of  their  adoption.  If  some  were 
established  in  the  hope  of  salvation  by  their  own  piety,  and  the 
rejection  of  others  were  owing  wholly  to  their  own  defection, 
Paul's  reference  of  his  readers  to  the  secret  election  would  indeed 
be  weak  and  absurd.  Now,  if  the  will  of  God,  of  which  no 
cause  appears  or  must  be  sought  out  of  himself,  discriminates 
some  from  others,  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  are  not  all  true 
Israelites,  it  is  in  vain  pretended  that  the  condition  of  every 
individual  originates  with  himself.     He  pursues  the  subject  fur- 

(Z)  Ephes.  i.  9.         (m)  John  xv.  16.         (ii)  Rom.  xi.  3-5.  (o)  Rom.  ix.  6. 

VOL.  II.  20 


154  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

ther  under  the  example  of  Jacob  and  Esau  ;  for  being  both  child- 
ren of  Abraham,  and  both  enclosed  in  their  mother's  womb,  the 
transfer  of  the  honour  of  primogeniture  to  Jacob  was  by  a  pre- 
ternatural change,  which  Paul,  however,  contends  indicated  the 
election  of  the  one  and  the  reprobation  of  the  other.  The  ori- 
gin and  the  cause  are  inquired,  which  the  champions  of  fore- 
knowledge maintain  to  be  exhibited  in  the  virtues  and  the  vices  of 
men.  For  this  is  their  short  and  easy  doctrine  —  That  God  has 
showed  in  the  person  of  Jacob,  that  he  elects  such  as  are  worthy 
of  his  grace  ;  and  in  the  person  of  Esau,  that  he  rejects  those 
whom  he  foresees  to  be  unworthy.  This,  indeed,  they  assert 
with  confidence  ;  but  what  is  the  testimony  of  Paul  ?  "  The 
children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any  good  or 
evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  election  might  stand, 
not  of  works,  but  of  him  that  calleth,  it  was  said.  The  elder 
shall  serve  the  younger ;  as  it  is  written,  Jacob  have  I  loved, 
but  Esau  have  I  hated."  Qo)  If  this  distinction  between  the 
brothers  was  influenced  by  foreknowledge,  the  mention  of  the 
time  must  certainly  be  unnecessary.  On  the  supposition  that 
Jacob  was  elected,  because  that  honour  was  acquired  by  his 
future  virtues,  to  what  purpose  could  Paul  remark  that  he  was 
not  yet  born  ?  It  would  not  have  been  so  proper  to  add,  that 
he  had  not  yet  done  any  good ;  for  it  will  be  immediately 
replied,  that  nothing  is  concealed  from  God,  and  therefore  the 
piety  of  Jacob  must  have  been  present  before  him.  If  grace  be 
the  reward  of  works,  they  ought  to  have  had  their  just  value 
attributed  to  them  before  Jacob  was  born,  as  much  as  if  he 
were  already  grown  to  maturity.  But  the  apostle  proceeds  in 
unravelling  the  difficulty,  and  teaches  that  the  adoption  of  Ja- 
cob flowed  not  from  works,  but  from  the  calling  of  God.  In 
speaking  of  works,  he  introduces  no  time,  future  or  past,  but 
positively  opposes  them  to  the  calling  of  God,  intending  the 
establishment  of  the  one,  and  the  absolute  subversion  of  the 
other  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  We  must  consider  the  good  plea- 
sure of  God,  and  not  the  productions  of  men.  Lastly,  the  very 
terms,  election  and  purpose^  certainly  exclude  from  this  subject 
all  the  causes  frequently  invented  by  men,  independently  of 
God's  secret  counsel. 

Y.  Now,  what  pretexts  will  be  urged  to  obscure  these  argu- 
ments, by  those  who  attribute  to  works,  either  past  or  future, 
any  influence  on  election  ?  For  this  is  nothing  but  an  evasion 
of  the  apostle's  argument,  that  the  distinction  between  the  two 
brothers  depends  not  on  any  consideration  of  works,  but  on  the 
mere  calling  of  God,  because  it  was  fixed  between  them  Avheu 
they  were  not  yet  born.     Nor   would  their  subtilty  have  es- 

iy)  Rom.  ix.  11—13. 


CHAP.     XXII.  I  CHRISTIAN     KELltilUIN.  lUiJ 

caped  him,  if  there  had  been  any  soHdity  in  it ;  bat  well  know- 
ing the  impossibility  of  God's  foreseeing  any  good  in  man,  ex- 
cept what  he  had  first  determined  to  bestow  by  the  benefit  of 
his  election,  he  resorts  not  to  the  preposterous  order  of  placing 
good  works  before  their  cause.  We  have  the  apostle's  author- 
ity that  the  salvation  of  believers  is  founded  solely  oL  the  de- 
cision of  Divine  election,  and  that  that  favour  is  not  procured 
by  works,  but  proceeds  from  gratuitous  calling.  We  have  also 
a  lively  exhibition  of  this  truth  in  a  particular  example.  Jacob 
and  Esau  are  brothers,  begotten  of  the  same  parents,  still  en- 
closed in  the  same  womb,  not  yet  brought  forth  into  light ; 
there  is  in  all  respects  a  perfect  equality  between  them ;  yet 
the  judgment  of  God  concerning  them  is  diiferent.  For  he 
takes  one,  and  rejects  the  other.  The  primogeniture  was  the 
only  thing  that  gave  one  a  right  of  priority  to  the  other.  But 
that  also  is  passed  by,  and  on  the  younger  is  bestowed  what  is 
refused  to  the  elder.  In  other  instances,  also,  God  appears 
always  to  have  treated  primogeniture  with  designed  and  deci- 
ded contempt,  to  cut  off  from  the  flesh  all  occasion  of  boasting. 
He  rejects  Ishmael,  and  favours  Isaac.  He  degrades  Manasseh, 
and  honours  Ephraim. 

VI.  If  it  be  objected,  that  from  these  inferior  and  inconsider- 
able benefits,  it  must  not  be  concluded  respecting  the  life  to 
come,  that  he  who  has  been  raised  to  the  honour  of  prmiogeni- 
ture  is  therefore  to  be  considered  as  adopted  to  the  inheritance 
of  heaven,  —  for  there  are  many  who  spare  not  Paul,  as  though 
in  his  citation  of  Scripture  testimonies  he  had  perverted  them 
from  their  genuine  meaning,  —  I  answer  as  before,  that  the 
apostle  has  neither  erred  through  inadvertency,  nor  wilfully 
perverted  testimonies  of  Scripture.  But  he  saw,  what  they 
cannot  bear  to  consider,  that  God  intended  by  an  earthly 
symbol  to  declare  the  spiritual  election  of  Jacob,  which  other- 
wise lay  concealed  behind  his  inaccessible  tribunal.  For 
unless  the  primogeniture  granted  him  had  reference  to  the 
future  world,  it  was  a  vain  and  ridiculous  kind  of  blessing, 
which  produced  him  nothing  but  various  afilictions  and  ad- 
.  versities,  grievous  exile,  numerous  cares,  and  bitter  sorrows. 
Discerning,  beyond  all  doubt,  that  God's  external  blessing  was 
an  indication  of  the  spiritual  and  permanent  blessing  he  had 
prepared  for  his  servant  in  his  kingdom,  Paul  hesitated  not  to 
argue  from  the  former  in  proof  of  the  latter.  It  must  also  be 
remembered,  that  to  the  land  of  Canaan  was  annexed  the 
pledge  of  the  celestial  residence ;  so  that  it  ought  not  to 
be  doubted  that  Jacob  was  ingrafted  with  angels  into  the  body 
of  Christ,  that  he  might  be  a  partaker  of  the  same  life.  While 
Esau  is  rejected,  therefore,  Jacob  is  elected,  and  distinguished 
from  him  by  God's  predestination,  without  any  difference  of 


j[56  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

merit.  If  you  inquire  the  cause,  the  apostle  assigns  the  fol- 
lowing :  "  For  he  saith  to  Moses,  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom 
I  will  have  mercy,  and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I 
will  have  compassion."  {q)  And  what  is  this  but  a  plain  de- 
claration of  the  Lord,  that  he  finds  no  cause  in  men  to  induce 
him  to  show  favour  to  them,  but  derives  it  solely  from  his 
own  mercy :  and  therefore  that  the  salvation  of  his  people  is 
his  work  ?  When  God  fixes  your  salvation  in  himself  alone, 
why  will  you  descend  into  yourself?  When  he  assigns  you 
his  mere  mercy,  why  will  you  have  recourse  to  your  own 
merits  ?  When  he  confines  all  your  attention  to  his  mercy, 
why  will  you  divert  part  of  it  to  the  contemplation  of  your 
own  works  ?  We  must  therefore  come  to  that  more  select 
people,  whom  Paul  in  another  place  tells  us  "  God  fore- 
knew," (r)  not  using  this  word,  according  to  the  fancy  of  our 
opponents,  to  signify  a  prospect,  from  a  place  of  idle  observa- 
tion, of  things  which  he  has  no  part  in  transacting,  but  in  the 
sense  in  which  it  is  frequently  used.  For  certainly,  when 
Peter  says  that  Christ  was  "delivered  "  to  death  "by  the  de- 
terminate counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God,"  (s)  he  introduces 
God  not  as  a  mere  spectator,  but  as  the  Author  of  our  salvation. 
So  the  same  apostle,  by  calling  believers,  to  whom  he  writes, 
"elect  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God,"  (/)  properly 
expresses  that  secret  predestination  by  which  God  has  marked 
out  whom  he  would  as  his  children.  And  the  word  purpose, 
which  is  added  as  a  synonymous  term,  and  in  common  speech 
is  always  expressive  of  fixed  determination,  undoubtedly  im- 
plies that  God,  as  the  Author  of  our  salvation,  does  not  go  out 
of  himself.  In  this  sense  Christ  is  called,  in  the  same  chapter, 
the  "Lamb  foreknown  before  the  foundation  of  the  world."' 
For  what  can  be  more  absurd  or  uninteresting,  than  God's 
looking  from  on  high  to  see  from  what  quarter  salvation 
would  come  to  mankind  ?  The  people,  therefore,  Avhom  Paul 
describes  as  "foreknown,"  (u)  are  no  other  than  a  small  num- 
ber scattered  among  the  multitude,  who  falsely  pretend  to  be 
the  people  of  God.  In  another  place  also,  to  repress  the  boast- 
ing of  hypocrites  assuming  before  the  world  the  preeminence 
among  the  godly,  Paul  declares,  "  The  Lord  knoweth  them 
that  are  his."  (x)  Lastly,  by  this  expression  Paul  designates 
two  classes  of  people,  one  consisting  of  the  whole  race  of 
Abraham,  the  other  separated  from  it,  reserved  under  the  eyes 
of  God,  and  concealed  from  the  view  of  men.  And  this,  with- 
out doubt,  he  gathered  from  ]Moses,  who  asserts  that  God  will 
he  merciful  to  whom  he  will  be  merciful ;  though  he  is  speak- 
er) Rom.  ix.  15.  (s)  Acts  ii.  23.  (».•)  Rom.  xi.  2. 
(r)  Rom.  xi.  2.                     {t}  1  Pet.  i.  2.  (x)  2  Tim.  ii.  19 


CHAP.    XXII.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  lO/ 

ing  of  the  chosen  people,  whose  condition  was,  to  outward  ap- 
pearance, all  alike  ;  as  though  he  had  said,  that  the  common 
adoption  includes  in  it  peculiar  grace  towards  some,  who  re- 
semble a  more  sacred  treasure  ;  that  the  common  covenant 
prevents  not  this  smaU  number  being  exempted  from  the  com- 
mon lot ;  and  that,  determined  to  represent  himself  as  the  un- 
controlled dispenser  and  arbiter  in  this  affair,  he  positively 
denies  that  he  will  have  mercy  on  one  rather  than  another, 
from  any  other  motive  than  his  own  pleasure  ;  because,  when 
mercy  meets  a  person  who  seeks  it,  though  he  suffers  no  re- 
pulse, yet  he  either  anticipates  or  in  some  degree  obtains  for 
himself  that  favour,  of  which  God  claims  to  himself  all  the 
praise. 

VII.  Now,  let  the  supreme  Master  and  Judge  decide  the 
whole  matter.  Beholding  in  his  hearers  such  extreme  obdu- 
racy, that  his  discourses  were  scattered  among  the  multitude 
almost  without  any  effect,  to  obviate  this  offence,  he  exclaims, 
"  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me,  shall  come  to  me.  And  this 
is  the  Father's  will,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me,  I 
should  lose  nothing."  {y)  Observe,  the  origin  is  from  the  do- 
nation of  the  Father,  that  we  are  given  into  the  custody 
and  protection  of  Christ.  Here,  perhaps,  some  one  may  argue 
in  a  circle,  and  object,  that  none  are  considered  as  the  Father's 
peculiar  people,  but  those  whose  surrender  has  been  voluntary, 
arising  from  faith.  But  Christ  only  insists  on  this  point  —  that 
notwithstanding  the  defections  of  vast  multitudes,  shaking  the 
whole  world,  yet  the  counsel  of  God  will  be  stable  and  firmer 
than  the  heavens,  so  that  election  can  never  fail.  They  are 
said  to  have  been  the  elect  of  the  Father,  before  he  gave  them 
to  his  only  begotten  Son.  Is  it  inquired  whether  this  was  by 
nature  ?  No,  he  draws  those  who  were  strangers,  and  so  makes 
them  his  children.  The  language  of  Christ  is  too  clear  to  be 
perplexed  by  the  quibbles  of  sophistry  :  "  No  man  can  come  to 
me,  except  the  Father  draw  him.  Every  man  that  hath  heard 
and  learned  of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me."(2r)  If  all  men 
promiscuously  submitted  to  Christ,  election  would  be  common: 
now,  the  fewness  of  believers  discovers  a  manifest  distinction. 
Having  asserted  his  disciples  therefore,  who  were  given  to  him, 
to  be  the  peculiar  portion  of  the  Father,  Christ  a  little  after 
adds,  "  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou  hast 
given  me,  for  they  are  thine ;"  (a)  which  shows  that  the  whole 
world  does  not  belong  to  its  Creator  ;  only  that  grace  de- 
livers from  the  curse  and  wrath  of  God,  and  from  eternal  death, 
a  few,  who  would  otherwise  perish,  but  leaves  the  world  in  its 
destruction,  to  which  it  has  been  destined.     At  the  same  time, 

(i/)  John  vi.  37,  39.  (i)  John  vi.  44,  45.  (a)  John  xvii.  9. 


158  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

though  Christ  introduces  himself  in  his  mediatorial  capacity, 
yet  he  claims  to  himself  the  right  of  election,  in  common  with 
the  Father.  "  I  speak  not  of  all,"  he  says  ;  ''I  know  whom  I 
have  chosen."  (b)  If  it  be  inquired  whence  he  chose  them, 
he  elscAvhere  answers,  "out  of  the  world,"  (c)  which  he  ex- 
cludes from  his  prayers,  when  he  commends  his  disciples  to  the 
Father.  It  must  be  admitted,  that  when  Christ  asserts  his 
knowledge  of  whom  he  has  chosen,  it  refers  to  a  particular 
class  of  mankind,  and  that  they  are  distinguished,  not  by  the 
nature  of  their  virtues,  but  by  the  decree  of  Heaven.  "Whence 
it  follows,  that  none  attain  any  excellence  by  their  own  ability 
or  industry,  since  Christ  represents  himself  as  the  author  of 
election.  His  enumeration  of  Judas  among  the  elect,  though 
he  was  a  devil,  only  refers  to  the  apostolical  office,  which, 
though  an  illustrious  instance  of  the  Divine  favour,  as  Paul  so 
frequently  acknowledges  in  his  own  person,  yet  does  not  in- 
clude the  hope  of  eternal  salvation.  Judas,  therefore,  in  his 
unfaithful  exercise  of  the  apostleship,  might  be  worse  than  a 
devil ;  but  of  those  whom  Christ  has  once  united  to  his  body, 
he  will  never  suffer  one  to  perish ;  for  in  securing  their  salva- 
tion, he  will  perform  what  he  has  promised,  by  exerting  the 
power  of  God,  who  is  greater  than  all.  What  he  says  in 
another  place,  "  Those  that  thou  gavest  me  I  have  kept,  and 
none  of  them  is  lost,  but  the  son  of  perdition,"  is  a  mode  of 
expression,  called  catachresis,  but  the  sense  is  sufficiently  plain. 
The  conclusion  is,  that  God  creates  whom  he  chooses  to  be 
his  children  by  gratuitous  adoption  ;  that  the  cause  of  this  is 
wholly  in  himself;  because  he  exclusively  regards  his  own 
secret  determination. 

VIII.  But,  it  will  be  said,  Ambrose,  Origen,  and  Jerome 
believed  that  God  dispenses  his  grace  among  men,  according  to 
his  foreknowledge  of  the  good  use  which  every  individual  will 
make  of  it.  Augustine  also  was  once  of  the  same  sentiment  ; 
but  when  he  had  made  a  greater  proficiency  in  scriptural  know- 
ledge, he  not  only  retracted,  but  powerfully  confuted  it.  And 
after  his  retractation,  rebuking  the  Pelagians  for  persisting  in 
this  error,  he  says,  "  Who  but  must  wonder  that  this  most 
ingenious  sense  should  escape  the  apostle  ?  For  after  propo- 
sing what  was  calculated  to  excite  astonishment  respecting 
those  children  yet  unborn,  he  started  to  himself,  by  way  of 
objection,  the  following  question  :  What,  then,  is  there  unright- 
eousness with  God  ?  It  was  the  place  for  him  to  answer,  that 
God  foresaw  the  merits  of  each  of  them;  yet  he  .says  nothing 
of  this,  but  resorts  to  the  decrees  and  mercy  of  God."  And  in 
another  place,  after  having  discarded  all  merits  antecedent  to 

(b)  John  xiii.  18.  (c)  John  xv.  19 


CHAP.    XXII. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  lOU 

election,  he  says,  "  Here  undoubtedly  falls  to  the  ground  the 
vain  reasoning  of  those  who  defend  the  foreknowledge  of  God 
in  opposition  to  his  grace,  and  affirm  that  we  were  elected  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  world,  because  God  foreknew  that 
we  would  be  good,  not  that  he  himself  would  make  us  good. 
This  is  not  the  language  of  him  who  says,  '  Ye  have  not  cho- 
sen me,  but  I  have  chosen  you.'  (d)  For  if  he  elected  us 
because  he  foreknew  our  future  good,  he  must  also  have  fore- 
known our  choice  of  him  ;  "  and  more  to  the  like  purpose. 
This  testimony  should  have  weight  with  those  who  readily  ac- 
quiesce in  the  authority  of  the  fathers.  Though  Augustine 
will  not  allow  himself  to  be  disunited  from  the  rest,  but  shows 
by  clear  testimonies  the  falsehood  of  that  discordance,  with  the 
odium  of  which  he  was  loaded  by  the  Pelagians,  he  makes  the 
following  quotations  from  Ambrose's  book  on  predestination  : 
"  Whom  Christ  has  mercy  on,  him  he  calls.  Those  who 
were  indevout  he  could,  if  he  would,  have  made  devout. 
But  God  calls  whom  he  pleases,  and  makes  whom  he  will 
religious."  If  I  were  inclined  to  compile  a  whole  volume 
from  xlugustine,  I  could  easily  show  my  readers,  that  I  need 
no  words  but  his  ;  but  I  am  unwilling  to  burden  them  with 
prolixity.  But  come,  let  us  suppose  them  to  be  silent ;  let  us 
attend  to  the  subject  itself  A  difficult  question  was  raised  — 
Whether  it  was  a  just  procedure  in  God  to  favour  with  his 
grace  certain  particular  persons.  This  Paul  could  have  decided 
by  a  single  word,  if  he  had  pleaded  the  consideration  of  works. 
Why,  then,  does  he  not  do  this,  but  rather  continue  his  dis- 
course involved  in  the  same  difficulty  ?  Why,  but  from  ne- 
cessity ?  for  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  spoke  by  his  mouth,  never 
laboured  under  the  malady  of  forgetfulness.  Without  any 
evasion  or  circumlocution,  therefore,  he  answers,  that  God  fa- 
vours his  elect  because  he  will,  and  has  mercy  because  he  will. 
For  this  oracle,  "  I  will  be  gracious  to  whom  I  will  be  gracious, 
and  will  show  mercy  on  whom  I  will  show  mercy,"  (e)  is 
equivalent  to  a  declaration,  that  God  is  excited  to  mercy  by  no 
other  motive  than  his  own  will  to  be  merciful.  The  observa- 
tion of  Augustine  therefore  remains  true,  "  that  the  grace  of 
God  does  not  find  men  fit  to  be  elected,  but  makes  them  so." 

IX.  We  shall  not  dwell  upon  the  sophistry  of  Thomas  Aqui- 
nas, ''that  the  foreknowledge  of  merits  is  not  the  cause  of  pre- 
destination in  regard  to  the  act  of  him  who  predestinates ;  but 
that  with  regard  to  us,  it  may  in  some  sense  be  so  called,  ac- 
cording to  the  particular  consideration  of  predestiriation  ;  as 
when  God  is  said  to  predestinate  glory  for  man  according  to 
merits,  because  he  decreed  to  give  him  grace  by  which  glory  is 

(d)  John  XV.  16.  (e)  Exod.  xxxiii.  19. 


160  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

merited."  For  since  the  Lord  allows  us  to  contemplate  nothing 
in  election  but  his  mere  goodness,  the  desire  of  any  one  to  see 
any  thing  more  is  a  preposterous  disposition.  But  if  we  Avere 
inclined  to  a  contention  of  subtilty,  we  should  be  at  no  loss  to 
refute  this  petty  sophism  of  Aquinas.  He  contends  that  glory 
is  in  a  certain  sense  predestinated  for  the  elect  according  to 
their  merits,  because  God  predestinates  to  them  the  grace  by 
which  glory  is  merited.  What  if  I,  on  the  contrary,  reply, 
that  predestination  to  grace  is  subordinate  to  election  to  life, 
and  attendant  upon  it?  that  grace  is  predestinated  to  those  to 
whom  the  possession  of  glory  has  been  already  assigned  ;  be- 
cause it  pleases  the  Lord  to  conduct  his  children  from  election 
to  justification  ?  For  hence  it  will  follow,  that  predestination  to 
glory  is  rather  the  cause  of  predestination  to  grace,  than  the 
contrary.  But  let  us  dismiss  these  controversies ;  they  are 
unnecessary  with  those  who  think  they  have  wisdom  enough 
in  the  word  of  God.  For  it  was  truly  remarked  by  an  ancient 
ecclesiastical  writer.  That  they  who  ascribe  God's  election  to 
merits,  are  wiser  than  they  ought  to  be. 

X.  It  is  objected  by  some,  that  God  will  be  inconsistent 
with  himself,  if  he  invites  all  men  universally  to  come  to  him, 
and  receives  only  a  few  elect.  Thus,  according  to  them,  the 
universality  of  the  promises  destroys  the  discrimination  of  special 
grace ;  and  this  is  the  language  of  some  moderate  men,  not  so 
much  for  the  sake  of  suppressing  the  truth,  as  to  exclude  thorny 
questions,  and  restrain  the  curiosity  of  many.  The  end  is  laudable, 
but  the  means  cannot  be  approved  ;  for  disingenuous  evasion  can 
never  be  excused  ;  but  with  those  who  use  insult  and  invective,  it 
is  a  foul  cavil  or  a  shameful  error.  How  the  Scripture  reconciles 
these  two  facts,  that  by  external  preaching  all  are  called  to  re- 
pentance and  faith,  and  yet  that  the  spirit  of  repentance  and  faith 
is  not  given  to  all,  I  have  elsewhere  stated,  and  shall  soon  have 
occasion  partly  to  repeat.  What  they  assume,  I  deny,  as  being 
false  in  two  respects.  For  he  wlio  threatens  drought  to  one  city 
while  it  rains  upon  another,  and  who  denounces  to  another  place 
a  famine  of  doctrine,  (/)  lays  himself  under  no  positive  obliga- 
tion to  call  all  men  alike.  And  he  who,  forbidding  Paul  to 
preach  the  word  in  Asia,  and  suffering  him  not  to  go  into 
Bithynia,  calls  him  into  Macedonia,  (g)  demonstrates  his  right 
to  distribute  this  treasure  to  whom  he  pleases.  In  Isaiah,  he 
still  more  fully  declares  his  destination  of  the  promises  of  sal- 
vation exclusively  for  the  elect ;  for  of  them  only,  and  not 
indiscriminately  of  all  mankind,  he  declares  that  they  shall  be 
his  disciples,  (h)  Whence  it  appears,  tliat  when  the  doctrine 
of  salvation  is  offered  to  all  for  their  effectual  benefit,  it  is  a 

(/)  Amos  iv.  7;  viii.  11.         (g)  Acts  \\\.  G — 10.  (A)  Isaiah  viii.  IG,  &c. 


CHAP.    XXII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  161 

corrupt  prostitution  of  that  which  is  declared  to  be  reserved  par- 
ticularly for  the  children  of  the  church.  At  present  let  this  suf- 
fice, that  though  the  voice  of  the  gospel  addresses  all  men  gene- 
rally, yet  the  gift  of  faith  is  bestowed  on  few.  Isaiah  assigns  the 
cause,  that  "  the  arm  of  the  Lord  "  is  not  "  revealed"  to  all.  (?) 
If  he  had  said,  that  the  gospel  is  wickedly  and  perversely  despised, 
because  many  obstinately  refuse  to  hear  it,  perhaps  there  would 
be  some  colour  for  this  notion  of  the  universal  call.  The  design 
of  the  prophet  is  not  to  extenuate  the  guilt  of  men,  when  he 
states  that  the  source  of  blindness  is  God's  not  deigning  to 
reveal  his  arm  to  them  ;  he  only  suggests  that  their  ears  are  in 
vain  assailed  with  external  doctrine,  because  faith  is  a  peculiar 
gift.  I  would  wish  to  be  informed  by  these  teachers,  whether 
men  become  children  of  God  by  mere  preaching,  or  b,y  faith. 
Surely,  when  John  declares  that  all  who  believe  in  God's  only 
begotten  Son,  are  themselves  made  the  children  of  God,  (/*;)  this 
is  not  said  of  all  the  hearers  of  the  word  in  a  confused  mass,  but 
a  particular  rank  is  assigned  to  believers,  "  which  were  born, 
not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man, 
but  of  God."  (/)  But  they  say,  there  is  a  mutual  agreement 
between  faith  and  the  word.  This  is  the  case  wherevei  there 
is  any  faith  ;  but  it  is  no  new  thing  for  the  seed  to  fall  imiong 
thorns  or  in  stony  places  ;  not  only  because  most  men  are  evi- 
dently in  actual  rebellion  against  God,  but  because  they  are  not 
all  endued  with  eyes  and  ears.  Where,  then,  will  be  the  consis- 
tency of  God's  calling  to  himself  such  as  he  knows  will  never 
come  ?  Let  Augustine  answer  for  me  :  "  Do  you  wish  to  dis- 
pute with  me  ?  Rather  unite  with  me  in  admiration,  and  ex- 
claim, O  the  depth  !  Let  us  both  agree  in  fear,  lest  we  perish 
in  error."  Besides,  if  election  is,  as  Paul  represents  it,  the 
parent  of  faith,  I  retort  that  argument  upon  them,  that  faith 
cannot  be  general,  because  election  is  special.  For  from  the 
connection  of  causes  and  effects,  it  is  easily  inferred,  when  Paul 
says,  "  God  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings,  according 
as  he  hath  chosen  us  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  :  "  that 
therefore  these  treasures  are  not  common  to  all,  because  God 
has  chosen  only  such  as  he  pleased.  This  is  the  reason  why, 
in  another  place,  he  commends  "  the  faith  of  God's  elect ;  "  (m) 
that  none  may  be  supposed  to  acquire  faith  by  any  exertion  of 
their  own,  but  that  God  may  retain  the  glory  of  freely  illumi- 
nating the  objects  of  his  previous  election.  For  Bernard  justly 
observes,  "  Friends  hear  each  one  for  himself  \vhen  he  addresses 
them,  '  Fear  not,  little  flock,  for  to  you  it  is  given  to  know  the 
mystery  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  Who  are  these  ?  Certainly 
those  whom  he  has  foreknown  and  predestinated  to  be  con- 

(i)  Isaiah  liii.  1.  (k)  John  i.  12.  (0  John  i.  13.  (jn)  Titus  i.  1. 

VOL.    II.  21 


162  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

formed  to  the  image  of  his  Son.  The  great  and  secret  coun- 
sel has  been  revealed.  The  Lord  knows  who  are  his,  but 
what  was  known  to  God  is  manifested  to  men.  Nor  does  he 
favour  any  others  with  the  participation  of  so  great  a  mystery, 
but  those  particular  individuals  whom  he  foreknew,  and  pre- 
destinated to  be  his  own."  A  little  after  he  concludes,  "  The 
mercy  of  God  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that 
fear  him  ;  from  everlasting  in  predestination,  to  everlasting  in 
beatification ;  the  one  knowing  no  beginning ;  the  other,  no 
end."  But  what  necessity  is  there  for  citing  the  testimony  of 
Bernard,  since  we  hear  from  the  Master's  own  mouth,  that  "  no 
man  hath  seen  the  Father,  save  he  which  is  of  God,"  (n)  which 
implies,  that  all  who  are  not  regenerated  by  God,  are  stupe- 
fied with  the  splendour  of  his  countenance.  Faith,  indeed,  is 
properly  connected  with  election,  provided  it  occupies  the  se- 
cond place.  This  order  is  clearly  expressed  in  these  words 
of  Christ :  "  This  is  the  Father's  will,  that  of  all  which  he  hath 
given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing.  And  this  is  the  will  of  him 
that  sent  me,  that  every  one  which  believeth  on  the  Son,  may 
have  everlasting  life."  (o)  If  he  willed  the  salvation  of  all,  he 
would  give  them  all  into  the  custody  of  his  Son,  and  unite  them 
all  to  his  body  by  the  sacred  bond  of  faith.  Now,  it  is  evident, 
that  faith  is  the  peculiar  pledge  of  his  paternal  love,  reserved  for 
his  adopted  children.  Therefore  Christ  says  in  another  place, 
"  The  sheep  follow  the  shepherd,  for  they  know  his  voice  ;  and 
a  stranger  will  they  not  follow,  for  they  know  not  the  voice  of 
strangers."  (p)  Whence  arises  this  difference,  but  because  their 
ears  are  divinely  penetrated  ?  For  no  man  makes  himself  a 
sheep,  but  is  created  such  by  heavenly  grace.  Hence  also  the 
Lord  proves  the  perpetual  certainty  and  security  of  our  salvation, 
because  it  is  kept  by  the  invincible  power  of  God.  (q)  There- 
fore he  concludes  that  unbelievers  are  not  his  sheep,  because 
they  are  not  of  the  number  of  those  whom  God  by  Isaiah 
promised  to  him  for  his  future  disciples,  (r)  Moreover,  the  testi- 
monies I  have  cited,  being  expressive  of  perseverance,  are  so 
many  declarations  of  the  invariable  perpetuity  of  election. 

XI.  Now,  with  respect  to  the  reprobate,  whom  the  apostle 
introduces  in  the  same  place  ;  as  Jacob,  without  any  merit  yet 
acquired  by  good  works,  is  made  an  object  of  grace,  so  Esau, 
while  yet  unpolluted  by  any  crime,  is  accounted  an  object  of 
hatred,  (s)  If  we  turn  our  attention  to  works,  we  insult  the 
apostle,  as  though  he  saw  not  that  which  is  clear  to  us.  Now, 
that  he  saw  none,  is  evident,  because  he  expressly  asserts  the  one 
to  have  been  elected  and  the  other  rejected  while  they  had  not 

(n)   John  vi.  46.        (p)   John  x.  4,  5.       (r)  John  x.  26 
{o)   John  vi.  39,  40.      {q)   John  x.  29.       (s)   Rom.  ix.  13. 


CHAP.    XXIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  163 

done  any  good  or  evil ;  in  order  to  prove  the  foundation  of  Divine 
predestination  not  to  be  in  works,  (t)  Secondly,  when  he  raises 
the  objection  whether  God  is  unjust,  he  never  urges,  what  would 
have  been  the  most  absolute  and  obvious  defence  of  his  justice, 
that  God  rewarded  Esau  according  to  his  wickedness  ;  but  con- 
tents himself  with  a  different  solution,  that  the  reprobate  are 
raised  up  for  this  purpose,  that  the  glory  of  God  may  be  dis- 
played by  their  means.  Lastly,  he  subjoins  a  concluding  obser- 
vation, that  "  God  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and 
whom  he  will  he  hardeneth."  (u)  You  see  how  he  attributes 
both  to  the  mere  will  of  God.  If,  therefore,  we  can  assign  no 
reason  why  he  grants  mercy  to  his  people  but  because  such  is 
his  pleasure,  neither  shall  we  find  any  other  cause  but  his  will 
for  the  reprobation  of  others.  For  when  God  is  said  to  harden 
or  show  mercy  to  whom  he  pleases,  men  are  taught  by  this 
declaration  to  seek  no  cause  beside  his  will. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 


A    REFUTATION    OF    THE     CALUMNIES     GENERALLY,    BUT     UNJUSTLY, 
URGED    AGAINST    THIS    DOCTRINE. 

When  the  human  mind  hears  these  things,  its  petulance 
breaks  all  restraint,  and  it  discovers  as  serious  and  violent 
agitation  as  if  alarmed  by  the  sound  of  a  martial  trumpet. 
Many,  indeed,  as  if  they  wished  to  avert  odium  from  God, 
admit  election  in  such  a  way  as  to  deny  that  any  one  is  repro- 
bated. But  this  is  puerile  and  absurd,  because  election  itself 
could  not  exist  without  being  opposed  to  reprobation.  God  is 
said  to  separate  those  whom  he  adopts  to  salvation.  To  say 
that  others  obtain  by  chance,  or  acquire  by  their  own  efforts, 
that  which  election  alone  confers  on  a  few,  will  be  worse  than 
absurd.  Whom  God  passes  by,  therefore,  he  reprobates,  and 
from  no  other  cause  than  his  determination  to  exclude  them 
from  the  inheritance  which  he  predestines  for  his  children. 
And  the  petulance  of  men  is  intolerable,  if  it  refuses  to  be  re- 
strained by  the  word  of  God,  which  treats  of  his  incomprehen- 
sible counsel,  adored  by  angels  themselves.  But  now  we  have 
heard  that  hardening  proceeds  from  the  Divine  power  and  will, 
as  much  as  mercy.  Unlike  the  persons  I  have  mentioned, 
Paul  never  strives  to  excuse  God  by  false  allegations ;  he  only 

(t)  Rom.  ix.  11.  (m)  Rom.  ix.  18. 


164  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

declares  that  it  is  unlawful  for  a  thing  formed  to  quarrel  with 
its  maker,  (x)     Now,  how  will  those,  who  admit  not  that  any 
are  reprobated  by  God,  evade  this  declaration  of  Christ :  "  Every 
plant  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be 
rooted  up  ?  "  (y)     Upon  all  whom  our  heavenly  Father  has  not 
deigned  to  plant  as  sacred  trees  in  his  garden,  they  hear  de- 
struction plainly  denounced.     If  they  deny  this  to  be  a  sign  of 
reprobation,  there  is  nothing  so  clear  as  to  be  capable  of  proof 
to  such  persons.     But  if  they  cease  not  their  clamour,  let  the 
sobriety  of  faith  be  satisfied  with  this  admonition  of  Paul,  that 
there  is  no  cause  for  quarrelling  with  God,  if,  on  the  one  hand, 
willing  to  show  his  wrath,  and  to  make  his  power  known,  he 
endures,    "  with   much   long-suffering,    the  vessels   of  wrath 
fitted  to  destruction ;  "  and  on  the  other,  makes  "  known  the 
riches  of  his  glory  on  the  vessels  of  mercy,  whom  he  had  afore 
prepared  unto  glory."  (2;)     Let  the  reader  observe  that,  to  pre- 
clude every  pretext  for  murmurs  and  censures,  Paul  ascribes 
supreme  dominion  to  the  wrath  and  power  of  God  ;  because  it 
is  unreasonable  for  those  deep  judgments,  which  absorb  all  our 
faculties,  to  be  called  in  question  by  us.     It  is  a  frivolous  reply 
of  our  adversaries,  that  God  does  not  wholly  reject  the  objects 
of  his  long-suffering,  but  remains  in  suspense  towards  them, 
awaiting  the  possibility  of  their  repentance ;  as  though  Paid 
attributed  patience  to   God,  in  expectation  of  the  conversion 
of  those  whom  he  asserts  to  be  fitted  to  destruction.     For 
Augustine,  in  expounding  this  passage,  where  power  is  con- 
nected with  patience,  justly  observes,  that  God's  power  is  not 
permissive,  but  influential.     They  observe,  also,  that  it  is  not 
said  without  meaning,  that  the  vessels  of  wrath  are  fitted  to 
destruction,  but  that  God  prepared  the  vessels  of  mercy  ;  since 
by  this  mode  of  expression,  he  ascribes  and  challenges  to  God 
the  praise  of  salvation,  and  throws  the  blame  of  perdition  upon 
those  who    by  their  choice    procure    it  to    themselves.     But 
though  I  concede  to  them,  that  Paul  softens  the  asperity  of  the 
former  clause  by  the  difference  of  phraseology,  yet  it  is  not  at 
all  consistent  to  transfer  the  preparation  for  destruction  to  any 
other  than  the  secret  counsel  of  God ;  which  is  also  asserted 
just  before  in  the  context,  that  "  God  raised  up  Pharaoh,  and 
whom  he  will  he   hardeneth."     Whence  it  follows,  that   the 
cause  of  hardening  is  the  secret  counsel  of  God.    This,  however, 
I  maintain,  which  is  observed  by  Augustine  that  when  God 
turns  wolves  into  sheep,  he  renovates  them  by  more  powerful 
grace  to  conquer  their  obduracy ;  and  therefore  the  obstinate 
are  not  converted,  because  God  exerts  not  that  mightier  grace, 
of  which  he  is  not  destitute,  if  he  chose  to  display  it. 

(x)  Rom.  ix.  20.  (y)  Matt.  xv.  13.  (2)  Rom.  ix.  22,  23. 


II.  These  things  will  amply  suffice  for  persons  of  piety  and 
modesty,  who  remember  that  they  are  men.  But  as  these  vir- 
ulent adversaries  are  not  content  with  one  species  of  opposition, 
we  will  reply  to  them  all  as  occasion  shall  require.  Foolish 
mortals  enter  into  many  contentions  with  God,  as  though  they 
could  arraign  him  to  plead  to  their  accusations.  In  the  first 
place  they  inquire,  by  what  right  the  Lord  is  angry  with  his 
creatures  who  had  not  provoked  him  by  any  previous  offence  ; 
for  that  to  devote  to  destruction  whom  he  pleases,  is  more 
like  the  caprice  of  a  tyrant  than  the  lawfid  sentence  of  a  judge ; 
that  men  have  reason,  therefore,  to  expostulate  with  God,  if 
they  are  predestinated  to  eternal  death  without  any  demerit 
of  their  own,  merely  by  his  sovereign  will.  If  such  thoughts 
ever  enter  the  minds  of  pious  men,  they  will  be  sufficiently 
enabled  to  break  their  violence  by  this  one  consideration,  how 
exceedingly  presumptuous  it  is  only  to  inquire  into  the  causes 
of  the  Divine  will ;  which  is  in  fact,  and  is  justly  entitled  to 
be,  the  cause  of  every  thing  that  exists.  For  if  it  has  any 
cause,  then  there  must  be  something  antecedent,  on  which  it 
depends  ;  which  it  is  impious  to  suppose.  For  the  will  of  God 
is  the  highest  rule  of  justice  ;  so  that  what  he  wills  must  be 
considered  just,  for  this  very  reason,  because  he  wills  it. 
When  it  is  inquired,  therefore,  why  the  Lord  did  so,  tlie  an- 
swer must  be.  Because  he  would.  But  if  you  go  further,  and 
ask  why  he  so  determined,  you  are  in  search  of  something 
greater  and  higher  than  the  will  of  God,  which  can  never  be 
found.  Let  human  temerity,  therefore,  desist  from  seeking 
that  which  is  not,  lest  it  should  fail  of  finding  that  which  is. 
This  will  be  a  sufficient  restraint  to  any  one  disposed  to  reason 
with  reverence  concerning  the  secrets  of  his  God.  Against 
the  audaciousness  of  the  impious,  who  are  not  afraid  openly  to 
rail  against  God,  the  Lord  will  sufficiently  defend  himself  by 
his  own  justice,  without  any  vindication  by  us,  when,  depriv- 
ing their  consciences  of  every  subterfuge,  he  shall  convict  them 
and  bind  them  with  a  sense  of  their  guilt.  Yet  we  espouse 
not  the  notion  of  the  Romish  theologians  concerning  the  ab- 
solute and  arbitrary  power  of  God,  which,  on  account  of  its 
profaneness,  deserves  our  detestation.  We  represent  not  God 
as  lawless,  who  is  a  law  to  himself ;  because,  as  Plato  says, 
laws  are  necessary  to  men,  who  are  the  subjects  of  evil  desires  ; 
but  the  will  of  God  is  not  only  pure  from  every  fault,  but  the 
highest  standard  of  perfection,  even  the  law  of  all  laws.  But 
we  deny  that  he  is  liable  to  be  called  to  any  account ;  we  deny 
also  that  we  are  proper  judges,  to  decide  on  this  cause  accord- 
ing to  our  own  apprehension.  Wherefore,  if  we  attempt  to 
go  beyond  what  is  lawful,  let  us  be  deterred  by  the  Psahnist, 


166  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

who  tells  us,  that  God  will  be  clear  when  he  is  judged  by 
mortal  man.  (a) 

III.  Thus  God  is  able  to  check  his  enemies  by  silence. 
But  that  we  may  not  sufler  them  to  deride  his  holy  name  with 
impunity,  he  supplies  us  from  his  word  with  arms  against 
them.  Therefore,  if  any  one  attack  us  with  such  an  inquiry 
as  this,  why  God  has  from  the  beginning  predestinated  some 
men  to  death,  who,  not  yet  being  brought  into  existence,  could 
not  yet  deserve  the  sentence  of  death,  —  we  will  reply  by  ask- 
ing them,  in  return,  what  they  suppose  God  owes  to  man,  if  he 
chooses  to  judge  of  him  from  his  own  nature.  As  we  are  all 
corrupted  by  sin,  we  must  necessarily  be  odious  to  God,  and 
that  not  from  tyrannical  cruelty,  but  in  the  most  equitable 
estimation  of  justice.  If  all  whom  the  Lord  predestinates  to 
death  are  in  their  natural  condition  liable  to  the  sentence  of  death, 
what  injustice  do  they  complain  of  receiving  from  him  ?  Let 
all  the  sons  of  Adam  come  forward ;  let  them  all  contend  and 
dispute  with  their  Creator,  because  by  his  eternal  providence 
they  were  previously  to  their  birth  adjudged  to  endless  misery. 
What  murmur  will  they  be  able  to  raise  against  this  vindication, 
when  God,  on  the  other  hand,  shall  call  them  to  a  review  of 
themselves.  If  they  have  all  been  taken  from  a  corrupt  mass, 
it  is  no  wonder  that  they  are  subject  to  condemnation.  Let 
them  not,  therefore,  accuse  God  of  injustice,  if  his  eternal 
decree  has  destined  them  to  death,  to  which  they  feel  them- 
selves, whatever  be  their  desire  or  aversion,  spontaneously  led 
forward  by  their  own  nature.  Hence  appears  the  perverseness 
of  their  disposition  to  murmur,  because  they  intentionally  sup- 
press the  cause  of  condemnation,  which  they  are  constrained 
to  acknowledge  in  themselves,  hoping  to  excuse  themselves  by 
charging  it  upon  God.  But  though  I  ever  so  often  admit 
God  to  be  the  author  of  it,  which  is  perfectly  correct,  yet  this 
does  not  abolish  the  guilt  impressed  upon  their  consciences, 
and  from  time  to  time  recurring  to  their  view. 

IV.  They  further  object.  Were  they  not,  by  the  decree  of 
God,  antecedently  predestinated  to  that  corruption  which  is 
now  stated  as  the  cause  of  condemiiation  ?  Wlien  they  perish 
in  tlicir  corruption,  therefore,  they  only  suffer  the  punishment 
of  that  misery  into  which,  in  consequence  of  his  predesti- 
nation, Adam  fell,  and  precipitated  his  posterity  with  him.  Is 
he  not  unjnst,  therefore,  in  treating  his  creatures  with  such 
cruel  mockery  ?  I  confess,  indeed,  that  all  the  descendants  of 
Adam  fell  by  the  Divine  will  into  that  miserable  condition  in 
which  they  are  now  involved  ;  and  this  is  what  I  asserted  from 
the  beginning,  that  we  must  always  return  at  last  to  the  sove- 

(a)  Psalm  li.  4. 


roigii  determination  of  God's  will,  the  cause  of  which  is  hidden 
in  himself.  But  it  follows  not,  therefore,  that  God  is  liable  to 
this  reproach.  For  we  will  answer  them  thus  in  the  language 
of  Paul  :  "  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God  ? 
Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it.  Why  hast 
thou  made  me  thus  ?  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay, 
of  the  same  lump,  to  make  one  vessel  unto  honour  and 
another  unto  dishonour  ?"  (6)  They  will  deny  this  to  be  in 
reality  any  vindication  of  God's  justice,  and  call  it  a  subterfuge, 
such  as  is  commonly  resorted  to  by  persons  destitute  of  a  suffi- 
cient defence.  For  what  appears  to  be  the  meaning  of  this, 
but  that  God  possesses  power,  that  cannot  be  resisted,  of  doing 
any  thing  whatsoever  according  to  his  pleasure  ?  But  it  is 
very  different.  For  what  stronger  reason  can  be  alleged,  than 
when  we  are  directed  to  consider  who  God  is  ?  How  could 
any  injustice  be  committed  by  him  who  is  the  Judge  of  the 
world  ?  If  it  is  the  peculiar  property  of  the  nature  of  God  to 
do  justice,  then  he  naturally  loves  righteousness  and  hates 
iniquity.  The  apostle,  therefore,  has  not  resorted  to  sophistry, 
as  if  he  were  in  danger  of  confutation,  but  has  shown  that  the 
reason  of  the  Divine  justice  is  too  high  to  be  measured  by  a 
human  standard,  or  comprehended  by  the  littleness  of  the  hu- 
man mind.  The  apostle,  indeed,  acknowledges  that  there  is  a 
depth  in  the  Divine  judgments  sufficient  to  absorb  the  minds 
of  all  mankind,  if  they  attempt  to  penetrate  it.  But  he  also 
teaches  how  criminal  it  is  to  reduce  the  works  of  God  to  such 
a  law,  that  on  failing  to  discover  the  reason  of  them,  we  pre- 
sume to  censure  them.  It  is  a  well  known  observation  of  Solo- 
mon, though  few  rightly  understand  it,  that  "  the  great  God, 
that  formed  all  things,  both  rewardeth  the  fool,  and  rewardeth 
transgressors."  (c)  For  he  is  proclaiming  the  greatness  of  God, 
whose  will  it  is  to  punish  fools  and  transgressors,  although  he 
favours  them  not  with  his  Spirit.  And  men  betray  astonish- 
ing madness  in  desiring  to  comprehend  immensity  within  the 
limits  of  their  reason.  The  angels  who  stood  in  their  integrity, 
Paul  calls  "  elect ;  "  {d)  if  their  constancy  rested  on  the  Divine 
pleasure,  the  defection  of  the  others  argues  their  being  for- 
saken —  a  fact  for  which  no  other  cause  can  be  assigned  than 
the  reprobation  hidden  in  the  secret  counsel  of  God. 

V.  Now,  to  any  follower  of  Manes  or  Celestius,  a  calumni- 
ator of  Divine  Providence,  I  reply  with  Paul,  that  no  account 
ought  to  be  given  of  it,  for  its  greatness  far  surpasses  our  un- 
derstanding. What  wonder  or  absurdity  is  there  in  this? 
Would  he  have  the  Divine  power  so  limited,  as  to  be  unable 
to  execute  more  than  his  little  capacity  can  comprehend  ?     I 

{b)  Rom.   T.  20,  21.  (c)  Prov.  xxvi.  10.  {d)  1  Tim.  v.  21. 


168  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

say,  with  Augustine,  that  the  Lord  created  those  who,  he  cer- 
tainly foreknew,  would  fall  into  destruction,  and  that  this  was 
actually  so  because  he  willed  it ;  but  of  his  will  it  belongs  not 
to  us  to  demand  the  reason,  which  we  are  incapable  of  com- 
prehending ;  nor  is  it  reasonable  that  the  Divine  will  should 
be  made  the  subject  of  controversy  with  us,  which,  whenever 
it  is  discussed,  is  only  another  name  for  the  highest  rule  of 
justice.  Why,  then,  is  any  question  started  concerning  injus- 
tice, where  justice  is  evidently  conspicuous?  Nor  let  us  be 
ashamed  to  follow  the  example  of  Paul,  and  stop  the  mouths 
of  unreasonable  and  wicked  men  in  this  manner,  repeating  the 
same  answer  as  often  as  they  shall  dare  to  repeat  their  com- 
plaints. Who  are  you,  miserable  mortals,  preferring  an  ac- 
cusation against  God,  because  he  accommodates  not  the  great- 
ness of  his  works  to  your  ignorance  ?  as  though  they  were 
necessarily  wrong,  because  they  are  concealed  from  carnal 
view.  Of  the  immensity  of  God's  judgments  you  have  the 
clearest  evidences.  You  know  they  are  called  *'  a  great  deep." 
Now,  examine  your  contracted  intellects,  whether  they  can 
comprehend  God's  secret  decrees.  W^hat  advantage  or  satis- 
faction do  you  gain  from  plunging  yourselves,  by  your  mad 
researches,  into  an  abyss  that  reason  itself  pronounces  will  be 
fatal  to  you  ?  Why  are  you  not  at  least  restrained  by  some 
fear  of  what  is  contained  in  the  history  of  Job  and  the  books 
of  the  prophets,  concerning  the  inconceivable  wisdom  and 
terrible  power  of  God  ?  If  your  mind  is  disturbed,  embrace 
without  reluctance  the  advice  of  Augustine  :  "  You,  a  man, 
expect  an  answer  from  me,  who  am  also  a  man.  Let  us,  there- 
fore, both  hear  him,  who  says,  O  man,  who  art  thou  ?  Faith- 
ful ignorance  is  better  than  presumptuous  knowledge.  Seek 
merits  ;  you  will  find  nothing  but  punishment.  O  the  depth  ! 
Peter  denies  ;  the  thief  believes  ;  0  the  depth  !  Do  you  seek  a 
reason  ?  I  will  tremble  at  the  depth.  Do  you  reason  ?  I  will 
wonder.  Do  you  dispute  ?  I  will  believe.  I  see  the  depth, 
I  reach  not  the  bottom.  Paul  rested,  because  he  found  admira- 
tion. He  calls  the  judgments  of  God  unsearchable  ;  and  are 
you  come  to  scrutinize  them?  He  says,  his  ways  are  past 
finding  out ;  and  are  you  come  to  investigate  them  ?  "  We 
shall  do  no  good  by  proceeding  any  further ;  it  will  not  satisfy 
their  petulance  ;  and  the  Lord  needs  no  other  defence  than 
what  he  has  employed  by  his  Spirit,  speaking  by  the  mouth 
of  Paul  ;  and  we  forget  to  speak  well  when  we  cease  to  speak 
with  God. 

VL  Imi)iety  produces  also  a  second  objection,  \vhich  directly 
tends,  not  so  much  to  the  crimination  of  God,  as  to  the  vindi- 
cation of  the  sinner ;  though  the  sinner  whom  God  condemns 
cannot  be  justified  without  the  disgrace  of  the  Judge.     For 


this  is  their  profane  complamt,  Why  should  God  impute  as  a 
fault  to  man  those  things  which  were  rendered  necessary  by 
his  predestination?  What  shonld  they  do  ?  Should  they  re- 
sist his  decrees?  This  would  be  vain,  for  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble. Therefore  they  are  not  jnstly  punished  for  those  things  of 
which  God's  predestination  is  the  principal  cause.  Here  I  shall 
refrain  from  the  defence  commonly  resorted  to  by  ecclesiastical 
writers,  that  the  foreknowledge  of  God  prevents  not  man  from 
being  considered  as  a  sinner,  since  God  foresees  man's  evils, 
not  his  own.  For  then  the  cavil  would  not  stop  here ;  it 
would  rather  be  urged,  that  still  God  might,  if  he  would,  have 
provided  against  the  evils  he  foresaw,  and  that  not  having 
done  this,  he  created  man  expressly  to  this  end,  that  he  miglit 
so  conduct  himself  in  the  world  ;  bat  if,  by  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence, man  was  created  in  such  a  state  as  afterwards  to  do 
whatever  he  actually  does,  he  ought  not  to  be  charged  with 
guilt  for  things  which  he  cannot  avoid,  and  to  which  the  will 
of  God  constrains  him.  Let  us  see,  then,  how  this  difhcnlty 
should  be  solved.  In  the  first  place,  the  declaration  of  Solo- 
mon ought  to  be  universally  admitted,  that  "  the  Lord  hath 
made  all  things  for  himself;  yea,  even  the  wicked  for  the  day 
of  evil."  (e)  Observe  ;  all  things  being  at  God's  disposal,  and 
the  decision  of  salvation  or  death  belonging  to  him,  he  orders 
all  things  by  his  counsel  and  decree  in  such  a  manner,  that 
some  men  are  born  devoted  from  the  womb  to  certain  death, 
that  his  name  may  be  glorified  in  their  destruction.  If  any 
one  pleads,  that  no  necessity  was  imposed  on  them  by  the 
providence  of  God,  but  rather  that  they  were  created  by  him 
in  such  a  state  in  consequence  of  his  foresight  of  their  future 
depravity, — it  will  amount  to  nothing.  The  old  writers  used, 
indeed,  to  adopt  this  solution,  though  not  without  some  degree 
of  hesitation  But  the  schoolmen  satisfy  themselves  with  it, 
as  though  it  admitted  of  no  opposition.  I  will  readily  grant, 
indeed,  that  mere  foreknowledge  lays  no  necessity  on  the 
creatures,  though  this  is  not  universally  admitted  ;  for  there  are 
some  who  maintain  it  to  be  the  actual  cause  of  what  comes  to 
pass.  But  Valla,  a  man  otherwise  not  much  versed  in  theology, 
appears  to  me  to  have  discovered  superior  acuteness  and  judi- 
ciousness, by  showing  that  this  controversy  is  unnecessary, 
because  both  life  and  death  are  acts  of  God's  will,  rather  than 
of  his  foreknowledge.  If  God  simply  foresaw  the  fates  of  men, 
and  did  not  also  dispose  and  fix  them  by  his  determination, 
there  would  be  room  to  agitate  the  question,  whether  his  pro- 
vidence or  foresight  rendered  them  at  all  necessary.  But  since 
he  foresees  future  events  only  in  consequence  of  his  decree, 

(c)  Prov.  xvi.  4. 

VOL.  II.  22 


170  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

that  they  shall  happen,  it  is  useless  to  contend  about  fore- 
knowledge, while  it  is  evident  that  all  things  come  to  pass 
rather  by  ordination  and  decree. 

Vll.  They  say  it  is  nowhere  declared  in  express  terms,  that 
God  decreed  Adam  should  perish  by  his  defection  ;  as  though 
the  same  God,  whom  the  Scripture  represents  as  doing  whatevei 
he  pleases,  created  the  noblest  of  his  creatures  without  any 
determinate  end.  They  maintain,  that  he  was  possessed  of 
free  choice,  that  he  might  be  the  author  of  his  own  fate,  but 
that  God  decreed  nothing  more  than  to  treat  him  according  to 
his  desert.  If  so  weak  a  scheme  as  this  be  received,  what  will 
become  of  God's  omnipotence,  by  which  he  governs  all  things 
according  to  his  secret  counsel,  independently  of  every  person 
or  thing  besides  ?  But  whether  they  Avish  it  or  dread  it,  pre- 
destination exhibits  itself  in  Adam's  posterity.  For  the  loss 
of  salvation  by  the  whole  race  through  the  gailt  of  one  parent, 
was  an  event  that  did  not  happen  by  nature.  What  prevents 
their  acknowledging  concerning  one  man,  what  they  reluc- 
tantly grant  concerning  the  whole  species  ?  Why  should  they 
lose  their  labour  in  sophistical  evasions  ?  The  Scripture  pro- 
claims, that  all  men  were,  in  the  person  of  their  father,  seu- 
tenced  to  eternal  death.  This,  not  being  attributable  to  na- 
ture, it  is  evident  must  have  proceeded  from  the  wonderful 
counsel  of  God.  The  perplexity  and  hesitation  discovered 
at  trifles  by  these  pious  defenders  of  the  justice  of  God,  and 
their  facility  in  overcoming  great  difficulties,  are  truly  absurd. 
I  inquire  again,  how  it  came  to  pass  that  the  fall  of  Adam,  in- 
dependent of  any  remedy,  should  involve  so  many  nations 
with  their  infant  children  in  eternal  death,  but  because  such 
was  the  will  of  God.  Their  tongues,  so  loquacious  on  every 
other  point,  must  here  be  struck  dumb.  It  is  an  awful  decree, 
I  confess ;  but  no  one  can  deny  that  God  foreknew  the  future 
final  fate  of  man  before  he  created  him,  and  that  he  did  fore- 
know it  because  it  was  appointed  by  his  own  decree.  If  any 
one  here  attacks  God's  foreknowledge,  he  rashly  and  incon- 
siderately stumbles.  For  what  ground  of  accusation  is  there 
against  the  heavenly  Judge  for  not  being  ignorant  of  futurity  ? 
If  there  is  any  just  or  plausible  complaint,  it  lies  against  pre- 
destination. Nor  should  it  be  thought  absurd  to  affirm,  that 
God  not  only  foresaw  the  fall  of  the  first  man,  and  the  ruin  of 
his  posterity  in  him,  but  also  arranged  all  by  the  determination 
of  his  own  will.  For  as  it  belongs  to  his  wisdom  to  foreknow 
every  thing  future,  so  it  belongs  to  his  power  to  rule  and  govern 
all  things  by  his  hand.  And  this  question  also,  as  well  as 
others,  is  judiciously  discussed  by  Augustine.  "  We  most 
wholesomely  confess,  what  we  most  rightly  believe,  that  the 
God  and  Lord  of  all  things,  who  created  every  thing  very 


good,  and  foreknew  that  evil  would  arise  out  of  good,  and 
knew  that  it  was  more  suitable  to  his  ahnighty  goodness  to 
bring  good  out  of  evil  than  not  to  suffer  evil  to  exist,  ordained 
the  life  of  angels  and  men  in  such  a  manner  as  to  exhibit  in 
it,  first,  what  free-will  was  capable  of  doing,  and  afterwards, 
what  could  be  effected  by  the  blessings  of  his  grace,  and  the 
sentence  of  his  justice." 

VIII.  Here  they  recur  to  the  distinction  between  will  and 
permission,  and  insist  that  God  permits  the  destruction  of  the 
impious,  but  does  not  will  it.  But  what  reason  shall  we  assign 
for  his  permitting  it,  but  because  it  is  his  will  ?  It  is  not  pro- 
bable, however,  that  man  procured  his  own  destruction  by  the 
mere  permission,  and  without  any  appointment,  of  God  ;  as 
though  God  had  not  determined  what  he  would  choose  to  be 
the  condition  of  the  principal  of  his  creatures.  I  shall  not  hesi- 
tate, therefore,  to  confess  plainly  with  Augustine,  "  that  the 
will  of  God  is  the  necessity  of  things,  and  that  what  he  has 
willed  will  necessarily  come  to  pass ;  as  those  things  are  really 
about  to  happen  which  he  has  foreseen."  Now,  if  either  Pela- 
gians, or  Manichseans,  or  Anabaptists,  or  Epicureans,  (for  we 
are  concerned  with  these  four  sects  on  this  argument,)  in  ex- 
cuse for  themselves  and  the  impious,  plead  the  necessity  with 
which  they  are  bound  by  God's  predestination,  —  they  allege 
nothing  applicable  to  the  case.  For  if  predestination  is  no 
other  than  a  dispensation  of  Divine  justice, — mysterious  in- 
deed, but  liable  to  no  blame,  —  since  it  is  certain  they  were 
not  unworthy  of  being  predestinated  to  that  fate,  it  is  equally 
certain,  that  the  destruction  they  incur  by  predestination  is 
consistent  with  the  strictest  justice.  Besides,  their  perdition 
depends  on  the  Divine  predestination  in  such  a  manner,  that 
the  cause  and  matter  of  it  are  found  in  themselves.  For  the 
first  man  fell  because  the  Lord  had  determined  it  was  so 
expedient.  The  reason  of  this  determination  is  unknown  to 
us.  Yet  it  is  certain  that  he  determined  thus,  only  because  he 
foresaw  it  would  tend  to  the  just  illustration  of  the  glory  of 
his  name.  Whenever  you  hear  the  glory  of  God  mentioned, 
think  of  his  justice.  For  what  deserves  praise  must  be  just. 
Man  falls,  therefore,  according  to  the  appointment  of  Divine 
Providence  ;  but  he  falls  by  his  own  fault.  The  Lord  had  a 
little  before  pronounced  "  every  thing  that  he  had  made  "  to 
be  "  very  good."  Whence,  then,  comes  the  depravity  of  man 
to  revolt  from  his  God?  Lest  it  should  be  thought  to  come 
from  creation,  God  had  approved  and  commended  what  had 
proceeded  from  himself  By  his  own  wickedness,  therefore, 
he  corrupted  the  nature  he  had  received  pure  from  the  Lord, 
and  by  his  fall  he  drew  all  his  posterity  with  him  into  destruc- 
tion.    Wherefore  let  us  ratlier  contemplate  the  evident  cause 


172  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    Hi. 

of  condemnation,  which  is  nearer  to  us  in  the  corrupt  nature 
of  mankind,  than  search  after  a  hidden  and  altogether  incom- 
prehensible one  in  the  predestination  of  God.  And  we  should 
feel  no  reluctance  to  snbmit  our  understanding  to  the  infinite 
wisdom  of  God,  so  far  as  to  acquiesce  in  its  many  mysteries. 
To  be  ignorant  of  things  which  it  is  neither  possible  nor  law- 
ful to  know,  is  to  be  learned  :  an  eagerness  to  know  them,  is 
a  species  of  madness. 

IX.  Some  one  perhaps  will  say,  that  I  have  not  yet  adduced 
a  snfficient  answer  to  that  sacrilegious  excuse,  I  confess  it  is 
impossible  ever  wholly  to  prevent  the  petulance  and  murmurs 
of  impiety  ;  yet  I  think  I  have  said  what  should  suffice  to  re- 
move not  only  all  just  ground,  but  every  plausible  pretext,  for 
objection.  The  reprobate  wish  to  be  thought  excusable  in 
sinning,  because  they  cannot  avoid  a  necessity  of  sinning ; 
especially  since  this  necessity  is  laid  upon  them  by  the  ordina- 
tion of  God.  But  we  deny  this  to  be  a  just  excuse  ;  because 
the  ordination  of  God,  by  which  they  complain  that  they  are 
destined  to  destruction,  is  guided  by  equity,  unknown  indeed 
to  us,  but  indubitably  certain.  Whence  we  conclude,  that  they 
sustain  no  misery  that  is  not  inflicted  upon  them  by  the  most 
righteous  judgment  of  God.  In  the  next  place,  we  maintain 
that  they  act  preposterously,  who,  in  seeking  for  the  origin  of 
their  condemnation,  direct  their  views  to  the  secret  recesses 
of  the  Divine  counsel,  and  overlook  the  corruption  of  nature, 
which  is  its  real  source.  The  testimony  God  gives  to  his  cre- 
ation prevents  their  imputing  it  to  him.  For  though,  by  the 
eternal  providence  of  God,  man  was  created  to  that  misery  to 
which  he  is  subject,  yet  the  ground  of  it  he  has  derived  from 
himself,  not  from  God  ;  since  he  is  thus  ruined  solely  in  con- 
sequence of  his  having  degenerated  from  the  pure  creation  of 
God  to  vicious  and  impure  depravity. 

X.  The  doctrine  of  God's  predestination  is  calumniated  by 
its  adversaries,  as  involving  a  third  absurdity.  For  when  we 
attribute  it  solely  to  the  determination  of  the  Divine  will,  that 
those  whom  God  admits  to  be  heirs  of  his  kingdom  are  exempt- 
ed from  the  universal  destruction,  from  this  they  uifer,  that  he 
is  a  respecter  of  persons,  which  the  Scripture  uniformly  denies  ; 
tliat,  therefore,  either  the  Scripture  is  inconsistent  with  itself, 
or  in  the  election  of  God  regard  is  had  to  merits.  In  the  first 
place,  the  Scrii)ture  denies  that  God  is  a  respecter  of  persons, 
in  a  difl'erent  sense  from  that  in  which  they  understand  it ;  for 
by  the  word  perso7i,  it  signifies  not  a  man,  but  those  things  in 
a  man,  which,  being  conspicuous  to  the  eyes,  usually  con- 
ciliate favour,  honour,  and  dignity,  or  attract  hatred,  contempt, 
and  disgrace.  Such  are  riches,  wealth,  power,  nobility,  magis- 
tracy, country,  elegance  of  form,  on  the  one  hand ;  and  on  the 


CHAP.    XXIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  173 

Other  hand,  poverty,  necessity,  ignoble  birth,  slovenliness,  con- 
tempt, and  the  like.  Thus  Peter  and  Paul  declare  that  God 
is  not  a  respecter  of  persons,  because  he  makes  no  difference 
between  the  Jew  and  Greek,  to  reject  one  and  receive  the 
other,  merely  on  account  of  his  nation.  (/)  So  James  uses 
the  same  language  when  he  means  to  assert,  that  God  in  his 
judgment  pays  no  regard  to  riches,  (g)  And  Paul,  in  another 
place,  declares,  that  in  judging,  God  has  no  respect  to  liberty  or 
bondage,  (h)  There  will,  therefore,  be  no  contradiction  in  our 
alfirming,  that  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  God 
chooses  whom  he  will  as  his  children,  irrespective  of  all  merit, 
while  he  rejects  and  reprobates  others.  Yet,  for  the  sake  of 
further  satisfaction,  the  matter  may  be  explained  in  the  follow- 
ing manner :  They  ask  how  it  happens,  that  of  two  persons 
distinguished  from  each  other  by  no  merit,  God,  in  his  election, 
leaves  one  and  takes  another.  1,  on  the  other  hand,  ask  them, 
whether  they  suppose  him  that  is  taken  to  possess  any  thing 
that  can  attract  the  favour  of  God.  If  they  confess  that  he  has 
not,  as  indeed  they  must,  it  wiU  foUow,  that  God  looks  not  at 
man,  but  derives  his  motive  to  favour  him  from  his  own  good- 
ness. God's  election  of  one  man,  therefore,  while  he  rejects 
another,  proceeds  not  from  any  respect  of  man,  but  solely  from 
his  own  mercy ;  which  may  freely  display  and  exert  itself 
wherever  and  whenever  it  pleases.  For  we  have  elsewhere 
seen  also  that,  from  the  beginning,  not  many  noble,  or  wise,  or 
honourable  were  called,  (^)  that  God  might  humble  the  pride 
of  flesh ;  so  far  is  his  favour  from  being  confined  to  persons. 

XI.  Wherefore  some  people  falsely  and  wickedly  charge 
God  with  a  violation  of  equal  justice,  because,  in  his  predes- 
tination, he  observes  not  the  same  uniform  course  of  proceeding 
towards  all.  If  he  finds  all  guilty,  they  say,  let  him  punish  all 
alike  ;  if  innocent,  let  him  withhold  the  rigour  of  justice  from  all. 
But  they  deal  with  him  just  as  if  either  mercy  were  forbidden 
him,  or,  when  he  chooses  to  show  mercy,  he  were  constrained 
wholly  to  renounce  justice.  What  is  it  that  they  require  ? 
If  all  are  guilty,  that  they  shall  all  suffer  the  same  punishment. 
We  confess  the  guilt  to  be  common,  but  we  say.  that  some  are 
relieved  by  Divine  mercy.  They  say.  Let  it  relieve  all.  But 
we  reply,  Justice  requires  that  he  should  likewise  show  him- 
self to  be  a  just  judge  in  the  infliction  of  punishment.  When 
they  object  to  this,  what  is  it  but  attempting  to  deprive  God  of 
the  opportunity  to  manifest  his  mercy,  or  to  grant  it  to  him,  at 
least,  on  the  condition  that  he  wholly  abandon  his  justice? 
Wherefore  there  is  the  greatest  propriety  in  these  observations 
Df  Augustine  :  "  The  whole  mass  of  mankind  having  fallen  into 

(/)Actsx.  34.     Rom.  ii.  11.     Gal.  iii.  28.  (A)  Col.  iii.  25.     Eph.  vi.  9. 

(g)  James  ii.  5.  (0  1  Cor.  i.  26. 


174  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

condemnation  in  the  first  man,  the  vessels  that  are  formed  from 
it  to  honour,  are  not  vessels  of  personal  righteousness,  but  of 
Divine  mercy ;  and  the  formation  of  others  to  dishonour,  is  to 
be  attributed,  not  to  iniquity,  but  to  the  Divine  decree,"  &c. 
While  God  rewards  those  whom  he  rejects  with  deserved  punish- 
ment, and  to  those  whom  he  calls,  freely  gives  undeserved  grace, 
he  is  liable  to  no  accusation,  but  maybe  compared  to  a  creditor' 
who  has  power  to  release  one,  and  enforce  his  demands  on  another. 
The  Lord,  therefore,  may  give  grace  to  whom  he  will,  because 
he  is  merciful,  and  yet  not  give  it  to  all,  because  he  is  a  just 
judge  ;  may  manifest  his  free  grace,  by  giving  to  some  what 
they  never  deserve,  while,  by  not  giving  to  all,  he  declares  the 
demerit  of  all.  For  when  Paul  says,  that  ''  God  hath  con- 
cluded all  under  sin,  that  he  might  have  mercy  upon  all,"  (l) 
it  must,  at  the  same  time,  be  added,  that  he  is  debtor  to  none  ; 
for  no  man  "hath  first  given  to  him,"  to  entitle  him  to  demand 
a  recompense,  (m) 

XII.  Another  argument  often  urged  to  overthrow  predes- 
tination is,  that  its  establishment  would  destroy  all  solicitude 
and  exertion  for  rectitude  of  conduct.  For  who  can  hear, 
they  say,  that  either  life  or  death  is  appointed  for  him  by  God's 
eternal  and  immutable  decree,  without  immediately  concluding 
that  it  is  of  no  importance  how  he  conducts  himself;  since  no 
action  of  his  can  in  any  respect  either  impede  or  promote  the 
predestination  of  God  ?  Thus  all  will  abandon  themselves  to 
despair,  and  run  into  every  excess  to  \vhich  their  licentious 
propensities  may  lead  them.  And  truly  this  objection  is  not 
altogether  destitute  of  truth  ;  for  there  are  many  impure  persons 
Avho  bespatter  the  doctrine  of  predestination  with  these  vile  blas- 
phemies, and  with  this  pretext  elude  all  admonitions  and  re- 
proofs :  God  knows  what  he  has  determined  to  do  with  us  : 
if  he  has  decreed  our  salvation,  he  will  bring  us  to  it  in  his 
own  time  ;  if  he  has  destined  us  to  death,  it  will  be  in  vain  for 
us  to  strive  against  it.  But  the  Scripture,  while  it  inculcates 
superior  awe  and  reverence  of  mind  in  the  consideration  of  so 
great  a  mystery,  instructs  the  godly  in  a  very  dilferent  con- 
clusion, and  fully  refutes  the  wicked  and  unreasonable  in- 
ferences of  these  persons.  For  the  design  of  what  it  contains 
respecting  predestination  is,  not  that,  being  excited  to  presump- 
tion, we  may  attempt,  with  nefarious  temerity,  to  scrutinize  the 
inaccessible  secrets  of  God,  but  rather  that,  being  humbled  and 
dejected,  we  may  learn  to  tremble  at  his  justice  and  admire  his 
mercy.  At  this  object  believers  will  aim.  But  the  impure 
cavils  of  the  wicked  are  justly  restrained  by  Paul.  They 
profess  to  go  on  securely  in  their  vices  ;  because  if  they  are  of 
the  number  of  the  elect,  such  conduct  will  not  prevent  their 

(0  Gal.  iii.  22.    Rom.  zi.  32.  (m)  Rom.  xi.  35. 


CHAP.    XXIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  175 

being  finally  brought  into  life.  But  Paul  declares  the  end  of 
our  election  to  be,  that  we  may  lead  a  holy  and  blameless  life,  (n) 
If  the  object  of  election  be  holiness  of  life,  it  should  rather  awa- 
ken and  stimulate  us  to  a  cheerful  practice  of  it,  than  be  used  as 
a  pretext  for  slothfulness.  But  how  inconsistent  is  it  to  cease 
from  the  practice  of  vh-tue  because  election  is  sufficient  to  sal- 
vation, while  the  end  proposed  in  election  is  our  diligent 
performance  of  virtuous  actions  !  Away,  then,  with  such  cor- 
rupt and  sacrilegious  perversions  of  the  whole  order  of  election. 
They  carry  their  blasphemies  much  further,  by  asserting,  that 
any  one  who  is  reprobated  by  God  will  labour  to  no  purpose  if 
he  endeavour  to  approve  himself  to  him  by  innocence  and  m- 
tec^rity  of  life  ;  but  here  they  are  convicted  of  a  most  impudent 
fafsehood.  For  whence  could  such  exertion  originate  C)ut  from 
election  ?  Whoever  are  of  the  number  of  the  reprobaio,  being 
vessels  made  to  dishonour,  cease  not  to  provoke  the  Divine 
wrath  against  them  by  continual  transgressions,  and  to  confirm 
by  evident  proofs  the  judgment  of  God  already  denounced 
against  them  ;  so  that  their  striving  with  him  in  vain  is  what 
can  never  happen. 

XIII.  This  doctrine  is  maliciously  and  impudently  calum- 
niated by  others,  as  subversive  of  all  exhortations  to  piety  of 
life.  This  formerly  brought  great  odium  upon  Augustine,  which 
he  removed  by  his  Treatise  on  Correction  and  Grace,  addressed 
to  Valentine,  the  perusal  of  which  will  easily  satisfy  all  pious 
and  teachable  persons.  Yet  I  will  touch  on  a  few  things,  which 
I  hope  Will  convince  such  as  are  honest  and  not  contentious. 
How  openly  and  loudly  gratuitous  election  was  preached  by 
Paul,  we  have  already  seen ;  was  he  therefore  cold  in  admoni- 
tions'and  exhortations  ?  Let  these  good  zealots  compare  his  vehe- 
mence with  theirs  ;  theirs  will  be  found  ice  itself  in  comparison 
with  his  incredible  fervour.  And  certainly  every  scruple  is  re- 
moved by  this  principle,  that  "  God  hath  not  called  us  to  unclean- 
ness  but  that  every  one  should  know  how  to  possess  his  \essel 
in  sanctification  and  honour ;  "  (o)  and  again,  that  "  we  are  his 
workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained,  that  we  should  walk  in  them."  (p) 
Indeed,  a  slight  acquaintance  with  Paul  will  enable  any  one  to 
understand,  without  tedious  arguments,  how  easily  he  recon- 
ciles things  which  they  pretend  to  be  repugnant  to  each  other. 
Christ  commands  men  to  believe  in  him.  Yet  his  limitation  is 
neither  false  nor  contrary  to  his  command,  when  he  says,  "  No 
man  can  come  unto  me,  except  it  were  given  unto  him  of  my 
Father."  (q)     Let  preaching  therefore  have  its  course  to  bring 

(n)  Ephes.  i.  4.  (/)  Ephea.  ii  10. 

(o)  1  Thess.  iv.  4,  7.  (?)  John  vi.  65. 


176  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

men  to  faith,  and  by  a  continual  progress  to  promote  their  per- 
severance. Nor  let  the  knowledge  of  predestination  be  pre- 
vented, that  the  obedient  may  not  be  proud  as  of  any  thing  of 
their  own,  but  may  glory  in  the  Lord.  Christ  had  some 
particular  meaning  in  saying,  "  Who  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear."(r)  Therefore  when  we  exhort  and  preach,  persons  en- 
dued with  ears  readily  obey  ;  and  those  who  are  destitute  of 
them  exhibit  an  accomplishment  of  the  Scripture,  that  hearing 
they  hear  not.  (s)  "But  why  (says  Augustine)  should  some 
have  ears,  and  others  not  ?  '  Who  hath  known  the  mind  of  the 
Lord  ? '  (0  Must  that  which  is  evident  be  denied,  because  that 
which  is  concealed  cannot  be  comprehended  ?  "  These  obser- 
vations I  have  faithfully  borrowed  from  Augustine  ;  but  as  his 
words  will  perhaps  have  more  authority  than  mine,  I  Avill 
proceed  to  an  exact  quotation  of  them.  "  If,  on  hearing  this, 
some  persons  become  torpid  and  slothful,  and  exchanging  labour 
for  lawless  desire,  pursue  the  various  objects  of  concupiscence, 
must  what  is  declared  concerning  the  foreknowledge  of  God  be 
therefore  accounted  false  ?  If  God  foreknew  that  they  would 
be  good,  will  they  not  be  so,  in  whatever  wickedness  they  now 
live  ?  and  if  he  foreknew  that  they  would  be  wicked,  will  they 
not  be  so,  in  whatever  goodness  they  noAV  appear  ?  Are  these, 
then,  sufficient  causes  why  the  truths  which  are  declared  con- 
cerning the  foreknowledge  of  God  should  be  either  denied  or 
passed  over  in  silence  ?  especially  when  the  consequence  of 
silence  respecting  these  would  be  the  adoption  of  other  errors. 
The  reason  of  concealing  the  truth  (he  says)  is  one  thing,  and 
the  necessity  of  declaring  it  is  another.  It  would  be  tedious 
to  inquire  after  all  the  reasons  for  passing  the  truth  over  in 
silence  ;  but  this  is  one  of  them  ;  lest  those  who  understand  it 
not  should  become  worse,  while  we  wish  to  make  those  who  un- 
derstand it  better  informed  ;  who,  indeed,  are  not  made  wiser  by 
our  declaring  any  such  thing,  nor  are  they  rendered  worse.  But 
since  the  truth  is  of  such  a  nature,  that  when  w^e  speak  of  it,  he 
becomes  worse  who  cannot  understand  it,  and  when  we  are  silent 
about  it,  he  who  can  understand  it  becomes  worse,  —  what  do 
we  think  ought  to  be  done  ?  Should  not  the  truth  ratlier  be 
spoken,  that  he  who  is  capable  may  understand  it,  than  buried 
in  silence ;  the  consequence  of  which  would  be,  not  only  that 
neither  would  know  it,  but  even  the  more  intelligent  of  the  two 
would  become  worse,  who,  if  he  heard  and  understood  it,  would 
also  teach  it  to  many  others  ?  And  we  are  unwilling  to  say  what 
we  are  authorized  to  say  by  the  testimony  of  Scripture.  For 
-ve  are  afraid,  indeed,  lest  by  speaking  we  may  offend  him  who 
'•annot  understand,  but  are  not  afraid  lest  in  consequence  of  our 

(r)  Matt.  xiii.  9  (s)  Isaiah  vi.  9.  (^  Rom.  xi.  34. 


silence,  he  who  is  capable  of  understanding  the  truth  may  be 
deceived  by  falsehood."  And  condensing  this  sentiment  after- 
wards into  a  smaller  compass,  he  places  it  in  a  still  stronger 
light.  "  Wherefore,  if  the  apostles  and  the  succeeding  teachers 
of  the  Church  both  piously  treated  of  God's  eternal  election, 
and  held  believers  under  the  discipline  of  a  pious  life,  what 
reason  have  these  our  opponents,  when  silenced  by  the  invin- 
cible force  of  truth,  to  suppose  themselves  right  in  maintaining 
that  what  is  spoken  of  predestination,  although  it  be  true,  ought 
not  to  be  preached  to  the  people  ?  But  it  must  by  all  means 
be  preached,  that  he  who  has  ears  to  hear  may  hear.  But  who 
has  them,  unless  he  receives  them  from  him  who  has  promised 
to  bestow  them  ?  Certainly  he  who  receives  not  may  reject, 
provided  he  who  receives,  takes  and  drinks,  drinks  and  lives. 
For  as  piety  must  be  preached  that  God  may  be  rightly  wor- 
shipped, so  also  must  predestination,  that  he  who  has  ears  to 
hear  of  the  grace  of  God,  may  glory  in  God,  and  not  in  himself." 
XIV.  And  yet,  being  peculiarly  desirous  of  edification,  that 
holy  man  regulates  his  mode  of  teaching  the  truth,  so  that 
offence  may  as  far  as  possible  be  prudently  avoided.  For  he 
suggests  that  whatever  is  asserted  with  truth  may  also  be  de- 
livered in  a  suitable  manner.  If  any  one  address  the  people  in 
such  a  way  as  this,  If  you  believe  not,  it  is  because  you  are  by 
a  Divine  decree  already  destined  to  destruction,  —  he  not  only 
cherishes  slothfulness,  but  even  encourages  wickedness.  If  any 
one  extend  the  declaration  to  the  future,  that  they  who  hear 
will  never  believe  because  they  are  reprobated, — this  would  be 
rather  imprecation  than  instruction.  Such  persons,  therefore,  as 
foolish  teachers,  or  inauspicious,  ominous  prophets,  Augustine 
charges  to  depart  from  the  Church.  In  another  place,  indeed, 
he  justly  maintains,  "  that  a  man  then  profits  by  correction,  when 
he,  who  causes  whom  he  pleases  to  profit  even  without  correc- 
tion, compassionates  and  assists.  But  why  some  in  one  way, 
and  some  in  another  ?  Far  be  it  from  us  to  ascribe  the  choice 
to  the  clay  instead  of  the  potter."  Again  afterwards  :  "  When 
men  are  either  introduced  or  restored  into  the  way  of  right- 
eousness by  correction,  who  works  salvation  in  their  hearts, 
but  he  who  gives  the  increase,  whoever  plants  and  waters? 
he  whose  determination  to  save  is  not  resisted  by  any  free- 
will of  man.  It  is  beyond  all  doubt,  therefore,  that  the  will  of 
God,  who  has  done  whatever  he  has  pleased  in  heaven  and  in 
earth,  and  who  has  done  even  things  that  are  yet  future,  cannot 
possibly  be  resisted  by  the  will  of  man,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
execution  of  his  purposes :  since  he  controls  the  wills  of  men 
according  to  his  pleasure."  Again  :  "  When  he  designs  to  bring 
men  to  himself,  does  he  bind  them  by  corporeal  bonds  ?  He  acts 
inwardly;  he  inwardly  seizes  their  hearts;  he  inwardly  moves 
VOL,  II.  23 


178  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

their  hearts,  and  draws  them  by  their  wills,  which  he  has 
wrought  in  them."  But  he  immediately  subjoins,  what  must 
by  no  means  be  omitted  ;  "  that  because  we  know  not  who 
belongs,  or  does  not  belong,  to  the  number  of  the  predestinated, 
it  becomes  us  affectionately  to  desire  the  salvation  of  all.  The 
consequence  will  be,  that  whomsoever  we  meet  we  shall  en- 
deavour to  make  him  a  partaker  of  peace.  But  our  peace  shall 
rest  upon  the  sons  of  peace.  On  our  part,  therefore,  salutary 
and  severe  reproof,  like  a  medicine,  must  be  administered  to 
all,  that  they  may  neither  perish  themselves  nor  destroy  others ; 
but  it  will  be  the  province  of  God  to  render  it  usefid  to  them 
whom  he  had  foreknown  and  predestinated." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

ELECTION     CONFIRMED     BY     THE     DIVINE     CALL.        THE     DESTINED 
DESTRUCTION      OF      THE      REPROBATE       PROCURED       BY        THEM- 


BuT,  in  order  to  a  further  elucidation  of  the  subject,  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  treat  of  the  calling  of  the  elect,  and  of  the  blinding 
and  hardening  of  the  impious.  On  the  former  I  have  already 
made  a  few  observations,  with  a  view  to  refute  the  error  of 
those  who  suppose  the  generality  of  the  promises  to  put  all 
mankind  on  an  equality.  But  the  discriminating  election  of 
God,  which  is  otherwise  concealed  within  himself,  he  manifests 
only  by  his  calling,  which  may  therefore  with  propriety  be  termed 
the  testification  or  evidence  of  it.  "  For  whom  he  did  fore- 
know, he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of 
his  Son.  Moreover,  whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also 
called  ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified,"'  in  order 
to  their  eventual  glorification,  (u)  Though  by  choosing  his 
people,  the  Lord  has  adopted  them  as  his  children,  yet  we  see 
that  they  enter  not  on  the  possession  of  so  great  a  blessing  till 
they  are  called ;  on  the  other  hand,  as  soon  as  they  are  called, 
they  immediately  enjoy  some  communication  of  his  election. 
On  this  account  Paul  calls  the  Spirit  received  by  them,  both 
"the  Spirit  of  adoption,  and  the  seal  and  earnest  of  the  future 
inheritance ;  "  (x)  because,  by  his  testimony,  he  confirms  and 
seals  to  their  hearts  the  certainty  of  their  future  adoption.  For 
though  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  is  a  stream  from  the  source 

{a)  Rom.  viii.  20,  30.  (i)  Rom  viii.  15,  IG.     Ephes.  i.  13, 14. 


of  election,  yet,  being  common  also  to  the  reprobate,  it  would  of 
itself  be  no  solid  proof  of  it.  For  God  effectually  teaches  his 
elect,  to  bring  them  to  faith,  as  we  have  already  cited  from  the 
words  of  Christ:  "He  which  is  of  God,  he,"  and  he  alone, 
*'  hath  seen  the  Father."  (y)  Again:  "  I  have  manifested  thy 
name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me."  (z)  For  he  says 
in  another  place,  "  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Father 
draw  him."  (a)  This  passage  is  judiciously  explained  by  Au- 
gustine in  the  following  words  :  "  If,  according  to  the  declaration 
of  truth,  every  one  that  has  learned  comes,  whosoever  comes 
not,  certainly  has  not  learned.  It  does  not  necessarily  follow 
that  he  who  can  come  actually  comes,  unless  he  has  both 
willed  and  done  it ;  but  every  one  that  has  learned  of  the  Fa- 
ther, not  only  can  come,  but  also  actually  comes  ;  where  there 
IS  an  immediate  union  of  the  advantage  of  possibility,  the  in- 
clination of  the  will,  and  the  consequent  action."  In  another 
place  he  is  still  clearer  :  "  Every  one  that  hath  heard  and  learned 
of  the  Father,  cometh  unto  me.  Is  not  this  saying.  There  is 
no  one  that  hears  and  learns  of  the  Father,  and  comes  not  unto 
me  ?  For  if  every  one  that  has  heard  and  learned  of  the  Father 
comes,  certainly  every  one  that  comes  not  has  neither  heard  nor 
learned  of  the  Father ;  for  if  he  had  heard  and  learned,  he  would 
come.  Very  remote  from  carnal  observation  is  this  school,  in 
which  men  hear  and  learn  of  the  Father  to  come  to  the  Son." 
Just  after  he  says,  "  This  grace,  which  is  secretly  communica- 
ted to  the  hearts  of  men,  is  received  by  no  hard  heart ;  for  the 
first  object  of  its  communication  is,  that  hardness  of  heart  may 
be  taken  away.  When  the  Father  is  heard  within  therefore, 
he  takes  away  the  heart  of  stone,  and  gives  a  heart  of  flesh. 
For  thus  he  forms  children  of  promise  and  vessels  of  mercy 
whom  he  has  prepared  for  glory.  Why,  then,  does  he  not 
teach  all,  that  tliey  may  come  to  Christ,  but  because  all  whom 
he  teaches,  he  teaches  in  mercy  ?  but  whom  he  teaches  not,  he 
teaches  not  in  judgment ;  for  he  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will 
have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hai'deneth."  Those  whom 
God  has  chosen,  therefore,  he  designates  as  his  children,  and  de- 
termines himself  to  be  their  Father.  By  calling,  he  introduces 
them  into  his  family,  and  unites  them  to  himself,  that  they  may 
be  one.  By  connecting  calling  with  election,  the  Scripture 
evidently  suggests  that  nothing  is  requisite  to  it  but  the  free 
mercy  of  God.  For  if  we  inquire  whom  he  calls,  and  for  what 
reason,  the  answer  is,  those  Avhom  he  had  elected.  But  when 
we  come  to  election,  we  see  nothing  but  mercy  on  every  side. 
And  so  that  observation  of  Paul  is  very  applicable  here  —  '■'  It  is 
not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God 
that  showeth  mercy  ;  "  but  not  as  it  is  commonly  understood 

(tj)  John  vi.  46.  (-)  John  xvii.  6.  (a)  John  vi.  44. 


180  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    111, 

by  those  who  make  a  distribution  between  the  grace  of  God, 
and  the  will  and  exertion  of  man.  For  they  say,  that  human 
desires  and  endeavours  have  no  efficacy  of  themselves,  unless 
they  are  rendered  successful  by  the  grace  of  God ;  but  main- 
tain that,  with  the  assistance  of  his  blessing,  these  things 
have  also  their  share  in  procuring  salvation.  To  refute  their 
cavil,  I  prefer  Augustine's  words  to  my  own.  "  If  the  apostle 
only  meant  that  it  is  not  of  him  that  wills,  or  of  him  that 
runs,  without  the  assistance  of  the  merciful  Lord,  we  may 
retort  the  converse  proposition,  that  it  is  not  of  mercy  alone 
without  the  assistance  of  willing  and  running."  If  this  be  mani- 
festly impious,  we  may  be  certain  that  the  apostle  ascribes  every 
thnig  to  the  Lord's  mercy,  and  leaves  nothing  to  our  wills  or 
exertions.  This  was  the  opinion  of  that  holy  man.  Nor  is  the 
least  regard  due  to  their  paltry  sophism,  that  Paul  would  not 
have  expressed  himself  so,  if  we  had  no  exertion  or  will.  For 
he  considered  not  what  was  in  man  ;  but  seeing  some  persons 
attribute  salvation  partly  to  human  industry,  he  simply  con- 
demned their  error  in  the  former  part  of  the  sentence,  and  in 
the  latter,  vindicated  the  claim  of  Divine  mercy  to  the  whole 
accomplishment  of  salvation.  And  what  do  the  prophets,  but 
perpetually  proclaim  the  gratuitous  calling  of  God? 

II.  This  point  is  further  demonstrated  by  the  very  nature 
and  dispensation  of  calling,  which  consists  not  in  the  mere 
preaching  of  the  word,  but  in  the  accompanying  illumination 
of  the  Spirit.  To  whom  God  offers  his  word,  we  are  informed 
in  the  prophet :  "  I  am  sought  of  them  that  asked  not  for  me  : 
I  am  found  of  them  that  sought  me  not :  I  said,  Behold  me, 
behold  me,  unto  a  nation  that  was  not  called  by  my  name."  (b) 
And  lest  the  Jews  should  suppose  that  this  clemency  ex- 
tended only  to  the  Gentiles,  he  recalls  to  their  remembrance 
the  situation  from  which  he  took  their  father  Abraham,  when 
he  deigned  to  drav/  him  to  himself:  that  was  from  the  midst 
of  idolatry,  in  which  he  and  all  his  family  were  sunk,  (c) 
AVhen  he  first  shines  upon  the  undesei-ving  with  the  light  of 
his  word,  he  thereby  fexhibits  a  most  brilliant  specimen  of  his 
free  goodness.  Here,  then,  the  infinite  goodness  of  God  is  dis- 
played, but  not  to  the  salvation  of  all  ;  for  heavier  judgment 
awaits  the  reprobate,  because  they  reject  the  testimony  of  Di- 
vine love.  And  God  also,  to  manifest  his  glory,  withdraws 
from  them  the  efficacious  influence  of  his  Spirit.  Tliis  inter- 
nal call,  therefore,  is  a  pledge  of  salvation,  which  cannot  possibly 
deceive.  To  this  purpose  is  that  passage  of  John  —  "Hereby 
we  know  that  he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  which  he  hath 
given  us."  (d)  And  lest  the  flesh  should  glory  in  having  an- 
swered at  least  to  his  call,   and  accepted  his  free  ofters,   he 

(6)  Isaiah  \xv.  1.  (c)  Joshua  xxiv..2,  3.  (</)  1  John  iu.  24. 


affirms  that  men  have  no  ears  to  hear,  or  eyes  to  see,  but  such 
as  he  has  formed ;  and  that  he  acts  in  this,  not  according  to 
individual  gratitude,  but  according  to  his  own  election.  Of  this 
fact  Luke  gives  us  an  eminent  example,  where  Jews  and  Gentiles 
in  common  heard  the  preaching  of  Paul  and  Barnabas.  Though 
they  were  all  instructed  on  that  occasion  with  the  same  dis- 
course, it  is  narrated  that  "as  many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal 
life,  believed."  (e)  With  what  face,  then,  can  we  deny  the 
freeness  of  calling,  in  which  election  reigns  alone,  even  to 
the  last? 

III.  Here  two  errors  are  to  be  avoided.  For  some  suppose 
man  to  be  a  cooperator  with  God,  so  that  the  validity  of  elec- 
tion depends  on  his  consent ;  thus,  according  to  them,  the  will 
of  man  is  superior  to  the  counsel  of  God.  As  though  the 
Scripture  taught,  that  we  are  only  given  an  ability  to  believe, 
and  not  faith  itself.  Others,  not  thus  enervating  the  grace  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  yet  induced  by  I  know  not  what  mode  of  rea- 
soning, suspend  election  on  that  which  is  subsequent  to  it  ;  as 
though  it  were  doubtful  and  ineffectual  till  it  is  confirmed  by 
faith.  That  this  is  its  confirmation  to  us  is  very  clear  ;  that  it 
is  the  manifestation  of  God's  secret  counsel  before  concealed,  we 
have  already  seen  ;  but  all  that  we  are  to  understand  by  this,  is 
that  what  was  before  unknown  is  verified,  and  as  it  were  ratified 
with  a  seal.  But  it  is  contrary  to  the  truth  to  assert,  that  elec- 
tion has  no  efficacy  till  after  we  have  embraced  the  gospel, 
and  that  this  circumstance  gives  it  all  its  energy.  The  cer- 
tainty of  it,  indeed,  we  are  to  seek  here  ;  for  if  we  attempt  to 
penetrate  to  the  eternal  decree  of  God,  we  shall  be  ingulfed  in 
the  profound  abyss.  But  when  God  has  discovered  it  to  us, 
we  must  ascend  to  loftier  heights,  that  the  cause  may  not  be 
lost  in  the  effect.  For  what  can  be  more  absurd  and  inconsis- 
tent, when  the  Scripture  teaches  that  we  are  illuminated 
according  as  God  has  chosen  us,  than  that  our  eyes  should  be  so 
dazzled  with  the  blaze  of  this  light  as  to  refuse  to  contemplate 
election  ?  At  the  same  time  I  admit  that,  in  order  to  attain  an 
assurance  of  our  salvation,  we  ought  to  begin  with  the  word, 
and  that  with  it  our  confidence  ought  to  be  satisfied,  so  as  to 
call  upon  God  as  our  Father.  For  some  persons,  to  obtain 
certainty  respecting  the  counsel  of  God,  "  which  is  nigh  unto 
us,  in  our  mouth  and  in  our  heart,"  (/)  preposterously  wish 
to  soar  above  the  clouds.  Such  temerity,  therefore,  should  be 
restrained  by  the  sobriety  of  faith,  that  we  may  be  satisfied 
with  the  testimony  of  God  in  his  external  word  respecting  his 
secret  grace  ;  only  the  channel,  which  conveys  to  us  such  a 
copious  stream  to  satisfy  our  thirst,  must  not  deprive  the  foun- 
tain-head of  the  honour  which  belongs  to  it. 

(e)  Acts  xiii.  48..  (/)  Deut.  xxx.  14. 


182  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

IV.  As  it  is  erroneous,  therefore,  to  suspend  the  efficacy  of 
election  upon  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  by  which  we  discover 
our  interest  in  election,  so  we  shall  observe  the  best  order,  if, 
in  seeking  an  assurance  of  our  election,  we  confine  our  atten- 
tion to  those  subsequent  signs  which  are  certain  attestations  of 
It.  Satan  never  attacks  believers  with  a  more  grievous  or 
dangerous  temptation,  than  when  he  disquiets  them  with 
doubts  of  their  election,  and  stimulates  to  an  improper  desire 
of  seeking  it  in  a  wrong  way.  I  call  it  seeking  in  a  wrong 
way,  when  miserable  man  endeavours  to  force  his  way  into  the 
secret  recesses  of  Divine  wisdom,  and  to  penetrate  even  to  the 
highest  eternity,  that  he  may  discover  what  is  deteiTnined  con- 
cerning him  at  the  tribunal  of  God.  Then  he  precipitates 
himself  to  be  absorbed  in  the  profound  of  an  unfathomable 
gulf;  then  he  entangles  himself  in  numberless  and  inextricable 
snares ;  then  he  sinks  himself  in  an  abyss  of  total  darkness.  For 
it  is  right  that  the  folly  of  the  human  mind  should  be  thus 
punished  with  horrible  destruction,  when  it  attempts  by  its  own 
ability  to  rise  to  the  summit  of  Divine  wisdom.  This  tempta- 
tion is  the  more  fatal,  because  there  is  no  other  to  which  men 
in  general  have  a  stronger  propensity.  For  there  is  scarcely  a 
person  to  be  found,  whose  mind  is  not  sometimes  struck  with 
this  thought  —  Whence  can  you  obtain  salvation  but  from  the 
election  of  God  ?  And  what  revelation  have  you  received  of 
election  ?  If  this  has  once  impressed  a  man,  it  either  perpetu- 
ally excruciates  the  unhappy  being  with  dreadful  torments, 
or  altogether  stupefies  him  with  astonishment.  Indeed,  I 
should  desire  no  stronger  argument  to  prove  how  extremely 
erroneous  the  conceptions  of  such  persons  are  respecting  pre- 
destination, than  experience  itself;  since  no  error  can  affect 
the  mind,  more  pestilent  than  such  as  disturbs  the  conscience, 
and  destroys  its  peace  and  tranquillity  towards  God.  There- 
fore, if  we  dread  shipwreck,  let  us  anxiously  beware  of  this 
rock,  on  which  none  ever  strike  without  being  destroyed. 
But  though  the  discussion  of  predestination  may  be  compared 
to  a  dangerous  ocean,  yet,  in  traversing  over  it,  the  navigation 
is  safe  and  serene,  and  I  will  also  add  pleasant,  unless  any  one 
freely  wishes  to  expose  himself  to  danger.  For  as  those  who, 
in  order  to  gain  ftn  assurance  of  their  election,  examine  into 
the  eternal  counsel  of  God  without  the  word,  plunge  them- 
selves into  a  fatal  abyss,  so  they  Avho  investigate  it  in  a  regular 
and  orderly  manner,  as  it  is  contained  in  the  word,  derive 
from  such  inquiry  the  benefit  of  peculiar  consolation.  Let  this, 
then,  be  our  way  of  inquiry  ;  to  begin  and  end  with  the  calling 
of  God.  Though  this  prevents  not  believers  from  perceiv- 
ing, that  the  blessings  they  daily  receive  from  the  hand  of  God 


CHAP.     XXIV. J  t;iiniSTlAJN     KtLilUlU^.  lOO 

descend  from  that  secret  adoption ;  as  Isaiah  introduces  them, 
saying,  "  Thou  hast  done  wonderful  things ;  thy  counsels  of 
old  are  faithfulness  and  truth  ;  "  (g)  for  by  adoption,  as  by  a 
token,  God  chooses  to  confirm  to  us  all  that  we  are  permitted 
to  know  of  his  counsel.  Lest  this  should  be  thought  a  weak 
testimony,  let  us  consider  how  much  clearness  and  certainty  it 
affords  us.  Bernard  has  some  pertinent  observations  on  this 
subject.  After  speaking  of  the  reprobate,  he  says,  "  The  coun- 
sel of  God  stands,  the  sentence  of  peace  stands,  respecting  them 
who  fear  him,  concealing  their  faults  and  rewarding  their 
virtues  ;  so  that  to  them,  not  only  good  things,  but  evil  ones 
also,  cooperate  for  good.  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  sufficient  for  me,  for  all  righteous- 
ness, to  possess  his  favour  alone,  against  whom  alone  I  have 
sinned.  All  that  he  has  decreed  not  to  impute  to  me,  is  just 
as  if  it  had  never  been."  And  a  little  after:  "  O  place  of  true 
rest,  which  I  might  not  improperly  call  a  bed-chamber,  in 
which  God  is  viewed,  not  as  disturbed  with  anger,  or  filled 
with  care,  but  where  his  will  is  proved  to  be  good,  and  accept- 
able, and  perfect.  This  view  is  not  terrifying,  but  soothing  ; 
it  excites  no  restless  curiosity,  but  allays  it :  it  fatigues  not  the 
senses,  but  tranquillizes  them.  Here  true  rest  is  enjoyed. 
A  tranquil  God  tranquillizes  all  things ;  and  to  behold  rest,  is 
to  enjoy  repose." 

V.  In  the  first  place,  if  we  seek  the  fatherly  clemency  and 
propitious  heart  of  God,  our  eyes  must  be  directed  to  Christ,  in 
whom  alone  the  Father  is  well  pleased,  (h)  If  we  seek  salva- 
tion, life,  and  the  immortality  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  re- 
course must  be  had  to  no  other.;  for  he  alone  is  the  Fountain 
of  life,  the  Anchor  of  salvation,  and  the  Heir  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  Now,  what  is  the  end  of  election,  but  that,  being 
adopted  as  children  by  our  heavenly  Father,  we  may  by  his 
favour  obtain  salvation  and  immortality  ?  Consider  and  inves- 
tigate it  as  much  as  you  please,  you  will  not  find  its  ultimate 
scope  extend  beyond  this.  The  persons,  therefore,  whom  God 
has  adopted  as  his  children,  he  is  said  to  have  chosen,  not  in 
themselves,  but  in  Christ  ;  because  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  love  them,  except  in  him ;  or  to  honour  them  with  the 
inheritance  of  his  kingdom,  unless  previously  made  partakers 
of  him.  But  if  we  are  chosen  in  him,  we  shall  find  no  assu- 
rance of  our  election  in  ourselves  ;  nor  even  in  God  the  Father, 
considered  alone,  abstractedly  from  the  Son.  Christ,  therefore, 
is  the  mirror,  in  which  it  behoves  us  to  contemplate  onr  elec- 
tion ;  and  here  we  may  do  it  with  safety.  For  as  the  Father 
has  determined  to  unite  to  the  body  of  his  Son  all  who  are  the 

(g)  Isaiah  XXV.  1.  (/<)  Matt.  iii.  17. 


184  rN'STITlTTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

objects  of  his  eternal  choice,  that  he  may  have,  as  his  children, 
all  that  he  recognizes  among  his  members,  we  have  a  testimony 
sufficiently  clear  and  strong,  that  if  we  have  communion  with 
Christ,  we  are  written  in  the  book  of  life.  And  he  gave  us 
this  certain  communion  with  himself,  when  he  testified  by  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  that  he  was  given  to  us  by  the  Father, 
to  be  ours  with  all  his  benefits.  We  are  said  to  put  him  on, 
and  to  grow  up  into  him,  that  we  may  live  because  he  lives. 
This  doctrine  is  often  repeated.  "  God  spared  not  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish."  (?)  "  He  that  believeth  on  him,  is  passed  from  death 
unto  life."  (k)  In  which  sense  he  calls  himself  "  The  bread 
of  life,  he  that  eateth  which,  shall  live  for  ever."  (^)  He,  I 
say,  is  our  witness,  that  all  who  receive  him  by  faith  shall  be 
considered  as  the  children  of  his  heavenly  Father.  If  we 
desire  any  thing  more  than  being  numbered  among  the  sons 
and  heirs  of  God,  we  must  rise  above  Christ.  If  this  is  our 
highest  limit,  what  folly  do  we  betray  in  seeking  out  of  him, 
that  which  we  have  already  obtained  in  him,  and  which  can 
never  be  found  any  where  else  !  Besides,  as  he  is  the  Father's 
eternal  Wisdom,  immutable  Truth,  and  determined  Counsel, 
we  have  no  reason  to  fear  the  least  variation  in  the  declarations 
of  his  word  from  that  will  of  the  Father,  which  is  the  object 
of  our  inquiry ;  indeed,  he  faithfully  reveals  it  to  us,  as  it  has 
been  from  the  beginning,  and  will  ever  continue  to  be.  This 
doctrine  ought  to  have  a  practical  influence  on  our  prayers. 
For  though  faith  in  election  animates  us  to-  call  upon  God,  yet 
it  would  be  preposterous  to  obtrude  it  upon  him  when  we  pray, 
or  to  stipulate  this  condition  —  O  Lord,  if  I  am  elected,  hear 
me  ;  since  it  is  his  pleasure  that  we  should  be  satisfied  with 
his  promises,  and  make  no  further  inquiries  whether  he  will  be 
propitious  to  our  prayers.  This  prudence  will  extricate  us 
from  many  snares,  if  we  know  how  to  make  a  right  use  of 
what  has  been  rightly  written  ;  but  we  must  not  inconsider- 
ately apply  to  various  purposes,  what  ought  to  be  restricted 
to  the  object  particularly  designed. 

VI.  For  the  establishment  of  our  confidence,  there  is  also 
another  confirmation  of  election,  which,  we  have  said,  is  con- 
nected with  our  calling.  For  those  whom  Christ  illuminates 
with  the  knowledge  of  his  name,  and  introduces  into  the  bosom 
of  his  Church,  he  is  said  to  receive  into  his  charge  and  protection. 
And  all  whom  he  receives  are  said  to  be  committed  and  in- 
trusted to  him  by  the  Father,  to  be  kept  to  eternal  life.  What 
do  Ave  wish  for  ourselves  ?  Christ  loudly  proclaims  that  all 
whose  salvation  was  designed  by  the  Father,  had  been  deli- 

(0  Rom.  viii.  32.     John  iii.  L'j,  IG.         (/.)  John  v.  24.         (/)  John  vi.  35— v>. 


vaAf.    XXIV. J  LUKisiiA.N    j:ii;:L,iiiiur^.  loo 

vered  by  him  into  his  protection,  (m)  If,  therefore,  we  want 
to  ascertain  whether  God  is  concerned  for  our  salvation,  let  us  ni- 
quire  whether  he  has  committed  us  to  Christ,  whom  he  constitut- 
ed the  only  Saviour  of  all  his  people.  Now,  if  we  doubt  whether 
Christ  has  received  us  into  his  charge  and  custody,  he  obviates 
this  doubt,  by  freely  offering  himself  as  our  Shepherd,  and  declar- 
ing that  if  we  hear  his  voice,  we  shall  be  numbered  among  his 
sheep.  We  therefore  embrace  Christ,  thus  kindly  offered  to  us 
and  advancing  to  meet  us ;  and  he  will  number  us  with  his 
sheep,  and  preserve  us  enclosed  in  his  fold.  But  yet  we  feel 
anxiety  for  our  future  state  ;  for  as  Paul  declares  that  "  whom 
he  predestinated,  them  he  also  called,"  (?t)  so  Christ  informs 
us  that  '-many  are  called,  but  few  chosen."  (o)  Besides, 
Paul  himself  also,  in  another  place,  cautions  against  carelessness, 
saying,  "  Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he 
fall."  (p)  Again  :  "  Art  thou  grafted  among  the  people  ot  God  ? 
Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear.  God  is  able  to  cut  thee  off  again, 
and  graft  in  others."  [q)  Lastly,  experience  itself  teaches  us 
that  vocation  and  faith  are  of  little  value,  unless  accompanied 
by  perseverance,  which  is  not  the  lot  of  all.  But  Christ  has 
delivered  us  from  this  anxiety,  for  these  promises  undoubtedly 
belong  to  the  future :  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me,  shall 
come  to  me  ;  and  him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.  And  this  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me, 
that  of  all  which  he  hath  given  me,  I  should  lose  nothing, 
but  should  raise  it  up  again  at  the  last  day."  (r)  Again  :  "  My 
sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me. 
And  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish, 
neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father, 
which  gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all  ;  and  none  is  able 
to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand."  (s)  Besides,  when 
he  declares,  "  Every  plant  which  my  heavenly  Father  hath 
not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up,"  (t)  he  fully  implies  on  tlie 
contrary,  that  those  who  are  rooted  in  God,  can  never  by  any 
violence  be  deprived  of  salvation.  With  this  corresponds 
that  passage  of  John,  "  If  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no 
doubt  have  continued  with  us."  (w)  Hence  also  that  magnifi- 
cent exultation  of  Paul,  in  defiance  of  life  and  death,  of  things 
present  and  future  ;  which  must  necessarily  have  been  founded 
in  the  gift  of  perseverance,  (x)  Nor  can  it  be  doubted  that  he 
applies  this  sentiment  to  all  the  elect.  The  same  apostle  in 
another  place  says,  "  He  which  hath  begun  a  good  work  in 
you,  will  perform  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.  "  (y)     This 

(m)  John  vi.  37,  39  ;  xvii.  6, 12.       (9)  Rom.  xi.  17—23.  (u)  1  John  ii.  i9. 

(«)    Rom.  viii.  30.  (r)  John  vi.  37,  39.  (x)   Rom.  viii.  35—33. 

(o)    Matt.  xxii.  14.  (5)  John  x.  27—29.  (y)  Phil.  i.  6. 

(/>)  1  Cor.  X.  12.  (0  Matt.  xv.  13. 

VOL.    II.  2-1 


186  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

also  supported  David  when  his  faith  was  faihiig  :  "Thou  wilt 
not  forsake  the  work  of  thine  own  hands."  (z)  Nor  is  it  to  be 
doubted,  that  when  Christ  intercedes  for  all  the  elect,  he  prays 
for  them  the  same  as  for  Peter,  that  their  faith  may  never  fail. 
Hence  we  conclude,  that  they  are  beyond  all  danger  of  falling 
away,  because  the  intercessions  of  the  Son  of  God  for  their 
perseverance  in  piety  have  not  been  rejected.  What  did  Christ 
intend  we  should  learn  from  this,  but  confidence  in  our  per- 
jietual  security,  since  we  have  once  been  introduced  into  the 
number  of  his  people  ? 

VII.  But  it  daily  happens,  that  they  who  appeared  to  belong 
to  Christ,  fall  away  from  him  again,  and  sink  into  ruin.  Even 
in  that  very  place,  where  he  asserts  that  none  perish  of  those 
who  were  given  to  him  by  the  Father,  he  excepts  the  son  of 
perdition.  This  is  true  ;  but  it  is  equally  certain,  that  such 
persons  never  adhered  to  Christ  with  that  confidence  of  heart 
which,  we  say,  gives  us  an  assurance  of  our  election.  "  They 
went  out  from  us,*'  says  John,  "  but  they  were  not  of  us  ;  for 
if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued 
with  us."  (a)  I  dispute  not  their  having  similar  signs  of  calling 
with  the  elect ;  but  I  am  far  from  admitting  them  to  possess 
that  certain  assurance  of  election  which  I  enjoin  believers  to 
seek  from  the  word  of  the  gospel.  Wherefore,  let  not  such 
examples  move  us  from  a  tranquil  reliance  on  our  Lord's 
promise,  where  he  declares,  that  all  who  receive  him  by  faith 
were  given  him  by  the  Father,  and  that  since  he  is  their 
Guardian  and  Shepherd,  not  one  of  them  shall  perish.  Of 
Judas  we  shall  speak  afterwards.  Paul  is  dissuading  Christians, 
not  from  all  security,  but  from  supine,  unguarded,  carnal  secu- 
rity, which  is  attended  with  pride,  arrogance,  and  contempt  of 
others,  extinguishes  humility  and  reverence  of  God,  and  pro- 
duces forgctfulness  of  favours  received.  For  he  is  addressing 
Gentiles,  teaching  them  that  the  Jews  should  not  be  proudly 
and  inhumanly  insulted  because  they  had  been  rejected,  and 
the  Gentiles  substituted  in  their  place.  He  also  inculcates  fear  ; 
not  such  a  fear  as  prodvices  terror  and  uncertainty,  but  such  as 
teaches  humble  admiration  of  the  grace  of  God,  without  any 
diminution  of  confidence  in  it ;  as  has  been  elsewhere  observed. 
Besides,  he  is  not  addressing  individuals,  but  distinct  parties 
generally.  For  as  the  Church  was  divided  into  two  parties, 
and  emulation  gave  birth  to  dissension,  Paul  admonishes  the 
Gentiles,  that  their  substitution  in  the  place  of  the  holy  and 
peculiar  people  ought  to  be  a  motive  to  fear  and  modesty. 
There  were,  however,  many  clamorous  people  among  them, 
whose  empty  boasting  it  was  necessary  to  restrain.     But  we 

(i)  Psalm  cxx.wiii.  8.  (")  1  John  ii.  19. 


CHAP.    XXIV. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  Mi/ 

have  already  seen  that  our  hope  extends  into  futurity,  even 
beyond  the  grave,  and  that  nothing  is  more  contrary  to  its 
nature  than  doubts  respecting  our  final  destiny. 

VIII.  The  declaration  of  Christ,  that  "many  are  called, 
and  few  chosen,"  is  very  improperly  understood.  For  there 
will  be  no  ambiguity  in  it,  if  we  remember  what  must  be  clear 
from  the  foregoing  observations,  that  there  are  two  kinds  of 
calling.  For  there  is  a  universal  call,  by  which  God,  in  the 
external  preaching  of  the  word,  invites  all,  indiscriminately,  to 
come  to  him,  even  those  to  whom  he  intends  it  as  a  savour  of 
death,  and  an  occasion  of  heavier  condemnation.  There  is  also 
a  special  call,  with  which  he,  for  the  most  part,  favours  only 
believers,  when,  by  the  inward  illumination  of  his  Spirit,  he 
causes  the  word  preached  to  sink  into  their  hearts.  Yet  some- 
times he  also  communicates  it  to  those  whom  he  only  enlightens 
for  a  season,  and  afterwards  forsakes  on  account  of  their  ingra- 
titude, and  strikes  with  greater  blindness.  Now,  the  Lord,  see- 
ing the  gospel  published  far  and  wide,  held  in  contempt  by 
the  generality  of  men,  and  justly  appreciated  by  few,  gives  us 
a  description  of  God,  under  the  character  of  a  king,  who  prepares 
a  solemn  feast,  and  sends  out  his  messengers  in  every  direction, 
to  invite  a  great  company,  but  can  only  prevail  on  very  few, 
every  one  alleging  impediments  to  excuse  himself;  so  that  at 
length  he  is  constrained  by  their  refusal  to  bring  in  all  who  can 
be  found  in  the  streets.  Thus  far,  every  one  sees,  the  parable 
is  to  be  understood  of  the  external  call.  He  proceeds  to  inform 
us,  that  God  acts  like  a  good  master  of  a  feast,  walking  round 
the  tables,  courteously  receiving  his  guests  ;  but  that  if  he  finds 
any  one  not  adorned  with  a  nuptial  garment,  he  suffers  not  the 
meanness  of  such  a  person  to  disgrace  the  festivity  of  the 
banquet.  I  confess,  this  part  is  to  be  understood  of  those  who 
enter  into  the  Church  by  a  profession  of  faith,  but  are  not 
invested  with  the  sanctification  of  Christ.  Such  blemishes,  and, 
as  it  were,  cankers  of  his  Church,  God  will  not  always  sutler,  but 
will  cast  them  out  of  it,  as  their  turpitude  deserves.  Few, 
therefore,  are  chosen  out  of  a  multitude  that  are  called,  but 
not  with  that  calling  by  which  we  say  believers  ought  to  judge 
of  their  election.  For  the  former  is  common  also  to  the  wicked  ; 
but  the  latter  is  attended  with  the  Spirit  of  regeneration,  the 
earnest  and  seal  of  the  future  inheritance,  Avhich  seals  our  hearts 
to  the  day  of  the  Lord,  (b)  In  short,  though  hypocrites  boast 
of  piety  as  if  they  were  true  worshippers  of  God,  Christ 
declares  that  he  will  finally  cast  them  out  of  the  place  which 
they  unjustly  occupy.  Thus  the  Psalmist  says,  "  Who  shall 
abide  in  thy  tabernacle  ?  He  that  worketh  righteousness,  and 
speaketh   the  truth  in  his   heart."  (c)     Again :   "  This  is  the 

(t)  Ephes.  i.  13,  14.  (c)  Psalm  xv.  1. 


183  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III, 

generation  of  them  that  seek  him,  that  seek  thy  face,  0 
Jacob."  (<Z)  And  thus  the  Spirit  exhorts  believers  to  patience, 
that  they  may  not  be  disturbed  by  Ishmaelites  being  united 
with  them  in  the  Church,  since  the  mask  will  at  length  be  torn 
off,  and  they  will  be  cast  out  with  disgrace. 

IX.  The  same  reasoning  applies  to  the  exception  lately  cited, 
where  Christ  says,  that  "  none  of  them  is  lost,  but  the  son  of 
perdition."  (e)  Here  is,  indeed,  some  inaccuracy  of  expression, 
but  the  meaning  is  clear.  For  he  was  never  reckoned  among 
the  sheep  of  Christ,  as  behig  really  such,  but  only  as  he  occu- 
pied the  place  of  one.  When  the  Lord  declares  he  was  chosen 
by  himself  with  the  other  apostles,  it  only  refers  to  the  minis- 
terial office.  "Have  not  I  chosen  you  twelve,"  says  he,  '-'and 
one  of  you  is  a  devil  ?"(/)  That  is,  he  had  chosen  him  to 
the  office  of  an  apostle.  But  when  he  speaks  of  election  to 
salvation,  he  excludes  him  from  the  number  of  the  elect :  "I 
speak  not  of  you  all ;  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen."  (g)  If 
any  one  confound  the  term  election  in  these  passages,  he  will 
miserably  embarrass  himself:  if  he  make  a  proper  distinction, 
nothing  is  plainer.  It  is  therefore  a  very  erroneous  and  per- 
nicious assertion  of  Gregory,  that  we  are  only  conscious  of  our 
calling,  but  uncertain  of  our  election ;  from  which  he  exhorts 
all  to  fear  and  trembling,  using  also  this  argument,  that  though 
we  know  what  we  are  to-day,  yet  we  know  not  what  we  may 
be  in  future.  But  the  context  plainly  shows  the  cause  of  his 
error  on  this  point.  For  as  he  suspended  election  on  the  merit 
of  works,  this  furnished  abundant  reason  for  discouragement  to 
the  minds  of  men  :  he  could  never  establish  them,  for  want  of 
leading  them  from  themselves  to  a  confidence  in  the  Divme 
goodness.  Hence  believers  have  some  perception  of  what  we 
stated  at  the  beginning,  that  predestination,  rightly  considered, 
neither  destroys  nor  weakens  faith,  but  rather  furnishes  its  best 
confirmation.  Yet  I  will  not  deny,  that  the  Spirit  sometimes 
accommodates  his  language  to  the  limited  extent  of  our  capacity, 
as  when  he  says,  ''  They  shall  not  be  in  the  assembly  of  my 
people,  neither  shall  they  be  written  in  the  writing  of  the  house 
of  Israel."  (A)  As  though  God  were  beginning  to  write  in  the 
book  of  life  those  whom  he  numbers  among  his  people,  whereas 
we  know  from  the  testimony  of  Christ,  that  the  names  of  God's 
children  have  been  written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  begin- 
ning. («)  But  these  expressions  only  signify  the  rejection  of 
those  who  seemed  to  be  the  chief  among  the  elect ;  as  the 
Psalmist  says,  "  Let  them  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  the 
living,  and  not  be  written  with  the  righteous."  (k) 


(d)  Psalm  xxiv.  6.         (f)  John  xvii.  12.         (/)  John  vi.  70.         (tr)  John  xiii.  IS. 
(//)  Ezek.  xiii.  9.  {i)  Luke  x.  20.  (/.-)  Psalm  Ixix.  23. 


CHAP.    XXIV.  J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  I  Otf 

X.  Now,  the  elect  are  not  gathered  into  the  fold  of  Christ  by 
calling,  immediately  from  their  birth,  nor  all  at  the  same  time, 
but  according  as  God  is  pleased  to  dispense  his  grace  to  them. 
Before  they  are  gathered  to  that  chief  Shepherd,  they  go  a- 
stray,  scattered  in  the  common  wilderness,  and  differing  in  no 
respect  from  others,  except  in  being  protected  by  the  special 
mercy  of  God  from  rushing  down  the  precipice  of  eternal  death. 
If  you  observe  them,  therefore,  you  will  see  the  posterity  of 
Adam  partaking  of  the  common  corruption  of  the  whole  spe- 
cies. That  they  go  not  to  the  most  desperate  extremes  of 
impiety,  is  not  owing  to  any  innate  goodness  of  theirs,  but  be- 
cause the  eye  of  God  watches  over  them,  and  his  hand  is  ex- 
tended for  their  preservation.  For  those  who  dream  of  I  know 
not  what  seed  of  election  sown  in  their  hearts  from  their  very 
birth,  always  inclining  them  to  piety  and  the  fear  of  God,  are 
unsupported  by  the  authority  of  Scripture,  and  refuted  by  ex- 
perience itself.  They  produce,  indeed,  a  few  examples  to 
prove  that  certain  elect  persons  were  not  entire  strangers  to 
religion,  even  before  they  were  truly  enlightened  ;  that  Paul 
lived  blameless  in  his  Pharisaism;  (l)  that  Cornelius,  with  his 
alms  and  prayers,  was  accepted  of  God,  (m)  and  if  there  are  any 
other  similar  ones.  What  they  say  of  Paul,  we  admit ;  but  re- 
specting Cornelius,  we  maintain  that  they  are  deceived ;  for  it 
is  evident,  he  was  then  enlightened  and  regenerated,  and 
v/anted  nothing  but  a  clear  revelation  of  the  gospel.  But 
what  will  they  extort  from  these  very  few  examples  ?  that  the 
elect  have  always  been  endued  with  the  spirit  of  piety  ?  This 
is  just  as  if  any  one,  having  proved  the  integrity  of  Aristides, 
Socrates,  Xenocrates,  Scipio,  Curius,  Camillus,  and  other  hea- 
thens, should  conclude  from  this,  that  all  who  were  left  in  the 
darkness  of  idolatry,  were  followers  of  holiness  and  virtue. 
But  this  is  contradicted  in  many  passages  of  Scripture.  Paul's 
description  of  the  state  of  the  Ephesians  prior  to  regeneration, 
exhibits  not  a  grain  of  this  seed.  "Ye  were  dead,"  he  says, 
"  in  trespasses  and  sins,  wherein  in  time  past  ye  walked  accord- 
ing to  the  course  of  this  world,  according  to  the  prince  of  the 
power  of  the  air,  the  spirit  that  now  worketh  in  the  children 
of  disobedience  ;  among  whom  also  we  all  had  our  conversa- 
tion in  times  past,  in  the  lusts  of  our  flesh,  fulfilling  the  de- 
sires of  the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,  and  were  by  nature  the 
children  of  wrath,  even  as  others."{M)  Again:  "Remember 
that  at  that  time  ye  were  without  hope,  and  without  God  in 
the  world."  (o)  Again :  "  Ye  were  sometimes  darkness,  but 
now  are  ye  light  in  the  Lord  ;  walk  as  children  of  light."  (p) 


(T)  Phil.  iii.  5,  6.  (m)  Acts  x.  2.  (n)  Ephes.  ii.  1—3, 

(o)  Ephes.  ii.  11,  12.  {p)  Ephes.  v.  8;  iv.  18. 


190  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

But  perhaps  they  will  plead,  that  these  passages  refer  to  that 
ignorance  of  the  true  God,  in  which  they  acknowledge  the 
elect  to  be  involved  previously  to  their  calling.  Though  this 
would  be  an  impudent  cavil,  since  the  apostle's  inferences  from 
them  are  such  as  these  :  "  Put  away  lying ;  and  let  him  that 
stole,  steal  no  more."  {q)  But  what  will  they  reply  to  other 
passages  ?  such  as  that  where,  after  declaring  to  the  Corinthi- 
ans, that  "  Neither  fornicators,  nor  idolaters,  nor  adulterers, 
nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor 
thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extor- 
tioners, shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  "  he  immediately 
adds,  "And  such  were  some  of  you;  but  ye  are  washed,  but 
ye  are  sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God."  (r)  And  another  pas- 
sage, addressed  to  the  Romans:  "As  ye  have  yielded  your 
members  servants  to  uucleanness,  and  to  iniquity  unto  ini- 
quity ;  even  so  now  yield  your  members  servants  to  right- 
eousness. ■  What  fruit  had  ye  then  in  those  things  whereof  ye 
are  now  ashamed  ?  "  (s) 

XI.  What  kind  of  seed  of  election  was  springing  up  in 
them,  who  were  all  their  lives  contaminated  with  various 
pollutions,  and  with  desperate  wickedness  wallowed  in  the 
most  nefarious  and  execrable  of  all  crimes?  If  he  had  intend- 
ed to  speak  according  to  these  teachers,  he  ought  to  have  shown 
how  much  they  were  obliged  to  the  goodness  of  God,  which 
had  preserved  them  from  falling  into  such  great  pollutions. 
So  likewise  the  persons  whom  Peter  addressed,  he  ought  to 
have  exhorted  to  gratitude  on  account  of  the  perpetual  seed 
of  election.  But,  on  the  contrary,  he  admonishes  them,  "  that 
the  time  past  may  suffice  to  have  wrought  the  will  of  the 
Gentiles."  (^)  What  if  we  come  to  particular  examples? 
What  principle  of  righteousness  was  there  in  Rahab  the 
harlot  before  faith  ?  {u)  in  Manasseh,  when  Jerusalem  was 
dyed,  and  almost  drowned,  with  the  blood  of  the  prophets  ?  {x) 
in  the  thief,  who  repented  in  his  dying  moments?  {y)  Away, 
then,  with  these  arguments,  which  men  of  presumptuous  curi- 
osity raise  to  themselves  without  regarding  the  Scripture.  Let 
us  rather  abide  by  the  declaration  of  the  Scripture,  that  "all 
we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray ;  we  have  turned  every  one  to 
his  own  way,"  {z)  that  is,  destruction.  Those  whom  the  Lord 
has  determined  to  rescue  from  this  gulf  of  perdition,  he  defers 
till  his  appointed  season  ;  before  which  he  only  preserves  them 
from  falling  into  unpardonable  blasphemy. 

XII.  As  the  Lord,  by  his  effectual  calling  of  the  elect,  coni- 
es) Ephes.  iv.  25,  28.  (0  1  Peter  iv.  3.  (y)  Luke  xxiii.  40 
(r)  1  Cor.  vi.  9—11.                  («)  Josh.  ii.  1,  &c.  —42. 

(s)  Rom.  vi.  19,  21.  (i)  2  Kings  xxi.  16.  (z)  Isaiah  liii.  6. 


pletes  the  salvation  to  which  he  predestinated  them  in  his 
eternal  counsel,  so  he  has  his  judgments  against  the  reprobate, 
by  which  he  executes  his  counsel  respecting  them.  Those, 
therefore,  whom  he  has  created  to  a  life  of  shame  and  a  death  of 
destruction,  that  they  might  be  instruments  of  his  wrath,  and 
examples  of  his  severity,  he  causes  to  reach  their  appointed  end, 
sometimes  depriving  them  of  the  opportunity  of  hearing  the 
word,  sometimes,  by  the  preaching  of  it,  increasing  their  blind- 
ness and  stupidity.  Of  the  former  there  are  innumerable  exam- 
ples :  let  us  only  select  one  that  is  more  evident  and  remarkable 
than  the  rest.  Before  the  advent  of  Christ,  there  passed  about 
four  thousand  years,  in  which  the  liOrd  concealed  the  light  of 
the  doctrine  of  salvation  from  all  the  Gentiles.  If  it  be  replied, 
that  he  withheld  from  them  the  participation  of  so  great  a 
blessing  because  he  esteemed  them  unworthy,  their  posterity 
will  be  found  equally  unworthy  of  it.  The  truth  of  this,  to 
say  nothing  of  experience,  is  sufficiently  attested  by  Malachi, 
who  follows  his  reproofs  of  unbelief  and  gross  blasphemies  by 
an  immediate  prediction  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  Why, 
then,  is  he  given  to  the  posterity  rather  than  to  their  ancestors  ? 
He  will  torment  himself  in  vain,  who  seeks  for  any  cause  of 
this  beyond  the  secret  and  inscrutable  counsel  of  God.  Nor 
need  we  be  afraid  lest  any  disciple  of  Porphyry  should  be  im- 
boldened  to  calumniate  the  justice  of  God  by  our  silence  in  its 
defence.  For  while  we  assert  that  all  deserve  to  perish,  and 
it  is  of  God's  free  goodness  that  any  are  saved,  enough  is  said 
for  the  illustration  of  his  glory,  so  that  every  subterfuge  of  ours 
is  altogether  unnecessary.  The  supreme  Lord,  therefore,  by 
depriving  of  the  communication  of  his  light,  and  leaving  in 
darkness,  those  whom  he  has  reprobated,  makes  way  for  the 
accomplishment  of  his  predestination.  Of  the  second  class,  the 
Scriptures  contain  many  examples,  and  others  present  them- 
selves every  day.  The  same  sermon  is  addressed  to  a  hundred 
persons  ;  twenty  receive  it  with  the  obedience  of  faith ;  the 
others  despise,  or  ridicule,  or  reject,  or  condemn  it.  If  it  be 
replied,  that  the  difference  proceeds  from  their  wickedness  and 
perverseness,  this  will  afford  no  satisfaction  ;  because  the  minds 
of  others  would  have  been  influenced  by  the  same  wickedness, 
but  for  the  correction  of  Divine  goodness.  And  thus  we  shall 
always  be  perplexed,  unless  we  recur  to  Paul's  question  —  "  Who 
maketh  thee  to  differ?  "(a)  In  which  he  signifies,  that  the 
excellence  of  some  men  beyond  others,  is  not  from  their  own 
virtue,  but  solely  from  Divine  grace. 

XIII.    Why,  then,  in  bestowing  grace  upon  some,  does  he 
pass  over  others  ?     Luke  assigns  a  reason  for  the  former,  that 

(o.)  1  Cor.  iv.  7. 


192  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

they  "were  ordained  to  eternal  life."  What  conckision,  then, 
shall  we  draw  respecting  the  latter,  but  that  they  are  vessels 
of  wrath  to  dishonour  ?  Wherefore  let  us  not  hesitate  to  say 
with  Augustine,  "  God  could  convert  to  good  the  will  of  the 
wicked,  because  he  is  omnipotent.  It  is  evident  that  he  could. 
Why,  then,  does  he  not  ?  Because  he  would  not.  Why  he 
would  not,  remains  with  himself."  For  we  ought  not  to  aim 
at  more  wisdom  than  becomes  us.  That  will  be  much  better 
than  adopting  the  evasion  of  Chrysostom,  "  that  he  draws  those 
\vho  are  willing,  and  who  stretch  out  their  hands  for  his  aid  ;  " 
that  the  diiference  may  not  appear  to  consist  in  the  decree  of 
God,  but  wholly  in  the  will  of  man.  But  an  approach  to  him 
is  so  far  from  being  a  mere  effort  of  man,  that  even  pious  per- 
sons, and  such  as  fear  God,  still  stand  in  need  of  the  pecu- 
liar impulse  of  the  Spirit.  Lydia,  the  seller  of  purple,  feared 
God,  and  yet  it  was  necessary  that  her  heart  should  be  opened, 
to  attend  to,  and  profit  by,  the  doctrine  of  Paul.  This  declara- 
tion is  not  made  respecting  a  single  female,  but  in  order  to 
teach  us  that  every  one's  advancement  in  piety  is  the  secret 
work  of  the  Spirit.  It  is  a  fact  not  to  be  doubted,  that  God 
sends  his  word  to  many  whose  blindness  he  determines  shall 
be  increased.  For  with  what  design  does  he  direct  so  many 
commands  to  be  delivered  to  Pharaoh  ?  Was  it  from  an  ex- 
pectation that  his  heart  would  be  softened  by  repeated  and 
frequent  messages  ?  Before  he  began,  he  knew  and  foretold 
the  result.  He  commanded  Moses  to  go  and  declare  his  will 
to  Pharaoh,  adding  at  the  same  time,  "  But  I  will  harden  his 
heart,  that  he  shall  not  let  the  people  go."  (b)  So,  when  he 
calls  forth  Ezekiel,  he  apprizes  him  that  he  is  sending  him  to 
a  rebellious  and  obstinate  people,  that  he  may  not  be  alarmed  if 
they  refuse  to  hear  him.  (c)  So  Jeremiah  foretells  that  his  word 
will  be  like  fire,  to  scatter  and  destroy  the  people  like  stubble.  ((/) 
But  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  furnishes  a  still  stronger  confirma- 
tion ;  for  this  is  his  mission  from  the  Lord  :  "  Go  and  tell  this 
people.  Hear  ye,  indeed,  but  understand  not,  and  see  ye,  indeed, 
but  perceive  not.  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat,  and  make 
their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes ;  lest  they  see  with  their 
eyes,  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart, 
and  convert,  and  be  healed."  (e)  Observe,  he  directs  his  voice 
to  them,  but  it  is  that  they  may  become  more  deaf;  he  kin- 
dles a  light,  but  it  is  that  they  may  be  made  more  blind  ;  he 
publishes  his  doctrine,  but  it  is  that  they  may  be  more  besotted  : 
he  applies  a  remedy,  but  it  is  that  they  may  not  be  healed. 
John,  citing  this  prophecy,  declares  that  the  Jews  could  not 


(i)  Exod.  iv.  21.  (d)  JeT.v.M. 

(c)  Ezek.  ii.  3  ;  xii.  2.  (c)  Isaiah  vi.  9, 10. 


CHAP,    XXIV. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  190 

believe,  because  this  curse  of  God  was  upon  them.  (/ )  Nor 
can  it  be  disputed,  that  to  such  persons  as  God  determines  not 
to  enhghten,  he  delivers  his  doctrine  involved  in  enigmatical 
obscurity,  that  its  only  eflect  may  be  to  increase  their  stupidity. 
For  Christ  testifies  that  he  confined  to  his  apostles  the  expla- 
nations of  the  parables  in  which  he  had  addressed  the  multi- 
tude ;  "because  to  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  but  to  them  it  is  not  given."  (_^)  What 
does  the  Lord  mean,  you  will  say,  by  teaching  those  by  whom 
he  takes  care  not  to  be  understood  ?  Consider  whence  the 
fault  arises,  and  you  will  cease  the  inquiry ;  for  whatever 
obscurity  there  is  in  the  word,  yet  there  is  always  light  enough 
to  convince  the  consciences  of  the  wicked. 

XIV.  It  remains  now  to  be  seen  why  the  Lord  does  that 
which  it  is  evident  he  does.  If  it  be  replied,  that  this  is  done 
because  men  have  deserved  it  by  their  impiety,  wickedness,  and 
ingratitude,  it  will  be  a  just  and  true  observation ;  but  as  we 
have  not  yet  discovered  the  reason  of  this  diversity,  why  some 
persist  in  obduracy  while  others  are  inclined  to  obedience,  the 
discussion  of  it  will  necessarily  lead  us  to  the  same  remark  that 
Paul  has  quoted  from  Moses  concerning  Pharaoh:  "  Even  for 
this  same  purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  might  show  my 
power  in  thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be  declared  throughout 
all  the  earth."'  {h)  That  the  reprobate  obey  not  the  word  of 
God,  when  made  known  to  them,  is  justly  imputed  to  the 
wickedness  and  depravity  of  their  hearts,  provided  it  be  at  the 
same  time  stated,  that  they  are  abandoned  to  this  depravity, 
because  they  have  been  raised  up,  by  a  just  but  inscrutable 
judgment  of  God,  to  display  his  glory  in  their  condemnation. 
So,  when  it  is  related  of  the  sons  of  Eli,  that  they  listened  not 
to  his  salutary  admonitions,  "  because  the  Lord  would  slay 
them,"  (?)  it  is  not  denied  that  their  obstinacy  proceeded 
from  their  own  wickedness,  but  it  is  plainly  implied  that 
though  the  Lord  was  able  to  soften  their  hearts,  yet  they  were 
left  in  their  obstinacy,  because  his  immutable  decree  had  pre- 
destinated them  to  destruction.  To  the  same  purpose  is  that 
passage  of  John,  "  Though  he  had  done  so  many  miracles 
before  them,  yet  they  believed  not  on  him ;  that  the  saying  of 
Esaias  the  prophet  might  be  fulfilled,  which  he  spake,  '  Lord, 
who  hath  believed  our  report  ?  '  "  {k)  For  though  he  does  not 
acquit  the  obstinate  from  the  charge  of  guilt,  yet  he  satisfies 
himself  with  this  reason,  that  the  grace  of  God  has  no  charms 
for  men  till  the  Holy  Spirit  gives  them  a  taste  for  it.  And 
Christ  cites  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah,   "  They  shall  be  all  taught 


(J)  John  xii.  39,  40.  {g)  Matt.  xiii.  11.  (/()  Rom.  ix.  17. 

(i)  1  Sam.  ii.  25.  (/c)  John  xii.  37,  3d. 

VOL.  II.  25 


194  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    Hi. 

of  God,"  (I)  with  no  other  design  than  to  show,  that  the  Jews 
are  reprobate  and  strangers  to  the  Church,  because  they  are 
destitute  of  docility  ;  and  he  adduces  no  other  reason  for  it 
than  that  the  promise  of  God  does  not  belong  to  them  ;  which 
is  confirmed  by  that  passage  of  Paul,  where  '•'  Christ  crucified, 
unto  the  Jews  a  stnmbling-block,  and  unto  the  Greeks  foolish- 
ness," is  said  to  be  "unto  them  which  are  called,  the  power 
of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God."  (m)  For,  after  remarking 
what  generally  happens  whenever  the  gospel  is  preached,  that 
it  exasperates  some,  and  is  despised  by  others,  he  represents  it 
as  duly  appreciated  only  by  "those  who  are  called."  A  little 
before  he  had  mentioned  "  them  that  believe ; "  not  that  he 
had  an  intention  to  deny  its  proper  place  to  the  grace  of  God, 
which  precedes  faith,  but  he  seems  to  add  this  second  descrip- 
tion by  way  of  correction,  in  order  that  those  who  had  received 
the  gospel  might  ascribe  the  praise  of  their  faith  to  the  Divine 
call.  And  so,  likewise,  in  a  subsequent  sentence,  he  represents 
them  as  the  objects  of  Divine  election.  When  the  impious 
hear  these  things,  they  loudly  complain  that  God,  by  a  wanton 
exercise  of  power,  abuses  his  wretched  creatures  for  the  sport 
of  his  cruelty.  But  we,  who  know  that  all  men  are  liable  to 
so  many  charges  at  the  Divine  tribunal,  that  of  a  thousand 
questions  they  would  be  unable  to  give  a  satisfactory  answer 
to  one,  confess  that  the  reprobate  suffer  nothing  but  what  is 
consistent  with  the  most  righteous  judgment  of  God.  Though 
we  cannot  comprehend  the  reason  of  this,  let  us  be  content 
with  some  degree  of  ignorance  where  the  wisdom  of  God  soars 
into  its  own  sublimity. 

XV.  But  as  objections  are  frequently  raised  from  some  pas- 
sages of  Scripture,  in  which  God  seems  to  deny  that  the  de- 
struction of  the  wicked  is  caused  by  his  decree,  but  that,  in 
opposition  to  his  remonstrances,  they  voluntarily  bring  ruin 
upon  themselves,  — let  us  show  by  a  brief  explication  that  they 
are  not  at  all  inconsistent  with  the  foregoing  doctrine.  A  pas- 
sage is  produced  from  Ezekiel,  where  God  says,  "  I  have  no 
pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn 
from  his  way  and  live."  {?i)  If  this  is  to  be  extended  to  all 
mankind,  why  does  he  not  urge  many  to  repentance,  whose 
minds  are  more  flexible  to  obedience  than  those  of  others,  who 
grow  more  and  more  callous  to  his  daily  invitations?  Among 
the  inhabitants  of  Nineveh  and  Sodom,  Christ  himself  declares 
that  his  evangelical  preaching  and  miracles  would  have  brought 
forth  more  fruit  than  in  Judca.  How  is  it,  then,  if  God  will 
have  all  men  to  be  saved,  that  he  opens  not  the  gate  of  repent- 
ance to  those  miserable  men  who  would  be  more  ready  to  re* 

(0  John  vi.  45.  (m)  1  Cor.  i.  23,  24.  (n)  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11. 


CHAP.    XXIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  195 

ceive  the  favour  ?  Hence  we  perceive  it  to  be  a  violent  per- 
version of  the  passage,  if  the  will  of  God.  mentioned  by  the 
prophet,  be  set  in  opposition  to  his  eternal  counsel,  by  which 
he  lias  distinguished  the  elect  from  the  reprobate.  Now,  if  we 
inquire  the  genuine  sense  of  the  prophet,  his  only  meaning  is 
to  inspire  the  penitent  with  hopes  of  pardon.  And  this  is  the 
sum,  that  it  is  beyond  a  doubt  that  God  is  ready  to  pardon  sin- 
ners immediately  on  their  conversion.  Therefore  he  wills  not 
their  death,  inasmuch  as  he  wills  their  repentance.  But  expe- 
rience teaches,  that  he  does  not  will  the  repentance  of  those 
whom  he  externally  calls,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  aft'ect  all  their 
hearts.  Nor  should  he  on  this  account  be  charged  with  acting 
deceitfully  ;  for,  though  his  external  call  only  renders  those 
who  hear  without  obeying  it  inexcusable,  yet  it  is  justly  es- 
teemed the  testimony  of  God's  grace,  by  which  he  reconciles 
men  to  himself.  Let  us  observe,  therefore,  the  design  of  the 
prophet  in  saying  that  God  has  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  a 
sinner;  it  is  to  assure  the  pious  of  God's  readiness  to  pardon 
them  immediately  on  their  repentance,  and  to  show  the  impious 
the  aggravation  of  their  sin  in  rejecting  such  great  compassion 
and  kindness  of  God.  Repentance,  therefore,  will  always  be 
met  by  Divine  mercy  ;  but  on  whom  repentance  is  bestowed, 
we  are  clearly  taught  by  Ezekiel  himself,  as  well  as  by  all  the 
prophets  and  apostles. 

XVI.  Another  passage  adduced  is  from  Paul,  where  he  states 
that  "God  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved;  "  (o)  which,  though 
somewhat  different  from  the  passage  just  considered,  yet  is  very 
similar  to  it.  I  reply,  in  the  first  place,  that  it  is  evident  from 
the  context,  how  God  wills  the  salvation  of  all ;  for  Paul  con- 
nects these  two  things  together,  that  he  "  will  have  all  men  to 
be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  If 
it  was  fixed  in  the  eternal  counsel  of  God,  that  they  should 
receive  the  doctrine  of  salvation,  what  is  the  meaning  of  that 
question  of  Moses,  "  What  nation  is  there  so  great,  who  hath  God 
so  nigh  unto  them  as  we  have  ?  "  (j?)  How  is  it  that  God  has 
deprived  many  nations  of  the  light  of  the  gospel,  which  others 
enjoyed?  How  is  it  that  the  pure  kiiowledge  of  the  doctrine 
of  piety  has  never  reached  some,  and  that  others  have  but  just 
heard  some  obscuio  rudiments  of  it?  Hence  it  will  be  easy  to 
discover  the  design  of  Paul.  He  had  enjoined  Timothy  to 
make  solemn  prayers  in  the  Church  for  kings  and  princes  ;  but 
as  it  might  seem  somewhat  inconsistent  to  pray  to  God  for 
a  class  of  men  almost  past  hope,  —  for  they  were  not  only 
strfingers  to  the  body  of  Christ,  but  striving  with  all  their  pow- 
er to  ruin  his  kingdom,  — he  subjoins,  that  ''this  is  good  and 

(o)  1  Tim.  ii.  4.  (p)  Deut.  iv.  7. 


196  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOR    II 

acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God,  who  will  have  all  men  to  he 
saved  ;  "  which  only  imports,  that  God  has  not  closed  the  way 
of  salvation  against  any  order  of  men,  but  has  diffused  his 
mercy  in  such  a  manner  that  he  would  have  no  rank  to  be  des- 
titute of  it.  The  other  texts  adduced  are  not  declarative  of  the 
Lord's  determination  respecting  all  men  in  his  secret  counsel : 
they  only  proclaim  that  pardon  is  ready  for  all  sinners  Avho 
sincerely  seek  it.  (^)  For  if  they  obstinately  insist  on  its  being 
said  that  God  is  merciful  to  all,  I  will  oppose  to  them,  what  is 
elsewhere  asserted,  that  "  our  God  is  in  the  heavens ;  he  hath 
done  whatsoever  he  hath  pleased."  (r)  This  text,  then,  must 
be  explained  in  a  manner  consistent  with  another,  where  God 
says,  "  I  will  be  gracious  to  whom  1  will  be  gracious,  and  I  will 
show  mercy  on  whom  I  will  show  mercy."  (s)  He  who  makes 
a  selection  of  objects  for  the  exercise  of  his  mercy,  does  not 
impart  that  mercy  to  all.  But  as  it  clearly  appears  that  Paul  is 
there  speaking,  not  of  individuals,  but  orders  of  men,  I  shall 
forbear  any  further  argument.  It  must  be  remarked,  however, 
that  Paul  is  not  declaring  the  actual  conduct  of  God  at  all  times, 
in  all  places,  and  to  all  persons,  but  merely  representing  him  as 
at  liberty  to  make  kings  and  magistrates  at  length  partakers  of 
the  heavenly  doctrine,  notwithstanding  their  present  rage  against 
it  in  consequence  of  their  blindness.  There  is  more  apparent 
plausibility  in  their  objection,  from  the  declaration  of  Peter, 
that  "  the  Lord  is  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  that 
all  should  come  to  repentance."  (t)  But  the  second  clause 
furnishes  an  immediate  solution  of  this  difficulty  ;  for  the  will- 
ingness that  they  should  come  to  repentance  must  be  understood 
in  consistence  with  the  general  tenor  of  Scripture.  Conversion 
is  certainly  in  the  power  of  God  ;  let  him  be  asked,  whether 
he  wills  the  conversion  of  all,  when  he  promises  a  few  indi- 
viduals to  give  them  "  a  heart  of  flesh,"  while  he  leaves  others 
with  "a  heart  of  stone."  (?<)  If  he  were  not  ready  to  receive 
those  who  implore  his  mercy,  there  would  indeed  be  no  propri- 
ety in  this  address,  "  Turn  ye  unto  me,  and  I  will  turn  unto 
you  ;  "  (x)  but  I  maintain  that  no  mortal  ever  approaches  God 
without  being  divinely  drawn.  But  if  repentance  depended  on 
the  will  of  man,  Paul  would  not  have  said,  "  If  God  peradven- 
ture  will  give  them  repentance."  (ij)  And  if  God,  whose  voice 
exhorts  all  men  to  repentance,  did  not  draw  the  elect  to  it  by 
the  secret  operation  of  his  Spirit,  Jeremiah  would  not  have  said, 
"  Turn  thou  me,  and  I  shall  be  turned ;  for  thou  art  the  Lord 
my  God.     Surely  after  that  I  was  turned,  I  repented."  (z) 


(q)  Psalm  cxlv.  9.  (t)  2  Peter  iii.  9.  (y)  2  Tim.  ii.  25. 

(r)  Psalm  cxv.  3.  (u)  Kzek.  xxxvi.  26.  (z)  Jer.  xxxi.  18, 19. 

(5)  Exod.  xxxiii.  19.  {x)  Zech.  i.  3. 


CHAP.    XXIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  197 

XVII.  If  this  be  correct,  it  will  be  said  there  can  be  but  little 
faith  ill  the  promises  of  the  gospel,  which,  in  declaring  the  will 
of  God,  assert  that  he  wills  what  is  repugnant  to  his  inviolable 
decree.  But  this  is  far  from  a  just  conclusion.  For  if  we  turn 
om-  attention  to  the  effect  of  the  promises  of  salvation,  we  shall 
find  that  their  universality  is  not  at  all  inconsistent  with  the 
predestination  of  the  reprobate.  We  know  the  promises  to  be 
effectual  to  us  only  when  we  receive  them  by  faith  ;  on  the 
contrary,  the  annihilation  of  faith  is  at  once  an  abolition  of  the 
promises.  If  this  is  their  nature,  we  may  perceive  that  there  is 
no  discordance  between  these  two  things  —  God's  having  ap- 
pointed from  eternity  on  whom  he  will  bestow  his  favour  and 
exercise  his  wrath,  and  his  proclaiming  salvation  indiscriminately 
to  all.  Indeed,  I  maintain  that  there  is  the  most  perfect  har- 
mony between  them.  For  his  sole  design  in  thus  promising,  is 
to  olfer  his  mercy  to  all  who  desire  and  seek  it,  which  none  do 
but  those  whom  he  has  enlightened,  and  he  enlightens  all  whom 
he  has  predestinated  to  salvation.  These  persons  experience 
the  certain  and  unshaken  truth  of  the  promises ;  so  that  it  can- 
not be  pretended  that  there  is  the  least  contrariety  between 
God's  eternal  election  and  the  testimony  of  his  grace  offered  to 
believers.  But  why  does  he  mention  all  ?  It  is  in  order  that 
the  consciences  of  the  pious  may  enjoy  the  more  secure  satis- 
faction, seeing  that  there  is  no  difference  between  sinners, 
provided  they  have  faith ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the 
impious  may  not  plead  the  want  of  an  asylum  to  flee  to  from 
the  bondage  of  sin,  while  they  ungratefully  reject  that  which  is 
offered  to  them.  When  the  mercy  of  God  is  offered  to  both  by 
the  gospel,  it  is  faith,  that  is,  the  illumination  of  God,  which 
distinguishes  between  the  pious  and  impious  ;  so  that  the  former 
experience  the  efficacy  of  the  gospel,  but  the  latter  derive  no 
benefit  from  it.  Now,  this  illumination  is  regulated  by  God's 
eternal  election.  The  complaint  and  lamentation  of  Christ, 
"  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered 
thy  children  together,  and  ye  would  not,"  {a)  however  they 
cite  it,  affords  them  no  support.  I  confess,  that  Christ  here 
speaks  not  merely  in  his  human  character,  but  that  he  is  up- 
braiding the  Jews  for  having  in  all  ages  rejected  his  grace.  But 
we  must  define  the  will  of  God  which  is  here  intended.  It  is 
well  known  how  sedulously  God  laboured  to  preserve  that 
people  to  himself,  and  with  what  extreme  obstinacy,  from  the 
first  to  the  last,  they  refused  to  be  gathered,  being  abandoned 
to  their  own  wandering  desires ;  but  this  does  not  authorize 
the  conclusion,  that  the  counsel  of  God  was  frustrated  by  the 
wickedness  of  men.     They  object,  that  nothing  is  more  incon- 

(a)  Matt,  xxiii.  37. 


198  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

sistent  with  the  nature  of  God  than  to  have  two  wills.  This  I 
grant  them,  provided  it  be  rightly  explained.  But  why  do  they 
not  consider  the  numerous  passages,  wliere,  by  the  assumption 
of  human  affections,  God  condescends  beneath  his  own  majesty  ? 
He  says,  "  I  have  spread  out  my  hands  all  the  day  unto  a  re- 
bellious people  ;  "  (6)  early  and  late  endeavouring  to  bring  them 
to  himself.  If  they  are  determined  to  accommodate  all  this  to 
God,  and  disregard  the  figurative  mode  of  expression,  they  will 
give  rise  to  many  needless  contentions,  which  may  be  settled  by 
this  one  solution,  that  what  is  peculiar  to  man  is  transferred  to 
God.  The  solution,  however,  elsewhere  stated  by  us,  is  fully 
sufficient  — that  though  to  our  apprehension  the  will  of  God  is 
manifold  and  various,  yet  he  does  not  in  himself  will  things  at 
variance  with  each  other,  but  astonishes  our  faculties  with  his 
various  and  "manifold  wisdom,"  according  to  the  expression  of 
Paul,  till  we  shall  be  enabled  to  understand,  that  he  mysteri- 
ously wills  what  now  seems  contrary  to  his  will.  They  im- 
pertinently object,  that  God  being  the  Father  of  all,  it  is  unjust 
for  him  to  disinherit  any  but  such  as  have  previously  deserved 
this  punishment  by  their  own  guilt.  As  if  the  goodness  of  God 
did  not  extend  even  to  dogs  and  swine.  But  if  the  question 
relates  to  the  human  race,  let  them  answer  why  God  allied 
himself  to  one  people  as  their  Father ;  why  he  gathered  even 
from  them  but  a  very  small  number,  as  the  fl.ower  of  them. 
But  their  rage  for  slander  prevents  these  railers  from  consider- 
ing that  God  "  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the 
good,"  (c)  but  that  the  inheritance  is  reserved  for  the  few,  to 
whom  it  shall  one  day  be  said,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father, 
inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world."  (d)  They  further  object,  that  God  hates  nothing  he  has 
made  ;  which  though  I  grant  them,  the  doctrine  I  maintain  still 
remains  unshaken,  that  the  reprobate  are  hated  by  God,  and 
that  most  justly,  because,  being  destitute  of  his  Spirit,  they  can 
do  nothing  but  what  is  deserving  of  his  curse.  They  further  al- 
lege, that  there  is  no  difference  between  the  Jew  and  the  Gentile, 
and  therefore  that  the  grace  of  God  is  offered  indiscriminately  to 
all :  I  grant  it ;  only  let  them  admit,  according  to  the  declaration 
of  Paul,  that  God  calls  whom  he  pleases,  both  of  the  Jews  and 
of  the  Gentiles,  (e)  so  that  he  is  under  no  obligation  to  any.  In 
this  way  also  we  answer  their  arguments  from  another  text, 
which  says,  that  "  God  hath  concluded  them  all  in  imbelief, 
that  he  might  have  mercy  upon  all ;  "  (/)  Avhich  imports  that 
he  will  have  the  salvation  of  all  who  are  saved  ascribed  to  his 
mercy,  though  this  blessing  is  not  common  to  all.     Now,  while 


(h)  Isaiah  Ixv.  2.  (c)  Matt.  v.  48.  (</)  Matt.  xxv.  34. 

(c)  Rom.  ix.  24.  (/)  Rom.  xi.  32. 


CHAP.    XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  199 

many  arguments  are  advanced  on  both  sides,  let  our  conclusion 
be  to  stand  astonished  with  Paul  at  so  great  a  mystery,  and 
amidst  the  clamour  of  petulant  tongues  let  us  not  be  ashamed 
of  exclaiming  with  him,  "  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest 
against  God  ?  "  For,  as  Augustine  justly  contends,  it  is  acting 
a  most  perverse  part,  to  set  up  the  measure  of  human  justice 
as  the  standard  by  which  to  measure  the  justice  of  God. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

THE    FINAL    RESURRECTION. 


Though  Christ,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  after  having 
"abolished  death,"  is  declared  by  Paul  to  have  "brought  life 
and  immortality  to  light,"  shining  upon  us  "  through  the  gos- 
pel," ( 0-)  whence  also  in  believing  we  are  said  to  have  "  passed 
from  death  unto  life,"  (/i)  being  "no  more  strangers  and  fo- 
reigners, but  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints,  and  of  the  house- 
hold of  God,"  (i)  who  "hath  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly 
places  "  with  his  only  begotten  Son,  (k)  that  nothing  may  be 
Avanting  to  our  complete  felicity, — yet,  lest  we  should  find  it 
grievous  to  be  still  exercised  with  a  severe  warfare,  as  though 
we  derived  no  benefit  from  the  victory  gained  by  Christ,  we 
must  remember  what  is  stated  in  another  place  concerning  the 
nature  of  hope.  For  "  since  we  hope  for  that  we  see  not,"  (I) 
and,  according  to  another  text,  "faith  is  the  evidence  of  things 
not  seen ;  "  (m)  as  long  as  we  are  confined  in  the  prison  of  the 
flesh,  "we  are  absent  from  the  Lord."  (n)  Wherefore  the  same 
apostle  says,  "  Ye  are  dead,  and  your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God  ;  "  and  "  when  Christ,  who  is  our  life,  shall  appear,  then 
shall  ye  also  appear  Avith  him  in  glory."  (o)  This,  then,  is  our 
condition,  "  that  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly, 
in  this  present  world,  looking  for  that  blessed  hope,  and  the 
glorious  appearing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ."  (j9)  Here  we  have  need  of  more  than  common 
patience,  lest,  being  wearied,  we  pursue  a  retrograde  course,  or 
desert  the  station  assigned  us.  All  that  has  hitherto  been 
stated,  therefore,  concerning  our  salvation,  requires  minds  ele- 
vated towards  heaven,  that,  according  to  the  suggestion  of 
Peter,  we  may  love  Christ,  whom  we  have  not  seen,  and,  be- 

(rr)  2  Tim.  i.  10.  (/.)  Ephes.  ii.  6.  (71)  2  Cor.  v.  6. 

(/()    John  V.  24.  (/)  Iloin.  viii.  24.  (o)  Col.  iii.  3,  4. 

(0    Ephes.  ii.  19.  (m;  Heb.  xi.  1.  {p)  Titus  li.  12,  13. 


200  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III 

lieving  in  him,  may  "  rejoice  with  joy  mispeakable  and  full  of 
glory,"  till  we  receive  "the  end  of  our  faith."  [q)  For  which 
reason,  Paul  represents  the  faith  and  hope  of  believers  as  having 
respect  to  "  the  hope  that  is  laid  up  in  heaven."  [r)  When  we 
are  thus  looking  towards  heaven,  with  our  eyes  fixed  upon 
Christ,  and  nothing  detains  them  on  earth  from  carrying  us 
forward  to  the  promised  blessedness,  we  realize  the  fulfilment 
of  that  declaration,  "  Where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your 
heart  be  also."  (s)  Hence  it  is,  that  faith  is  so  scarce  in  the 
world  ;  because  to  our  sluggishness  nothing  is  more  difficult 
than  to  ascend  through  innumerable  obstacles,  "  pressing  to- 
ward the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling."  [t]  To  the 
accumulation  of  miseries  which  generally  oppress  us,  are  added 
the  mockeries  of  the  profane,  with  which  our  simplicity  is  as- 
sailed ;  while  voluntarily  renouncing  the  allurements  of  present 
advantage  or  pleasure,  we  seem  to  pursue  happiness,  which  is 
concealed  from  our  view,  like  a  shadow  that  continually  eludes 
our  grasp.  In  a  word,  above  and  below,  before  and  behind,  we 
are  beset  by  violent  temptations,  which  our  minds  would  long 
ago  have  been  incapable  of  sustaining,  if  they  had  not  been 
detached  from  terrestrial  things,  and  attached  to  the  heaven- 
ly life,  which  is  apparently  at  a  remote  distance.  He  alone, 
therefore,  has  made  a  solid  proficiency  in  the  gospel  who  has 
been  accustomed  to  continual  meditation  on  the  blessed  resur- 
rection. 

n.  The  supreme  good  was  a  subject  of  anxious  dispute,  and 
even  contention,  among  the  ancient  philosophers ;  yet  none  of 
them,  except  Plato,  acknowledged  the  chief  good  of  man  to 
consist  in  his  union  with  God.  But  of  the  nature  of  this 
union  he  had  not  even  the  smallest  idea ;  and  no  wonder,  for 
he  was  totally  uninformed  respecting  the  sacred  bond  of  it. 
We  know  what  is  the  only  and  perfect  happiness  even  in  this 
earthly  pilgrimage  ;  but  it  daily  inflames  our  hearts  with  in- 
creasing desires  after  it,  till  Ave  shall  be  satisfied  with  its  full 
fruition.  Therefore  I  have  observed  that  the  advantage  of 
Christ's  benefits  is  solely  enjoyed  by  those  who  elevate  their 
minds  to  the  resurrection.  Thus  Paul  also  sets  before  believers 
this  object,  towards  which  he  tells  us  he  directs  all  his  own 
efforts,  forgetting  every  thing  else,  "if  by  any  means  he  may 
attain  unto  it."  (m)  And  it  behoves  us  to  press  forward  to  the 
same  point  with  the  greater  alacrity,  lest,  if  this  world  engross 
our  attention,  we  should  be  grievously  punished  for  our  sloth. 
He  therefore  characterizes  believers  by  this  mark,  "  Our  con- 
versation is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  we  look  for  the  Sa- 
viour." {x)     And  that  their  minds  may  not  flag  in  this  course, 

{q)  1  Peter  i.  8,  9.  (.f)  MaM.  vi.  21.  (?<)  Phil.  iii.  8—11. 

(r)  Col.  i.  5.  (0  Phil.  iii.  14.  (z)  Phil.  iii.  20. 


CHAP.   XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  201 

he  associates  with  them  all  creatures  as  their  companions. 
For  as  rnin  and  deformity  are  visible  on  every  side,  he  tells  us 
that  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth  are  tending  to  renovation. 
For  the  fall  of  Adam  having  deranged  the  perfect  order  of 
nature,  the  bondage  to  which  the  creatures  have  been  subject- 
ed by  the  sin  of  man  is  grievous  and  burdensome  to  them  ;  not 
that  they  are  endued  with  any  intelligence,  but  because  they 
naturally  aspire  to  the  state  of  perfection  from  which  they  have 
fallen.  Paul  therefore  attributes  to  them  groaning  and  travail- 
ing pains,  [y)  that  we  who  have  received  the  first-fruits  of  the 
Spirit  may  be  ashamed  of  remaining  in  our  corruption,  and  not 
imitating  at  least  the  inanimate  elements  which  bear  the  punish- 
ment of  the  sin  of  others.  But  as  a  still  stronger  stimulus 
to  us,  he  calls  the  second  advent  of  Christ  "our  redemption." 
It  is  true,  indeed,  that  all  the  parts  of  our  redemption  are 
already  completed  ;  but  because  "  Christ  was  once  oftered  to 
bear  the  sins  of  many,  he  shall  appear  the  second  time  without 
sin  unto  salvation."  {z)  Whatever  calamities  oppress  us,  this 
redemption  should  support  us  even  till  its  full  consummation. 

III.  Let  the  importance  of  the  object  sharpen  our  pursuit. 
Paul  justly  argues,  that  "  if  there  be  no  resurrection  of  the 
dead,"  the  whole  gospel  is  vain  and  fallacious ;  for  we  should 
be  "  of  all  men  the  most  miserable,"  being  exposed  to  the 
hatred  and  reproaches  of  mankind,  "  standing  in  jeopardy 
every  hour,"  (a)  and  being  even  like  sheep  destined  to  the 
slaughter ;  and  therefore  its  authority  would  fall  to  the  ground 
not  in  one  point  only,  but  in  every  thing  it  contains  relating  to 
adoption  and  the  accomplishment  of  our  salvation.  To  this 
subject,  the  most  important  of  all,  let  us  give  an  attention 
never  to  be  wearied  by  length  of  time.  With  this  view  I  have 
deferred  what  I  shall  briefly  say  of  it  to  this  place,  that  the 
reader,  after  receiving  Christ  as  the  Author  of  complete  salva- 
tion, may  learn  to  soar  higher,  and  may  know  that  he  is  in- 
vested with  heavenly  glory  and  immortality,  in  order  that  the 
whole  body  may  be  conformed  to  the  Head  ;  as  in  his  person 
the  Holy  Spirit  frequently  gives  an  example  of  the  resurrection. 
It  is  a  thing  difficult  to  be  believed,  that  bodies,  after  having 
been  consumed  by  corruption,  shall  at  length,  at  the  appointed 
time,  be  raised  again.  Therefore,  while  many  of  the  philoso- 
phers asserted  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  the  resurrection 
of  the  body  was  admitted  by  k\v.  And  though  this  fur- 
nishes no  excuse,  yet  it  admonishes  us  that  this  truth  is  too 
difficult  to  command  the  assent  of  the  human  mind.  To  en- 
able faith  to  surmount  so  great  an  obstacle,  the  Scripture  sup- 
plies us  with  two  assistances :  one  consists  in  the  similitude  of 

(y)  Rom.  viii.  19—23.  (:)  Heb.  ix.  28.  {a)  1  Cor.  xv.  13,  &c. 

VOL.  IL  26 


202  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

Christ,  the  other  in  the  omnipotence  of  God.  Now,  whenever 
the  resurrection  is  mentioned,  let  us  set  before  us  the  image  of 
Christ,  who,  in  our  nature,  which  he  assumed,  finished  his 
course  in  this  mortal  life  in  such  a  manner,  that,  having  now 
obtained  immortality,  he  is  the  pledge  of  future  resurrection  to 
us.  For  in  the  afflictions  that  befall  us,  "  we  bear  about  in  the 
body  the  dying  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus 
might  be  made  manifest  in  our  body."  {b)  And  to  separate 
him  from  us,  is  not  lawful,  nor  indeed  possible,  without  rend- 
ing him  asunder.  Hence  the  reasoning  of  Paul :  "If  there  be 
no  resurrection  of  the  dead,  then  is  Christ  not  risen  ;  "  (c)  for 
he  assumes  this  as  an  acknowledged  principle,  that  Christ 
neither  fell  under  the  power  of  death,  nor  triumphed  over  it  in 
his  resurrection,  for  himself  as  a  private  individual ;  but  that 
all  this  was  a  commencement  in  the  Head  of  what  must  be 
fulfilled  in  all  the  members,  according  to  every  one's  order  and 
degree.  For  it  would  not  be  right,  indeed,  for  them  to  be  in 
all  respects  equal  to  him.  It  is  said  in  the  Psalms,  "  Thou 
wilt  not  suffer  thine  Holy  One  to  see  corruption."  (d)  Though 
a  portion  of  this  confidence  belongs  to  us,  according  to  the  mea- 
sure bestowed  upon  us,  yet  the  perfect  accomplishment  has  been 
seen  in  Christ  alone,  who  had  his  body  restored  to  him  entire, 
free  from  all  corruption.  Now  that  we  may  have  no  doubt 
of  our  fellowship  with  Christ  in  his  blessed  resurrection,  and 
may  be  satisfied  with  this  pledge,  Paul  expressly  affirms  that 
the  design  of  his  session  in  heaven,  and  his  advent  in  the  cha- 
racter of  Judge  at  the  last  day,  is  to  "  change  our  vile  body,  that 
it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body."  (e)  In  an- 
other place  also,  he  shows  that  God  raised  his  Son  from  the 
dead,  not  in  order  to  display  a  single  specimen  of  his  power, 
but  to  exert  on  believers  the  same  energy  of  his  Spirit,  whom 
he  therefore  calls  "  our  life  "  while  he  dwells  in  us,  because 
he  was  given  for  this  very  purpose,  "  to  quicken  our  mortal 
bodies."  (/)  I  am  but  briefly  glancing  at  things  which  would 
admit  of  a  fuller  discussion,  and  are  deserving  of  more  elegance 
of  style  ;  but  I  trust  the  pious  reader  will  find  in  a  small  com- 
pass suflicient  matter  for  the  edification  of  his  faith.  Christ, 
therefore,  rose  again,  that  we  might  be  the  companions  of  his 
future  life.  He  was  raised  by  the  Father,  inasmuch  as  he  was 
the  Head  of  the  church,  from  which  he  does  not  suffer  him  to 
be  separated.  He  was  raised  by  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  who  is 
given  to  us  also  for  the  purpose  of  quickening  us.  In  a  word, 
he  was  raised  that  he  might  be  "  the  resurrection  and  the  life." 
But  as  we  have  observed  that  this  mirror  exhibits  to  us  a  lively 
image  of  our  resurrection,  so  it  will  furnish  a  firm  foundation 

(h)  2  Cor.  iv.  10.  (<■)  1  Cor.  xv.  13.  (d)  Psalm  xvi.  10. 

(e)  Phil.  iii.  21.  (/)  Col.  iii.  4.     Rom.  viii.  11. 


CHAP.    XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  20^ 

for  our  minds  to  rest  upon,  provided  we  are  not  wearied  or  dis- 
turbed by  the  long  delay ;  because  it  is  not  ours  to  measure 
the  moments  of  time  by  our  own  incUnation,  but  to  wait  pa- 
tiently for  God's  establishment  of  his  kingdom  in  his  own 
appointed  time.  To  this  purpose  is  the  expression  of  Paul, 
"Christ  the  first-fruits,  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his 
coming."  (g')  But  that  no  doubt  might  be  entertained  of  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  on  which  the  resurrection  of  us  all  is 
founded,  we  see  in  how  many  and  various  ways  he  has  caused 
it  to  be  attested  to  us.  Scorners  will  ridicule  the  history  nar- 
rated by  the  evangelists,  as  a  childish  mockery.  For  what 
weight,  they  ask,  is  there  in  the  message  brought  by  some 
women  in  a  fright,  and  afterwards  confirmed  by  the  disciples 
half  dead  with  fear  ?  Why  does  not  Christ  rather  set  up  the 
splendid  trophies  of  his  victory  in  the  midst  of  the  temple  and 
the  public  places  ?  Why  does  he  not  make  a  formidable  en- 
trance into  the  presence  of  Pilate  ?  Why  does  he  not  prove 
himself  to  be  again  alive,  to  the  priests  and  all  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem  ?  Profane  men  will  scarcely  believe  the  persons 
selected  by  him  to  be  competent  witnesses.  I  reply,  notwith- 
standing the  contemptible  weakness  evident  in  these  begin- 
nings, yet  all  this  was  conducted  by  the  admirable  providence 
of  God,  that  they  who  were  lately  dispirited  with  fear,  were 
hurried  away  to  the  sepulchre,  partly  by  love  to  Christ  and  pious 
zeal,  partly  by  their  own  unbelief,  not  only  to  be  eye-witnesses  of 
the  fact,  but  to  hear  from  the  angels  the  same  as  they  saw  with 
their  eyes.  How  can  we  suspect  the  authority  of  those  who 
considered  what  they  heard  from  the  women  "as  idle  tales," 
till  they  had  the  fact  clearly  before  them?  (A)  As  to  the  peo- 
ple at  large,  and  the  governor  himself,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
after  the  ample  conviction  they  had,  they  were  denied  a  sight 
of  Christ,  or  any  other  proofs.  The  sepulchre  is  sealed,  a 
watch  is  set,  the  body  is  not  found  on  the  third  day.  The 
soldiers,  corrupted  by  bribes,  circulate  a  rumour  that  he  was 
stolen  away  by  his  disciples  ;  (i)  as  if  they  had  power  to  collect 
a  strong  force,  or  were  furnished  with  arms,  or  were  even  ac- 
customed to  such  a  daring  exploit.  But  if  the  soldiers  had  not 
courage  enough  to  repulse  them,  why  did  they  not  pursue 
them,  that  with  the  assistance  of  the  people  they  might  seize 
some  of  them  ?  The  truth  is,  therefore,  that  Pilate  by  his  zeal 
attested  the  resurrection  of  Christ;  and  the  guards  who  were 
placed  at  the  sepulchre,  either  by  their  silence  or  by  their  false- 
hood, were  in  reality  so  many  heralds  to  publish  the  same  fact. 
In  the  mean  time,  the  voice  of  the  angels  loudly  proclaimed, 
'He  is  not  here,  but  is  risen."  (A;)     Their  celestial  splendour 

(ff)  1  Cor.  XV.  23.  (/)  Matt,  xxvii.  (IG  ;  xxviii.  11,  &c. 

(A)  Luke  xxiv.  11.  (k)  Luke  xxiv.  4 — (i.     Malt,  xxviii   3 — 6. 


204  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

evidently  showed  them  to  be  angels,  and  not  men.  After  this, 
if  there  was  any  doubt  still  remaining,  it  was  removed  by 
Christ  himself.  More  than  once,  his  disciples  saw,  and  even 
felt  and  handled  him  ;  and  their  unbelief  lias  eminently  con- 
tributed to  the  confirmation  of  our  faith.  He  discoursed  among 
them  concerning  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  at 
length  they  saw  him  ascend  to  heaven.  (/)  Nor  was  this  spec- 
tacle exhibited  only  to  the  eleven  apostles,  but  "  he  was  seen 
of  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once."  (m)  By  the  mission 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  he  gave  an  undeniable  proof,  not  only  of 
his  life,  but  also  of  his  sovereign  dominion :  according  to  his 
prediction,  "It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away ;  for  if  I  go 
not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come  unto  you ;  but  if  I  de- 
part, I  will  send  him  unto  you."  (;i)  Paul,  in  his  way  to  Da- 
mascus, was  not  prostrated  to  the  ground  by  the  influence  of  a 
dead  man,  but  felt  that  the  person  whom  he  was  opposing  was 
armed  with  supreme  power.  He  appeared  to  Stephen  for  an- 
other reason  —  to  overcome  the  fear  of  death  by  an  assurance 
of  life,  (o)  To  refuse  credit  to  testimonies  so  numerous  and 
authentic,  is  not  diffidence,  but  perverse  and  unreasonable  ob- 
stinacy. 

IV.  The  remark  we  have  made,  that  in  proving  the  resurrec- 
tion, our  minds  should  be  directed  to  the  infinite  power  of  God, 
is  briefly  suggested  in  these  words  of  Paul :  "  Who  shall 
change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his 
glorious  body,  according  to  the  working  whereby  he  is  able 
even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself."  {p)  It  would  there- 
fore be  extremely  unreasonable  here,  to  consider  what  could 
possibly  happen  in  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  when  the 
object  proposed  to  us  is  an  inestimable  miracle,  the  magnitude 
of  which  absorbs  all  our  faculties.  Yet  Paul  adduces  an  ex- 
ample from  nature  to  reprove  the  folly  of  those  who  deny  the 
resurrection.  "  Thou  fool,"  says  he,  "  that  which  thou  sowest 
is  not  quickened,  except  it  die."  (q)  He  tells  us  that  seed 
sown  displays  an  image  of  the  resurrection,  because  the  corn  is 
reproduced  from  putrefaction.  Nor  would  it  be  a  thing  so  difii- 
cult  to  believe,  if  we  paid  proper  attention  to  the  miracles 
which  present  themselves  to  our  view  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 
But  let  us  remember,  that  no  man  will  be  truly  persuaded  of 
the  future  resurrection,  but  he  who  is  filled  with  admiration, 
and  ascribes  to  the  power  of  God  the  glory  that  is  due  to 
it.  Transported  with  this  confidence,  Isaiah  exclaims,  "  Thy 
dead  men  shall  live ;  together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they 
arise;  awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell  in  dust."  (r)    Surrounded 

(A  Acts  i.  3,  9.  (m)  1  Cor.  xv.  6.  (ii)  John  xvi.  7.  (o)  Acts  vii.  55. 

(p)  Phil.  iii.  21.  (q)  1  Cor.  xv.  3G.  (r)  Isaiah  xxvi.  19. 


CHAP.    XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  205 

by  desperate  circumstances,  he  has  recourse  to  God,  the  Author 
of  hfe,  unto  whom,  as  the  Psalmist  says,  "  belong  the  issues 
from  death."  (s)  Even  reduced  to  a  state  resembhng  a  dead 
carcass  more  than  a  living  man,  yet  relying  on  the  power  of 
God,  just  as  if  he  were  in  perfect  health,  Job  looks  forward 
without  any  doubts  to  that  day.  "  I  know,"  says  he,  "  that 
my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day 
upon  the  earth,"  there  to  display  his  power;  "and  though  after 
my  skin,  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see 
God  ;  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself,  and  not  another."  (t)  For 
though  some  persons  employ  great  subtilty  to  pervert  these 
texts,  as  if  they  ought  not  to  be  understood  of  the  resurrection, 
they  nevertheless  confirm  what  they  wish  to  destroy;  since 
holy  men,  in  the  midst  of  calamities,  seek  consolation  from  no 
other  quarter  than  from  the  similitude  of  the  resurrection  ; 
which  more  fully  appears  from  a  passage  in  Ezekiel.  (u)  For 
when  the  Jews  rejected  the  promise  of  their  restoration,  and 
objected,  that  there  was  no  more  probability  of  a  way  being 
opened  for  their  return,  than  of  the  dead  coming  forth  from 
their  sepulchres,  a  vision  is  presented  to  the  prophet,  of  a  field 
full  of  dry  bones,  and  God  commands  them  to  receive  flesh 
and  nerves.  Though  this  figure  is  intended  to  inspire  the 
people  with  a  hope  of  restoration,  he  borrows  the  argument  for 
it  from  the  resurrection  ;  as  it  is  to  us  also  the  principal  model 
of  all  the  deliverances  which  believers  experience  in  this 
world.  So  Christ,  after  having  declared  that  the  voice  of  the 
gospel  communicates  life,  in  consequence  of  its  rejection  by 
the  Jews,  immediately  adds,  "  Marvel  not  at  this  ;  for  the  hour 
is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear 
his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth."  (:r)  After  the  example  of 
Paul,  therefore,  let  us  even  now  triumphantly  exult  in  the 
midst  of  our  conflicts,  that  he  who  has  promised  us  a  life  to 
come  "  is  able  to  keep  that  which  we  have  committed  to  him  ;  " 
and  thus  let  us  glory  that  "  there  is  laid  up  for  us  a  crown  of 
righteousness,  which  the  righteous  Judge  shall  give  us."  (y) 
The  consequence  of  this  will  be,  that  all  the  troubles  we  sufler 
will  point  us  to  the  life  to  come,  "  seeing  it  is  a  righteous  thing 
with  God,"  and  agreeable  to  his  nature,  "  to  recompense  tribu- 
lation to  them  that  trouble  us,  and  to  us  who  are  "  unjustly 
"troubled,  rest,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed,  with  his 
mighty  angels,  in  flaming  fire."  (z)  Bat  we  must  remember 
what  immediately  follows,  that  "  he  shall  come  to  be  glorified 
in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them  that  believe,"  be- 
cause they  believe  the  gospel. 

(5)  Psalm  Ixviii.  20.  (m)  Ezek.  xxxvii.  1—14.  (y)  2  Tim.  i.  12;  iv.  8. 

(0  Job  zix.  25,  27.  (x)  John  v.  26,  29.  (=)  2  Thess.  i.  6-8,  10 


206  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    111. 

V,  Now,  though  the  minds  of  men  ought  to  be  continually 
occupied  with  the  study  of  this  subject,  yet  as  if  they  expressly 
intended  to  abolish  all  remembrance  of  the  resurrection,  they 
have  called  death  the  end  of  all  things,  and  the  destruction  of 
man.  For  Solomon  certahily  speaks  according  to  a  common 
Tnd  received  opinion,  when  he  says,  "A  living  dog  is  better 
than  a  dead  lion."  (a)  And  again  :  "  Who  knows  whether  the 
spirit  of  man  goeth  upward,  and  the  spirit  of  the  beast  goeth 
downward  ?  "  (i)  This  brutish  stupidity  has  infected  all  ages 
of  the  world,  and  even  forced  its  way  into  the  Church  ;  for  the 
Sadducees  had  the  audacity  publicly  to  profess,  that  there  is 
no  resurrection,  and  that  souls  are  mortal.  But  that  none 
might  be  excused  by  this  gross  ignorance,  the  very  instinct  of 
nature  has  always  set  before  the  eyes  of  unbelievers  an  image 
of  the  resurrection.  For  what  is  the  sacred  and  inviolable  cus- 
tom of  interring  the  dead,  but  a  pledge  of  another  life  ?  Nor 
can  it  be  objected  that  this  originated  in  error  ;  for  the  rites  of 
sepulture  were  always  observed  among  the  holy  fathers  ;  and 
it  pleased  God  that  the  same  custom  should  be  retained  among 
the  Gentiles,  that  their  torpor  might  be  roused  by  the  image  of 
the  resurrection  thereby  set  before  them.  Though  this  cere- 
mony produced  no  good  effects  upon  them,  yet  it  will  be  use- 
ful to  us,  if  we  wisely  consider  its  tendency  ;  for  it  is  no  slight 
refutation  of  unbelief,  that  all  united  in  professing  a  thing  that 
none  of  them  believed.  But  Satan  has  not  only  stupefied  men's 
minds,  to  make  them  bury  the  memory  of  the  resurrection 
together  with  the  bodies  of  the  dead,  but  has  endeavoured  to 
corrupt  this  point  of  doctrine  by  various  fictions,  with  an  ul- 
timate view  to  its  total  subversion.  Not  to  mention  that  he 
began  to  oppose  it  in  the  days  of  Paul,  not  long  after  arose  the 
Millenarians,  who  limited  the  reign  of  Christ  to  a  thousand 
years.  Their  fiction  is  too  puerile  to  require  or  deserve  refu- 
tation. Nor  does  the  Revelation,  which  they  quote  in  favour 
of  their  error,  afford  them  any  support  ;  for  the  term  of  a  thou- 
sand years,  there  mentioned,  (c)  refers  not  to  the  eternal  bless- 
edness of  the  Church,  but  to  the  various  agitations  which 
awaited  the  Church  in  its  militant  state  upon  earth.  But  the 
whole  Scripture  proclaims  that  there  will  be  no  end  of  the 
happiness  of  the  elect,  or  the  punishment  of  the  reprobate. 
Now,  all  those  things  which  are  invisible  to  our  eyes,  or  far 
above  the  comprehension  of  our  minds,  must  either  be  believed 
on  the  authority  of  the  oracles  of  God,  or  entirely  rejected. 
Those  who  assign  the  children  of  God  a  thousand  years  to  en- 
joy the  inheritance  of  the  future  life,  little  think  what  dis- 
honour they  cast  on  Ohrist  and  his  kingdom.     For  if  they  are 

(a)  Eccl.  ix.  4.  (fc)  Eccl.  iii.  21.  (c)  Rev.  xx.  4. 


CHAP.    XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  207 

not  invested  with  immortality,  neither  is  Christ  himself,  into 
the  likeness  of  whose  glory  they  will  be  transformed,  received 
up  into  immortal  glory.  If  their  happiness  will  have  any  end, 
it  follows  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  on  the  stability  of  which 
it  rests,  is  temporary.  Lastly,  either  these  persons  are  ex- 
tremely ignorant  of  all  Divine  things,  or  they  are  striving,  with 
malignant  perverseness,  to  overturn  all  the  grace  of  God  and 
power  of  Christ ;  and  these  can  never  be  perfectly  fulfilled  till 
sin  is  abolished,  and  death  swallowed  up,  and  eternal  life 
completely  established.  But  the  folly  of  being  afraid  that  too 
much  cruelty  is  attributed  to  God,  if  the  reprobate  are  doomed 
to  eternal  punishment,  is  even  evident  to  the  blind.  Will  the 
Lord  do  any  injury  by  refusing  the  enjoyment  of  his  kingdom 
to  persons  whose  ingratitude  shall  have  rendered  them  unwor- 
thy of  it  ?  But  their  sins  are  temporary.  This  I  grant ;  but 
the  majesty  of  God,  as  well  as  his  justice,  which  their  sins 
have  violated,  is  eternal.  Their  iniquity,  therefore,  is  justly 
remembered.  Then  the  punishment  is  alleged  to  be  excessive, 
being  disproportioned  to  the  crime.  But  this  is  intolerable 
blasphemy,  when  the  majesty  of  God  is  so  little  valued,  when 
the  contempt  of  it  is  considered  of  no  more  consequence  than 
the  destruction  of  one  soul.  But  let  us  pass  by  these  triflers ; 
lest,  contrary  to  what  we  have  before  said,  we  should  appear 
to  consider  their  reveries  as  worthy  of  refutation. 

VL  Beside  these  wild  notions,  the  perverse  curiosity  of  man 
has  introduced  two  others.  Some  have  supposed  that  the 
whole  man  dies,  and  that  souls  are  raised  again  together  with 
bodies ;  others,  admitting  the  immortality  of  souls,  suppose  they 
will  be  clothed  with  new  bodies,  and  thereby  deny  the  resur- 
rection of  the  flesh.  As  I  have  touched  on  the  former  of  these 
notions  in  the  creation  of  man,  it  will  be  sufficient  again  to 
apprize  my  readers,  that  it  is  a  brutish  error,  to  represent  the 
spirit,  formed  after  the  image  of  God,  as  a  fleeting  breath  which 
animates  the  body  only  during  this  perishable  life,  and  to  anni- 
hilate the  temple  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  in  short,  to  despoil  that 
part  of  us  in  which  Divinity  is  eminently  displayed,  and  the 
characters  of  immortality  are  conspicuous,  of  this  property  ;  so 
that  the  condition  of  the  body  must  be  better  and  more  excel- 
lent than  that  of  the  soul.  Very  different  is  the  doctrine  of 
Scripture,  which  compares  the  body  to  a  habitation,  from  which 
we  depart  at  death  ;  because  it  estimates  us  by  that  part  of  our 
nature  which  constitutes  the  distinction  between  us  and  the 
brutes.  Thus  Peter,  when  near  his  death,  says,  "  Shortly  I 
must  put  off"  this  my  tabernacle."  (d)  And  Paul,  speaking  of 
believers,  having  said  that  "  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  taber- 

{d)  2  Peter  i.  14. 


208  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

nacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  in  the  heavens,"  adds 
that  "  whilst  we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from 
the  Lord,  and  willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to 
be  present  with  the  Lord."  (e)  Unless  our  souls  survive  our 
bodies,  what  is  it  that  is  present  with  God  when  separated  from 
the  body  ?  But  the  apostle  removes  all  doubt  when  he  says 
that  we  are  "come  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect."  (/) 
By  which  expression  he  means,  that  we  are  associated  with  the 
holy  fathers,  who,  though  dead,  still  maintain  the  same  piety 
with  us,  so  that  we  cannot  be  members  of  Christ  without  being 
united  with  them.  If  souls  separated  from  bodies  did  not  retain 
their  existence  so  as  to  be  capable  of  glory  and  felicity,  Christ 
would  not  have  said  to  the  thief,  "  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with 
me  in  paradise."  (g)  Supported  by  such  undeniable  testimo- 
nies, let  us  not  hesitate,  after  the  example  of  Christ,  when  we 
die,  to  commend  our  spirits  to  God ;  or,  like  Stephen,  to  resign 
them  to  the  care  of  Christ,  who  is  justly  called  the  faithful 
"  Siiepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls."  Over-curious  inquiry  re- 
specting their  intermediate  state  is  neither  lawful  nor  useful. 
Many  persons  exceedingly  perplex  themselves  by  discussing 
what  place  they  occupy,  and  whether  they  already  enjoy  the 
glory  of  heaven,  or  not.  But  it  is  folly  and  presumption  to 
push  our  inquiries  on  unknown  things  beyond  what  God  per- 
mits us  to  know.  The  Scripture  declares  that  Christ  is  present 
with  them,  and  receives  them  into  paradise,  where  they  enjoy 
consolation,  and  that  the  souls  of  the  reprobate  endure  the  tor- 
ments which  they  have  deserved  ;  but  it  proceeds  no  further. 
Now,  what  teacher  or  doctor  shall  discover  to  us  that  which  God 
has  concealed  ?  The  question  respecting  place  is  equally  senseless 
and  futile  ;  because  we  know  that  the  soul  has  no  dimensions 
like  the  body.  The  blessed  assemblage  of  holy  spirits  being 
called  the  bosom  of  Abraham,  teaches  us  that  it  is  enough  for 
us,  at  the  close  of  this  pilgrimage,  to  be  received  by  the  common 
Father  of  believers,  and  to  participate  with  him  in  the  fruit  of 
his  faith.  In  the  mean  while,  as  the  Scripture  uniformly  com- 
mands us  to  look  forward  with  eager  expectation  to  the  coming 
of  Christ,  and  defers  the  crown  of  glory  which  awaits  us  till 
that  period,  let  us  be  content  within  these  limits  which  God 
prescribes  to  us  —  that  the  souls  of  pious  men,  after  finishing 
their  laborious  warfare,  depart  into  a  state  of  blessed  rest, 
where  they  wait  with  joy  and  pleasure  for  the  fruition  of  the 
promised  glory;  and  so,  that  all  things  remain  in  suspense  till 
Christ  appears  as  the  Redeemer.  And  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  condition  of  the  reprobate  is  the  same  as  Jude  assigns  to 
the  devils,  who  are  confined  and  bound  in  chains  till  they  are 
brought  forth  to  the  punishment  to  which  they  are  doomed. 

(e)  2  Cor.  v.  1,  8.  (/)  Ileb.  xii.  23.  {g)  Luke  xxiii.  43. 


CHAP.    XXV.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  209 

VII.  Equally  monstrous  is  tlio-  error  of  those  who  imagine 
that  souls  will  not  resume  the  bodies  which  at  present  belong  to 
them,  but  will  be  furnished  with  others  altogether  different.  It 
was  the  very  futile  reasoning  of  the  Manichooans,  that  it  is  absurd 
to  expect  that  the  flesh  which  is  so  impure  will  ever  rise  again. 
As  if  there  were  no  impurity  attached  to  the  souls,  which  they 
nevertheless  encouraged  to  entertain  hopes  of  a  heavenly  life. 
It  was  therefore  just  as  if  they  had  maintained,  that  any  thing 
infected  with  the  contagion  of  sin  is  incapable  of  being  purified 
by  the  power  of  God ;  for  that  reverie,  that  the  flesh  was  cre- 
ated by  the  devil,  and  therefore  naturally  impure,  I  at  present 
forbear  to  notice  ;  and  only  observe,  that  whatever  we  have  in 
us  now  unworthy  of  heaven,  will  not  hinder  the  resurrection. 
In  the  first  place,  when  Paul  exhorts  believers  to  "cleanse" 
themselves  "  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,"  {h) 
thence  follows  the  judgment  he  elsewhere  denounces,  "  that 
every  one  "  shall  "receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  accord- 
ing to  that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad ;  "  {i)  with 
which  agrees  another  passage,  "  that  the  life  also  of  Jesus 
might  be  made  manifest  in  our  body."  {k)  Wherefore  in  an- 
other place,  he  prays  to  God  that  the  whole  person  may  "  be 
preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ," 
even  the  "body,"  as  well  as  the  "soul  and  spirit."  {I)  And  no 
wonder ;  for  that  those  bodies  which  God  has  dedicated  as 
temples  for  himself,  should  sink  into  corruption,  without  any 
hope  of  resurrection,  would  be  absurd  in  the  extreme.  What 
is  to  be  concluded  from  their  being  members  of  Christ  ?  (w) 
from  God's  enjoining  every  part  of  them  to  be  sanctified  to 
himself,  requiring  their  tongues  to  celebrate  his  name,  their 
hands  to  be  lifted  up  with  purity  to  him,  [n)  and  their  bodies 
altogether  to  be  presented  to  him  as  "living  sacrifices?  "  (o) 
This  part  of  our  nature  therefore  being  dignified  with  such  illus- 
trious honour  by  the  heavenly  Judge,  what  madness  is  betrayed 
by  a  mortal  man,  in  asserting  it  to  be  reduced  to  ashes  without 
any  hope  of  restoration  !  And  Paul,  when  he  gives  us  this 
exhortation,  "  Glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit, 
which  are  God's,"  {p)  certainly  does  not  countenance  consign- 
ing to  eternal  corruption  that  which  he  asserts  to  be  consecrated 
to  God.  Nor  is  there  any  point  more  clearly  established  in 
Scripture,  than  the  resurrection  of  our  present  bodies.  "  This 
corruptible,"  says  Paul,  "  must  put  on  incorruption,  and  this 
mortal  must  put  on  immortality."  (f^)  If  new  bodies  were  to 
be  formed  by  God,  what  would  become  of  this  change  of 
q^uality  ?     If  it  had  been  said,  that  we  must  be  renewed,  the 

(A)  2  Cor.  vii.  1.  (/)  1  Thess.  v.  23.  (o)  Rom.  xii.  1. 

0)  2  Cor.  V.  10.  (m)  1  Cor.  vi.  15.  {p)  1  Cor.  vi.  20. 

(k)  2  Cor.  iv.  10.  (n)  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  {q)  1  Cor.  xv.  54. 

VOL.  II.  27 


210  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

ambiguity  of  the  expressiorf  might  have  given  occasion  for 
cavil  :  now,  when  he  particularly  designates  the  bodies  that 
surround  us,  and  promises  that  they  shall  be  "  raised  in  incor- 
ruption,"  it  is  a  sufficient  denial  of  the  formation  of  new  ones. 
"  He  could  not  indeed,"  says  TertuUian,  "have  spoken  more  ex- 
pressly, unless  he  had  held  his  own  skin  in  his  hand."  ISor  will 
any  cavil  evade  the  declaration  of  Isaiah,  cited  by  the  apostle, 
respecting  Christ  as  the  future  Judge  of  the  world  :  "  As  I  live, 
saith  the  Lord,  every  knee  shall  bow  to  me  ;  "  (;■)  for  he  plainly 
declares  to  the  persons  addressed  by  him,  that  they  sliall  be 
obliged  to  give  an  account  of  their  lives  ;  which  would  not  be 
reasonable,  if  new  bodies  were  to  be  placed  at  the  tribunal. 
There  is  no  obscurity  in  the  language  of  Daniel  :  "  Many  of 
them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake,  some  to 
everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
tempt." (s)  For  God  does  not  collect  fresh  materials  from  the 
four  elements  for  the  fabrication  of  men,  but  calls  the  dead  out 
of  their  sepulchres.  And  this  the  plainest  reason  dictates. 
For  if  death,  which  originated  in  the  fall  of  man,  be  adventi- 
tious, and  not  necessary  to  our  nature,  the  restoration  etfected 
by  Christ  belongs  to  the  same  body  which  was  thus  rendered 
mortal.  From  the  ridicule  of  the  Athenians,  when  Paul  assert- 
ed the  resurrection,  it  is  easy  to  infer  the  nature  of  his  doc- 
trine ;  and  that  ridicule  is  of  no  small  weight  for  the  confirmation 
of  our  faith.  The  injunction  of  Christ  also  is  worthy  of  atten- 
tion :  "  Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to 
kill  the  soul  ;  but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both 
soul  and  body  in  hell."  (t)  For  there  would  be  no  reason  for 
this  fear,  if  the  body  which  we  now  carry  about  were  not 
liable  to  punishment.  Another  of  Christ's  declarations  is  equal- 
ly plain  :  "  The  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in 
the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth,  they  that 
have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of  life,  and  they  that 
have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation."  («)  Shall 
we  say  that  souls  rest  in  graves,  and  will  there  hear  the  voice 
of  Christ,  and  not  rather  that  bodies  at  his  command  will  return 
to  the  vigour  they  had  lost  ?  Besides,  if  we  are  to  receive  new 
bodies,  where  will  be  the  conformity  between  the  Head  and 
members  ?  Christ  rose ;  was  it  by  making  himself  a  new 
body?  No,  but  according  to  his  prediction,  "Destroy  this 
temple,  and  in  three  days  I  will  raise  it  up."  (.r)  The  mortal 
body  which  he  before  possessed,  he  again  assumed.  For 
it  would  have  conduced  but  little  to  our-  benefit,  if  there 
had  been  a  substitution  of  a  new  body,  and  an  annihilation  of 

(;•)  Rom.  xiv.  11,  12.  (s)  Dm.  xii.  2.  (0  Matt.  .t.  28. 

(m)  John  V.  28,  29.  (z)  John  ii.  19. 


CHAP.    XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  211 

that  which  had  been  offered  as  an  atoning  sacrifice.  We  must, 
therefore,  maintain  the  connection  stated  by  the  apostle  —  that 
we  shall  rise,  because  Christ  has  risen  ;  {y)  for  nothing  is  more 
improbable,  than  that  our  body,  in  which  "  we  bear  about  the 
dyi'ng  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  [z]  should  be  deprived  of  a  resurrec- 
tion similar  to  his.  There  was  an  illustrious  example  of  this 
immediately  on  Christ's  resurrection,  when  "the  graves  were 
opened,  and  many  bodies  of  the  saints  which  slept  arose."  (a) 
For  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  this  was  a  prelude,  or  rather  an 
earnest,  of  the  final  resurrection,  which  we  expect  ;  such  as 
was  exhibited  before  in  Enoch  and  Elias,  whom  Tertullian 
speaks  of  as  "the  candidates  of  the  resurrection,"  because  they 
were  taken  into  the  immediate  care  of  God,  with  an  entire  ex- 
emption from  corruption  in  body  and  soul. 

VIII.  I  am  ashamed  of  consuming  so  many  words  on  so 
clear  a  subject ;  but  my  readers  will  cheerfully  unite  with  me  in 
submitting  to  this  trouble,  that  no  room  may  be  left  for  men  of 
perverse  and  presumptuous  minds  to  deceive  the  unwary.  The 
unsteady  spirits  I  am  now  opposing,  bring  forward  a  figment  of 
their  own  brains,  that  at  the  resurrection  there  will  be  a  creation 
of  new  bodies.  What  reason  can  induce  them  to  adopt  this 
sentiment,  but  a  seeming  incredibility,  in  their  apprehension, 
that  a  body  long  consumed  by  corruption  can  ever  return  to  its 
pristine  state  ?  Unbelief,  therefore,  is  the  only  source  of  this 
opinion.  In  the  Scripture,  on  the  contrary,  we  are  uniformly 
exhorted  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  hope  for  the  resurrection  of 
our  body.  For  this  reason,  baptism  is  spoken  of  by  Paul  as  a 
seal  of  our  future  resurrection ;  (6)  and  Ave  are  as  clearly  invited 
to  this  confidence  by  the  sacred  Supper,  when  we  receive  into 
our  mouths  the  symbols  of  spiritual  grace.  And  certainly  the 
exhortation  of  Paul,  to  "  yield  our  members  as  instruments 
of  righteousness  unto  God,"  (c)  would  lose  all  its  force,  if 
unaccompanied  by  what  he  afterwards  subjoins :  "  He  that 
raised  up  Christ  from  the  dead,  shall  also  quicken  your  mortal 
bodies."  {d)  For  what  would  it  avail  to  devote  our  feet,  hands, 
eyes,  and  tongues  to  the  service  of  God,  if  they  were  not  to 
participate  the  benefit  and  reward  ?  This  is  clearly  confirmed 
by  the  following  passage  of  Paul :  "  The  body  is  not  for  for- 
nication, but  for  the  Lord  ;  and  the  Lord  for  the  body.  And 
God  hath  both  raised  up  the  Lord,  and  will  also  raise  up  us  by 
his  own  power."  (e)  The  following  passages  are  still  plainer  — 
that  our  bodies  are  the  "  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  and 
"  members  of  Christ."  (/)  In  the  mean  time,  we  see  how  he 
connects  the  resurrection  with  chastity  and  holiness ;  and  so 

(ij)  1  Cor.  XV.  12,  &c.  {b)  Col.  ii.  12.  (c)  1  Cor.  vi.  13,  14. 

(z)  2  Cor.  iv.  10.  (r)  Rom.  vi.  13.  (/)  1  Cor.  vi.  15, 19,  20. 

(o)  Matt.  xxvi.  52.  {d)  Rom.  viii.  11. 


212  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

he  just  after  extends  the  price  of  redemption  to  our  bodies. 
Now,  it  would  be  extremely  unreasonable  that  the  body  of  Paul, 
in  which  he  "  bore  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  (g)  and  in 
which  he  eminently  glorified  Christ,  should  be  deprived  of  the 
reward  of  the  crown.  Hence  also  that  exultation  :  "  We  look 
for  the  Saviour  from  heaven,  who  shall  change  our  vile  body, 
that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious  body."  (h)  And 
if  it  be  true,  "  that  we  must  through  much  tribulation  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,"  (i)  there  can  be  no  reason  for  pro- 
hibiting this  entrance  to  the  bodies,  which  God  trains  under  the 
banner  of  the  cross,  and  honours  with  the  glory  of  victory. 
Therefore  no  doubt  has  ever  been  entertained  by  the  saints, 
whether  they  should  hope  to  be  companions  of  Christ  here- 
after ;  who  transfers  to  his  own  person  all  the  afflictions  with 
which  we  are  tried,  to  teach  us  that  they  are  conducting  us  to  life. 
And  God  also  established  the  holy  fathers  under  the  law  in  this 
faith  by  an  external  ceremony.  For  to  what  pm-pose  was  the 
rite  of  sepulture,  as  we  have  already  seen,  but  to  instruct  them 
that  another  life  was  prepared  for  the  interred  bodies  ?  The 
same  was  suggested  by  the  spices  and  other  symbols  of  immor- 
tality, which,  like  the  sacrifices  under  the  law,  assisted  the 
obscurity  of  direct  instruction.  Nor  did  this  custom  arise  from 
superstition ;  for  we  find  the  Holy  Spirit  as  diligent  in  mention- 
ing the  sepultures,  as  in  insisting  on  the  principal  mysteries  of 
faith.  And  Christ  commends  this  as  no  mean  office  ;  (k)  certainly 
for  no  other  reason,  but  because  it  raises  our  eyes  from  the  view 
of  the  grave,  which  corrupts  and  dissolves  all  things,  to  the  spec- 
tacle of  future  renovation.  Besides  the  very  careful  observance 
of  this  ceremony,  which  is  commended  in  the  fathers,  suffi- 
ciently proves  it  to  have  been  an  excellent  and  valuable  as- 
sistance to  faith.  Nor  would  Abraham  have  discovered  such 
solicitous  concern  about  the  sepulchre  of  his  wife,  if  he  had  not 
been  actuated  by  motives  of  religion,  and  the  prospect  of  more 
than  worldly  advantage  ;  that  by  adorning  her  dead  body  with 
the  emblems  of  the  resurrection,  he  might  confirm  his  own  faith, 
and  that  of  his  family,  (l)  There  is  yet  a  clearer  proof  of  this 
in  the  example  of  Jacob  ;  who,  to  testify  to  his  posterity  that 
the  hope  of  the  promised  land  did  not  forsake  his  heart  even  in 
death,  commands  his  bones  to  be  reconveyed  thither,  (ni)  If  he 
was  to  be  furnished  with  a  new  body,  would  not  this  have  been 
a  ridiculous  command  concerning  dust  that  was  soon  to  be  an- 
nihilated? Wherefore,  if  the  authority  of  the  Scripture  has 
{iny  weight  with  us,  no  clearer  or  stronger  proof  of  any  doctrine 
can  possibly  be  desired.     Even  children  understand  this  to  be 

(g)  Gal.  VI.  17.  (i)  Acts  xiv.  22.  (0  Gen.  xxiii.  3—19. 

(A)  Phil.  iii.  20,  21.  (A)  Matt.  xxvi.  10,  12.  (m)  Gen.  xlvii.  30. 


CHAP.    XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  213 

the  meaning  of  the  term  "  resurrection ;  "  for  we  never  apply 
this  term  to  any  instance  of  original  creation  ;  nor  would  it  be 
consistent  with  that  declaration  of  Christ,  "  Of  all  which  the  Fa- 
ther hath  given  me,  I  shall  lose  nothing,  but  will  raise  it  up  again 
at  the  last  day."  (n)  The  same  is  implied  in  the  word  "  sleeping," 
which  is  only  applicable  to  the  body.  Hence  the  appellation  of 
cemetery,  or  sleeping-place^  given  to  places  of  burial.  It  remains 
for  me  to  touch  a  little  on  the  manner  of  the  resurrection.  And 
1  shall  but  just  hint  at  it ;  because  Paul,  by  calling  it  a  mystery, 
exhorts  us  to  sobriety,  and  forbids  all  licentiousness  of  subtle 
and  extravagant  speculation.  In  the  first  place,  let  it  be  re- 
membered, as  we  have  observed,  that  we  shall  rise  again  with 
the  same  bodies  we  have  now,  as  to  the  substance,  but  that  the 
quality  will  be  different ;  just  as  the  very  body  of  Christ  which 
had  been  offered  as  a  sacrifice  was  raised  again,  but  with  such 
new  and  superior  qualities,  as  though  it  had  been  altogether 
different.  Paul  represents  this  by  some  familiar  examples. 
For  as  the  flesh  of  man  and  of  brutes  is  the  same  in  substance, 
but  not  in  quality  ;  as  the  matter  of  all  the  stars  is  the  same,  but 
they  differ  in  glory  ;  so,  though  we  shall  retain  the  substance  of 
our  body,  he  tells  us  there  will  be  a  change,  which  will  render 
its  condition  far  more  excellent,  (o)  The  ''corruptible  "  body, 
therefore,  will  neither  perish  nor  vanish,  in  order  to  our  resur- 
rection ;  but  having  laid  aside  corruption,  will  "  put  on  incorrup- 
tion."  {p)  God,  having  all  the  elements  subject  to  his  control, 
will  find  no  difficulty  in  commanding  the  earth,  the  water,  and  the 
fire,  to  restore  whatever  they  appear  to  have  consumed.  This 
is  declared  in  figurative  language  by  Isaiah  :  "  Behold,  the  Lord 
cometh  out  of  his  place  to  punish  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
for  their  iniquity ;  the  earth  also  shall  disclose  her  blood,  and 
shall  no  more  cover  her  slain."  {q)  But  we  must  remark  the 
difference  between  those  who  shall  have  been  already  dead,  and 
those  whom  that  day  shall  find  alive.  "  We  shall  not  all  sleep," 
says  Paul,  "but  we  shall  all  be  changed;  "  (r)  that  is,  there 
will  be  no  necessity  for  any  distance  of  time  to  intervene  be- 
tween death  and  the  commencement  of  the  next  life  ;  for  "  in 
a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  the  trumpet  shall  sound, 
and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible,"  and  the  living 
transformed  by  a  sudden  change  into  the  same  glory.  So  in 
another  Epistle  he  comforts  believers  who  were  to  die,  that  those 
"  which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  shall 
not  prevent  them  which  are  asleep,"  but  that  "  the  dead  in 
Christ  shall  rise  first."  (s)  If  it  be  objected  that  the  apostle 
says,  "  It  is  appointed  unto  men  once  to  die,"  {t)  the  answer  is 

(n)  John  vi.  39,  40.  (9)  Isaiah  xxvi.  21.  (s)  1  Thess.  iv.  15,  16. 

(o)  1  Cor.  XV.  39—41.  (r)  1  Cor.  xv.  51,  52.  (0  Heb.  ix.  27. 

(j»)  1  Cor.  XV.  53. 


214  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IJ    , 

easy,  —  that  where  the  state  of  the  nature  is  changed,  it  is  a 
species  of  death,  and  may  without  impropriety  be  so  called  • 
and  therefore  there  is  a  perfect  consistence  between  these 
things,  that  all  will  be  removed  by  death  when  they  put  oif 
the  mortal  body,  but  that  a  separation  of  the  body  and  soul 
will  not  be  necessary,  where  there  will  be  an  instantaneous 
change. 

IX.  But  here  arises  a  question  of  greater  difficulty.  How 
can  the  resurrection,  which  is  a  peculiar  benefit  of  Christ,  be 
common  to  the  impious  and  the  subjects  of  the  Divine  curse  ? 
We  know  that  in  Adam  all  were  sentenced  to  death  ;  (w)  Christ 
comes  as  "  the  resurrection  and  the  life  ;  "  (x)  but  was  it  to 
bestow  life  promiscuously  on  all  mankind  ?  But  what  would 
be  more  improbable,  than  that  they  should  attain,  in  their  ob- 
stinate blindness,  what  the  pious  worshippers  of  God  recover 
by  faith  alone  ?  Yet  it  remains  certain,  that  one  will  be  a  re- 
surrection to  judgment,  the  other  to  life  ;  and  that  Christ  will 
come  to  "separate  the  sheep  from  the  goats."  (y)  I  reply,  we 
ought  not  to  think  that  so  very  strange,  which  we  see  exem- 
plified in  our  daily  experience.  We  know  that  in  Adam  we 
lost  the  inheritance  of  the  whole  world,  and  have  no  more 
right  to  the  enjoyment  of  common  aliments,  than  to  the  fruit 
of  the  tree  of  life.  How  is  it,  then,  that  God  not  only  "  maketh 
his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good,"  (z)  but  that,  for 
the  accommodations  of  the  present  life,  his  inestimable  liberality 
is  diffused  in  the  most  copious  abundance  ?  Hence  we  see, 
that  things  which  properly  belong  to  Christ  and  his  members, 
are  also  extended  to  the  impious ;  not  to  become  their  legiti- 
mate possession,  but  to  render  them  more  inexcusable.  Thus 
impious  men  frequently  experience  God's  beneficence  in  re- 
markable instances,  which  sometimes  exceed  all  the  blessings 
of  the  pious,  but  which,  nevertheless,  are  the  means  of  aggra- 
vating their  condemnation.  If  it  be  objected,  that  the  resur- 
rection is  improperly  compared  with  fleeting  and  terrestrial 
advantages,  I  reply  again,  that  when  men  were  first  alienated 
from  God,  the  Fountain  of  life,  they  deserved  the  ruin  of  the 
devil,  to  be  altogether  destroyed  ;  yet  the  wonderful  counsel  of 
God  devised  a  middle  state,  that  without  life  they  might  live 
in  death.  It  ought  not  to  be  thought  more  unreasonable,  if  the 
impious  are  raised  from  the  dead,  in  order  to  be  dragged  to  the 
tribunal  of  Christ,  whom  they  now  refuse  to  hear  as  their  Mas- 
ter and  Teacher.  For  it  would  be  a  slight  punishment  to  be 
destroyed  by  death,  if  they  were  not  to  be  brought  before  the 
Judge  whose  infinite  and  endless  vengeance  tiiey  have  in- 
curred, to  receive  the  punishments  due  to  their  rebellion.     But 

(m)  Rom.  V.  12.  (x)  John  xi.  25.  (ij)  Matt.  xxv.  32.  (:)  Matt.  v.  45 


CHAP.     XXV.]  CHRISTIAN    IlELIGION.  215 

tliouo-h  we  must  maintain  what  we  have  asserted,  and  what 
is  asserted  by  Paul  in  his  celebrated  confession  before  Felix, 
"  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both  of  the  just 
and  unjust,"  («)  yet  the  Scripture  more  commonly  exhibits  the 
resurrection  to  the  children  of  God  alone,  in  connection  with  the 
glory  of  heaven ;  because,  strictly  speaking,  Christ  will  come, 
not  for  the  destruction  of  the  world,  but  for  purposes  of  salva- 
tion. This  is  the  reason  that  the  Creed  mentions  only  the  life 
of  blessedness. 

X.  But,  as  the  prophecy  of  "  death  being  swallowed  up  in 
victory,"  shall  then,  and  not  till  then,  be  fully  accomplished,  — 
let  us  always  reflect  on  eternal  felicity  as  the  end  of  the  resur- 
rection ;  of  the  excellence  of  which,  if  every  thing  were  said 
that  could  be  expressed  by  all  the  tongues  of  men,  yet  the 
smallest  part  of  it  would  scarcely  be  mentioned.  For  though 
we  are  plainly  informed,  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  full  of 
light,  joy,  felicity,  and  glory,  yet  all  that  is  mentioned  remains 
far  above  our  comprehension,  and  enveloped,  as  it  were,  in 
enigmatical  obscurity,  till  the  arrival  of  that  day,  when  he  shall 
exhibit  his  glory  to  us  face  to  face.  "  Now  are  we  the  sons  of 
God,  (says  John,)  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be ; 
but  we  know,  that  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like 
him;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  (6)  Wherefore  the 
prophets,  because  they  could  not  describe  that  spiritual  bless- 
edness by  any  terms  expressive  of  its  sublime  nature,  generally 
represented  it  under  corporeal  images.  Yet,  as  any  intimation 
of  that  happiness  must  kindle  in  us  a  fervour  of  desire,  let  us 
chiefly  dwell  on  this  reflection  —  If  God,  as  an  inexhaustible 
fountain,  contains  within  himself  a  plenitude  of  all  blessings, 
nothing  beyond  him  can  ever  be  desired  by  those  who  aspire 
to  the  supreme  good,  and  a  perfection  of  happiness.  This  we 
are  taught  in  various  passages  of  Scripture.  "  Abraham,"  says 
God,  "  I  am  thy  exceeding  great  reward."  (c)  With  this 
David  agrees  :  "  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inheritance  ; 
the  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places."  (d)  Again  : 
"I  will  behold  thy  face ;  I  shall  be  satisfied."  (e)  Peter  de- 
clares, that  believers  are  called,  "  that  they  might  be  partakers 
of  the  Divine  nature."  (/)  How  will  this  be  ?  Because  "  he 
shall  be  glorified  in  his  saints,  and  admired  in  all  them  that 
believe."  (g)  If  the  Lord  will  make  the  elect  partakers  of  his 
glory,  strength,  and  righteousness,  and  will  even  bestow  him- 
self upon  them  to  be  enjoyed,  and,  what  is  better  than  this,  to 
be  in  some  sense  united  to  them, — let  us  remember,  that  in 
this  favour  every  kind  of  felicity  is  comprised.     And  after  we 

fa)  Acts  xxiv.  15.         (h)  1  John  iii.  2.        (c)  Gen.  xv.  1.        ('/)  Psalm  xvi.  5,  6. 
^     (e)  Psalm  xvii.  15.  (/)  2  Peter  i,  4.  (g)  2  Thess.  i.  10. 


216  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    III. 

have  made  considerable  progress  in  this  meditation,  we  may 
still  acknowledge  the  conceptions  of  our  minds  to  be  extremely 
low,  m  comparison  with  the  sublimity  of  this  mystery.     So- 
briety, therefore,  is  the  more  necessary  for  us  on  this  subject, 
lest,  forgetful  of  our  slender  capacity,  we  presumptuously  soar 
to  too  high  an  elevation,  and  are  overwhelmed  with  the  blaze 
of  celestial  glory.     We  perceive,  likewise,  how  we  are  actua- 
ted by  an  inordinate  desire  of  knowing  more  than  is  right; 
which  gives  rise  to  a  variety  of  questions,  both  frivolous  \nd 
pernicious.     I  call  those  frivolous,  from  which  no  advantage 
can  possibly  be  derived.     But  those  of  the  second  class  are 
worse,  involving  persons,  who  indulge  them,  in  injurious  spe- 
culations, and  therefore  I  call  them  pernicious.     What  is  taught 
in  the  Scriptures,  we  ought  to  receive  without  any  controversy  ; 
that  as  God,  in  the  various  distribution  of  his  gifts  to  the  saints 
m  this  world,  does  not  equally  enlighten  them  all,  so  in  heaven, 
where  God  will  crown  those  gifts,  there  will  be  an  inequality  in 
the  degrees  of  their  glory.     The  language  of  Paul  is  not  indis- 
crmimately  applicable  to  all  —  "  Ye  are  our  glory  and  joy  at  our 
Lord's  coming  ;  "  {h)  nor  Christ's  address  to  his  apostles  —  "  Ye 
shall  sit  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel."  {i)     But  Paul,  who 
knew  that  according  as  God  enriches  the  saints  with  spiritual 
gifts  on  earth,  so  he  adorns  them  with  glory  in  heaven,  doubts 
not  that  there  is  in  reserve  for  him  a  peculiar  crown  in  propor- 
tion to  his  labours.     And  Christ  commends  to  his  apostles  the 
dignity  o^  the  office  with  which  they  were  invested,  by  assur- 
ing them  that  the   reward  of  it   was  laid  up  in  heaven.  (/.-) 
Thus  also  Daniel :  "  They  that  be  wise,  shall   shine  as   the 
brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  right- 
eousness, as  the  stars,  for  ever  and  ever."  (/)     And  an  atten- 
tive consideration  of  the  Scriptures  will  convince  us,  that  they 
not  only  promise  eternal  life  generally  to  believers,  but  also  a 
special  reward  to  each  individual.     Whence  that  expression  of 
Paul— "The  Lord  reward  him  according  to  his  works."  (?«) 
It  is  also  confirmed  by  the  promise  of  Christ  that  his  disciples 
should  receive  a  hundred-fold  more  in  eternal  life,  [n)     In  a 
word,  as  Christ  begins  the  glory  of  his  body  by  a  manifold 
variety  of  gifts  in  this  world,  and  enlarges  it  by  degrees,  in  the 
same  manner  he  will  also  perfect  it  in  heaven. 

XI.  As  all  the  pious  will  receive  this  with  one  consent,  be- 
cause it  is  sufficiently  attested  in  the  word  of  God,  so,  on  the 
other  hand,  dismissing  abstruse  questions,  which  they  know 
to  be  obstructions  to  them,  they  will  not  transgress  the  limits 
prescribed  to  them.     For  myself,  I  not  only  refrain  as  an  indi- 

W  1  Thess.  ii^in,  20.  (/.)  Matt.  v.  12.  (m)  2  Tim.  iv.  14. 

(t)  Matt.  x\x.  29.  (/)  Dan.  xii.  3.  (n)  Matt.  xix.  29. 


CHAP.    XXV  ]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  217 

vidual  from  the  unnecessary  investigation  of  useless  questions, 
but  think  it  my  duty  to  be  cautious,  lest  I  encourage  the  vanity 
of  others  by  answering  them.  Men,  thirsting  after  useless  know- 
ledge, inquire  what  will  be  the  distance  between  the  prophets 
and  apostles,  and  between  the  apostles  and  martyrs ;  and  how 
many  degrees  of  difference  there  will  be  between  those  who 
have  married  and  those  who  have  lived  and  died  in  celibacy ; 
in  short,  they  leave  not  a  corner  of  heaven  unexplored.  The 
next  object  of  their  inquiry  is,  what  end  will  be  answered  by 
the  restoration  of  the  world  ;  since  the  children  of  God  will 
want  nothing  of  all  its  vast  and  incomparable  abundance,  but 
will  be  like  the  angels  of  God,  whose  freedom  from  all  animal 
necessities  is  the  symbol  of  eternal  blessedness.  I  reply,  there 
will  be  such  great  pleasantness  in  the  very  prospect,  and  such 
exquisite  sweetness  in  the  mere  knowledge,  without  any  use 
of  it,  that  this  felicity  will  far  exceed  all  the  accommodations 
afforded  us  in  the  present  state.  Let  us  suppose  ourselves  placed 
in  some  region  the  most  opulent  in  the  world,  and  furnished 
with  every  pleasure  ;  who  would  not  sometimes  be  prevented 
by  disease  from  making  use  of  the  bounties  of  God  ?  who 
would  not  often  have  his  enjoyment  of  them  interrupted  by  the 
consequences  of  intemperance  ?  Hence  it  follows,  that  calm  and 
serene  enjoyment,  pure  from  every  vice  and  free  from  all  defect, 
although  there  should  be  no  use  of  a  corruptible  life,  is  the  per- 
fection of  happiness.  Others  go  further,  and  inquire,  whether 
dross  and  all  impurities  in  metals  are  not  removed  frem  that 
restoration,  and  incompatible  with  such  a  state.  Though  I  in 
some  measure  grant  this,  I  expect,  with  Paul,  a  reparation  of 
all  the  evils  caused  by  sin,  for  which  he  represents  the  creatures  as 
groaning  and  travailing.  They  proceed  further  still,  and  inquire, 
what  better  state  awaits  the  human  race,  when  the  blessing  of 
posterity  shall  no  longer  be  enjoyed.  The  solution  of  this 
question  also  is  -easy.  The  splendid  commendations  of  it  in 
the  Scriptures  relate  to  that  progressive  increase,  by  which  God 
is  continually  carrying  forward  the  system  of  nature  to  its  con- 
summation. But  as  the  unwary  are  easily  caught  by  such 
temptations,  and  are  afterwards  drawn  farther  into  the  labyrinth, 
till,  at  length,  every  one  being  pleased  with  his  own  opinion, 
there  is  no  end  to  disputes,  —  the  best  and  shortest  rule  for  our 
conduct,  is  to  content  ourselves  with  "  seeing  through  a  glass 
darkly,"  till  we  shall  "see  face  to  face."  (o)  For  very  few 
persons  are  concerned  about  the  way  that  leads  to  heaven,  but 
all  are  anxious  to  know,  before  the  time,  what  passes  there. 
Men  in  general  are  slow,  and  reluctant  to  engage  in  the  conflict, 
and  yet  portray  to  themselves  imaginary  triumphs. 

(o)  1  Cor.  xiii.  12. 

VOL.  II.  28 


218  INSTITUTES    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.        [bOOK    111 

XII.  Now,  as  no  description  can  equal  the  severity  of  the 
Divine  vengeance  on  the  reprobate,  their  anguish  and  torment 
are  figuratively  represented  to  us  under  corporeal  images  ;  as, 
darkness,  weeping,  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  unextinguishable  fire, 
a  worm  incessantly  gnawing  the  heart,  (p)  For  there  can  be 
no  doubt  but  that,  by  such  modes  of  expression,  the  Holy  Spirit 
intended  to  confound  all  our  faculties  with  horror ;  as  when  it 
is  said,  that  "  Tophet  is  ordained  of  old ;  the  pile  thereof  is  fire 
and  much  wood :  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream  of 
brimstone,  doth  kindle  it."  (q)  As  these  representations 
should  assist  us  in  forming  some  conception  of  the  wretched 
condition  of  the  wicked,  so  they  ought  principally  to  fix  our 
attention  on  the  calamity  of  being  alienated  from  the  presence 
of  God ;  and  in  addition  to  this,  experiencing  such  hostility 
from  the  Divine  majesty  as  to  be  unable  to  escape  from 
its  continual  pursuit.  For,  in  the  first  place,  his  indignation 
is  like  a  most  violent  flame,  which  devours  and  consumes  all 
that  it  touches.  In  the  next  place,  all  the  creatures  so  subserve 
the  execution  of  his  judgment,  that  those  to  whom  the  Lord 
will  thus  manifest  his  wrath,  will  find  the  heaven,  the  earth, 
and  the  sea,  the  animals,  and  all  that  exists,  inflamed,  as  it  were, 
with  dire  indignation  against  them,  and  all  armed  for  their 
destruction.  It  is  no  trivial  threatening,  therefore,  denounced 
by  the  apostle,  that  unbelievers  "  shall  be  punished  with  ever- 
lasting destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the 
glory  of  his  power."  (r)  And  when  the  prophets  excite  terror 
by  corporeal  figures,  though  they  advance  nothing  hyperbolical 
for  our  dull  understandings,  yet  they  mingle  preludes  of  the 
future  judgment  with  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  whole  fabric 
of  the  world.  Wherefore  miserable  consciences  find  no  repose, 
but  are  harassed  and  agitated  with  a  dreadful  tempest,  feel 
themselves  torn  asunder  by  an  angry  God,  and,  transfixed  and 
penetrated  by  mortal  stings,  are  terrified  at  the  thunderbolts  of 
God,  and  broken  by  the  weight  of  his  hand  ;  so  that  to  sink 
into  any  gulfs  and  abysses  would  be  more  tolerable  than  to 
stand  for  a  moment  in  these  terrors.  How  great  and  severe, 
then,  is  the  punishment,  to  endure  the  never  ceasing  etfects  of 
his  wrath !  On  which  subject  there  is  a  memorable  passage 
in  the  ninetieth  psalm ;  that  though  by  his  countenance  he 
scatters  all  mortals,  and  turns  them  to  destruction,  yet  he  en- 
courages his  servants  in  proportion  to  their  timidity  in  this  world, 
to  excite  them,  though  under  the  burden  of  the  cross,  to  press 
forward,  till  he  shall  be  all  in  all. 


(p)  Matt.  iii.  12;  viii.  V2;  xxii.  13.     Mark  ix.  43.  44.     Isaiah  Ixvi.  24. 
(5)  Isaiah  xxx.  33.  (;•)  2  Thess.  i.  i). 


INSTITUTES 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION 


BOOK    IV. 


ON    THE    EXTERNAL   MEANS   OR  AIDS   BY   WHICH   GOD   CALLS 
US  INTO  COMMUNION  WITH  CHRIST,  AND  RETAINS  US  IN  IT. 


ARGUMENT. 


Three  parts  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  respecting  God  the  Creator,  Re- 
deemer, and  Sanctifier,  have  been  explained  in  the  former  books. 
This  last  book  is  an  exposition  of  what  remains,  relating  to  the  Holy 
Catholic  Church,  and  the  Communion  of  Saints. 

The  chapters  contained  in  it  may  be  conveniently  arranged  in  three 
grand  divisions  :  — 

I.  The  Church. 

II.  The  Sacraments. 

III.  Civil  Government. 

The  First  Division,  extending  to  the  end  of  the  thirteenth  chapter, 
contains  many  particulars,  which,  however,  may  all  be  referred  tc 
four  principal  heads  :  — 

I  The  marks  of  the  Church,  or  the  criteria  by  which  it  may  be  dis^ 
tinguished ;  since  we  must  cultivate  union  with  it — Chap.  I.  II. 

II.    The  government  of  the  church — Chap.  III. — VII. 

1.  The  order  of  government  in  the  church — Chap.  III. 

2.  The  form  practised  by  the  ancient  Christians — Chap.  IV. 

3.  The  nalure  of  the  present  ecclesiastical  government  under  the 


220  ARGUMENT.  [bOOK    IV. 

Papacy— Chap.  V.  The  primacy  of  the  Pope— Chap.  VI.  And 
the  degrees  of  his  advancement  to  this  tyrannical  power — 
Chap.  VII. 

III.  The  power  of  the  church— Cliap.  VIII.— XI. 

1.  Relating  to  articles  of  faith, — which  resides  either  in  the  re- 
spective bishops — Chap.  VIII. — or  in  the  church  at  large, 
represented  in  councils — Chap.  IX. 

2.  In  making  laws — Chap.  X. 

3.  In  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction — Chap.  XI. 

IV.  The  discipline  of  the  Church— Chap.  XII.  XIII. 

1.  The  principal  use  of  it — Chap.  XII. 

2.  The  abuse  of  it— Chap.   XIII. 

The  Second  Division,  relating  to  the  sacraments,  contains  three  parts. 

I.  The  sacraments  in  general — Chap.  XIV. 

II.  Each  sacrament  in  particular — Chap.  XV. — XVIII. 

1.  Baptism — Chap.  XV.  Distinct  discussion  of  Psedobaptism — 
Chap.  XVI. 

2.  The  Lord's  Supper — Chap.  XVII. — and  its  profanation — 
Chap.  XVIII. 

III.  The  five  other  ceremonies,  falsely  called  sacraments — Chap.  XIX. 

The  Third  Division  regards  civil  government. 

I.  This  government  in  general. 

II.  Its  respective  branches. 

1.  The  magistrates. 

2.  The  laws. 

3.  The  people. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    TRUE    CHURCH,    AND    THE    NECESSITY     OF     OUR     UNION     WITH 
HER,    BEING    THE    MOTHER    OF    ALL    THE    PIOUS. 

That  by  the  faith  of  the  gospel  Christ  becomes  ours,  and 
we  become  partakers  of  the  salvation  procured  by  him,  and  of 
eternal  happiness,  has  been  explained  in  the  preceding  Book. 
But  as  our  ignorance  and  slothfulness,  and,  I  may  add,  the 
vanity  of  our  minds,  require  external  aids,  in  order  to  the  pro- 
duction of  faith  in  our  hearts,  and  its  increase  and  progressive 
advance  even  to  its  completion,  God  has  provided  such  aids  in 
compassion    to  our  infirmity  ;    and  that  the  preaching  of  the 


CHAP.    I.]       INSTITUTES    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  221 

gospel  might  be  maintained,  he  has  deposited  this  treasure 
with  the  Church.  He  has  appointed  pastors  and  teachers,  that 
his  people  might  be  taught  by  their  lips  ;  he  has  invested  them 
with  authority;  in  short,  he  has  omitted  nothing  that  could 
contribute  to  a  holy  unity  of  faith,  and  to  the  establishment  of 
good  order,  (a)  First  of  all,  he  has  instituted  Sacraments, 
which  we  know  by  experience  to  be  means  of  the  greatest 
utility  for  the  nourishment  and  support  of  our  faith.  For  as, 
during  our  confinement  in  the  prison  of  our  flesh,  we  have  not 
vet  attained  to  the  state  of  angels,  God  has,  in  his  wonderful 
providence,  accommodated  himself  to  our  capacity,  by  pre- 
scribing a  way  in  which  we  might  approach  him,  notwithstand- 
ing our  immense  distance  from  him.  Wherefore  the  order  of 
instruction  requires  us  now  to  treat  of  the  Church  and  its  gov- 
ernment, orders,  and  power ;  secondly,  of  the  Sacraments  ;  and 
lastly,  of  Civil  Government  ;  and  at  the  same  time  to  call  off 
the  pious  readers  from  the  abuses  of  the  Papacy,  by  which 
Satan  has  corrupted  every  thing  that  God  had  appointed  to  be 
instrumental  to  our  salvation.  I  shall  begin  with  the  Church, 
in  whose  bosom  it  is  God's  will  that  all  his  children  should  be 
collected,  not  only  to  be  nourished  by  her  assistance  and  minis- 
try during  their  infancy  and  childhood,  but  also  to  be  governed 
by  her  maternal  care,  till  they  attain  a  mature  age,  and  at  length 
reach  the  end  of  their  faith.  For  it  is  not  lawful  to  "  put  asun- 
der "  those  things  "  which  God  hath  joined  together  ;  "  (6)  that 
the  Church  is  the  mother  of  all  those  who  have  him  for  their 
Father ;  and  that  not  only  under  the  law,  but  since  the  coming 
of  Christ  also,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  apostle,  who 
declares  the  new  and  heavenly  Jerusalem  to  be  "  the  mother 
of  us  all."  (c)     • 

II.  That  article  of  the  Creed,  in  which  we  profess  to  believe 
THE  Church,  refers  not  only  to  the  visible  Church  of  which  we 
are  now  speaking,  but  likewise  to  all  the  elect  of  God,  inclu- 
ding the  dead  as  well  as  the  living.  The  word  believe  is  used, 
because  it  is  often  impossible  to  discover  any  difference  between 
the  children  of  God  and  the  ungodly  ;  between  his  peculiar 
flock  and  wild  beasts.  The  particle  in,  interpolated  by  many, 
is  not  supported  by  any  probable  reason.  I  confess  that  it  is 
generally  adopted  at  present,  and  is  not  destitute  of  the  suftVage 
of  antiquity,  being  found  in  the  Nicene  Creed,  as  it  is  trans- 
mitted to  us  in  ecclesiastical  history.  Yet  it  is  evident  from 
the  writings  of  the  fathers,  that  it  was  anciently  admitted 
without  controversy  to  say,  "  I  believe  the  Church,"  not  ''in 
the  Church."  For  not  only  is  this  word  not  used  by  Augustine 
and  the  ancient  writer  of  the  work  "  On  the  Exposition  of  the 

(a)  Ephes.  iv.  11— IG.  (&)  Mark  x.  9.  (0  Gal.  iv.  26. 


222  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Creed,"  which  passes  under  the  name  of  Cyprian,  but  they 
particularly  remark  that  there  would  be  an  impropriety  in  the 
expression,  if  this  preposition  were  inserted  ;  and  they  confirm 
their  opinion  by  no  trivial  reason.  For  we  declare  that  we  be- 
lieve  in  God  because  our  mind  depends  upon  him  as  true,  and 
our  confidence  rests  in  him.  But  this  would  not  be  applicable 
to  the  Church,  any  more  than  to  "  the  remission  of  sins,"  or 
the  "resurrection  of  the  body."  Therefore,  though  I  am 
averse  to  contentions  about  words,  yet  I  would  rather  adopt  a 
proper  phraseology  adapted  to  express  the  subject  than  affect 
forms  of  expression  by  which  the  subject  would  be  unnecessa- 
rily involved  in  obscurity.  The  design  of  this  clause  is  to 
teach  us,  that  though  the  devil  moves  every  engine  to  destroy 
the  grace  of  Christ,  and  all  the  enemies  of  God  exert  the  most 
furious  violence  in  the  same  attempt,  yet  his  grace  cannot 
possibly  be  extinguished,  nor  can  his  blood  be  rendered  barren, 
so  as  not  to  produce  some  fruit.  Here  we  must  regard  both 
the  secret  election  of  God,  and  his  internal  vocation ;  because 
he  alone  "  knowetli  them  that  are  his  ;  "  and  keeps  them  en- 
closed under  his  "  seal,"  to  use  the  expression  of  Paul  ;  [d] 
except  that  they  bear  his  impression,  by  which  they  may  be 
distinguished  from  the  reprobate.  But  because  a  small  and 
contemptible  number  is  concealed  among  a  vast  multitude,  and 
a  few  grains  of  wheat  are  covered  with  a  heap  of  chaff,  we 
must  leave  to  God  alone  the  knowledge  of  his  Church  whose 
foundation  is  his  secret  election.  Nor  is  it  sufficient  to  in- 
clude in  our  thoughts  and  minds  the  whole  multitude  of  the 
elect,  unless  we  conceive  of  such  a  unity  of  the  Church,  into 
which  we  know  ourselves  to  be  truly  ingrafted.  For  unless 
we  are  united  with  all  the  other  members  under  Christ  our 
Head,  we  can  have  no  hope  of  the  future  inheritance.  There- 
fore the  Church  is  called  catholic,  or  universal  ;  because  there 
could  not  be  two  or  three  churches,  without  Christ  being  di- 
vided, which  is  impossible.  But  all  the  elect  of  God  are  so 
connected  with  each  other  in  Christ,  that  as  they  depend  upon 
one  head,  so  they  grow  up  together  as  into  one  body,  com- 
pacted together  like  members  of  the  same  body  ;  being  made 
truly  one,  as  living  by  one  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  through  the 
same  Divine  Spirit,  being  called  not  only  to  the  same  inherit- 
ance of  eternal  life,  but  also  to  a  participation  of  one  God  and 
Christ.  Therefore,  though  the  melancholy  desolation  which 
surrounds  us,  seems  to  proclaim  that  there  is  notiiing  left  of  the 
Church,  let  us  remember  that  the  death  of  Christ  is  fruitful, 
and  that  God  wonderfully  preserves  his  Church  as  it  were  in 
niding-places ;  according  to  what  he  said  to  Elijah :   "  I  have 

(d)  2  Tim.  ii.  19. 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


223 


reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men,  who  have  not  bowed 
the  knee  to  Baal."  (e) 

III.  This  article  of  the  creed,  however,  relates  in  some 
measure  to  the  external  Church,  that  every  one  of  us  may 
maintain  a  brotherly  agreement  with  all  the  children  of  God, 
may  pay  due  deference  to  the  authority  of  the  Church,  and,  in 
a  word,  may  conduct  himself  as  one  of  the  flock.  Therefore 
we  add  the  communion  of  saints  —  a  clause  which,  though 
generally  omitted  by  the  ancients,  ought  not  to  be  neglected, 
because  it  excellently  expresses  the  character  of  the  Church  ; 
as  though  it  had  been  said  that  the  saints  are  united  in  the  fel- 
lowship of  Christ  on  this  condition,  that  whatever  benefits  God 
confers  upon  them,  they  should  mutually  communicate  to  each 
other.  This  destroys  not  the  diversity  of  grace,  for  we  know 
that  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  are  variously  distributed ;  nor  does 
it  disturb  the  order  of  civil  polity,  which  secures  to  every  indi- 
vidual the  exclusive  enjoyment  of  his  property,  as  it  is  neces- 
sary for  the  preservation  of  the  peace  of  society  that  men 
should  have  peculiar  and  distinct  possessions.  But  the  commu- 
nity asserted  is  such  as  Luke  describes,  that  "the  multitude  of 
them  that  believed  were  of  one  heart  and  of  one  soul;"  (/) 
and  Paul,  when  he  exhorts  the  Ephesians  to  be  "  one  body, 
and  one  spirit,  even  as  they  were  called  in  one  hope."  (^) 
Nor  is  it  possible,  if  they  are  truly  persuaded  that  God  is  a 
common  Father  to  them  all,  and  Christ  their  common  Head, 
but  that,  being  united  in  brotherly  affection,  they  should  mu- 
tually communicate  their  advantages  to  each  other.  Now,  it 
highly  concerns  us  to  knov/  what  benefit  we  receive  from  this. 
For  we  believe  the  Church,  in  order  to  have  a  certain  assur- 
ance that  we  are  members  of  it.  For  thus  our  salvation  rests 
on  firm  and  solid  foundations,  so  that  it  cannot  fall  into  ruin, 
though  the  whole  fabric  of  the  world  should  be  dissolved. 
First,  it  is  founded  on  the  election  of  God,  and  can  be  liable 
to  no  variation  or  failure,  but  with  the  subversion  of  his  eternal 
providence.  In  the  next  place,  it  is  united  with  the  stability 
of  Christ,  who  will  no  more  sufl"er  his  faithful  people  to  be 
severed  from  him,  than  his  members  to  be  torn  in  pieces. 
Besides,  we  are  certain,  as  long  as  we  continue  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Church,  that  we  shall  remain  in  possession  of  the  truth. 
Lastly,  we  understand  these  promises  to  belong  to  us :  "  In 
mount  Zion  shall  be  deliverance."  (h)  God  is  in  the  midst  of 
her  ;  she  shall  not  be  moved."  (i)  Such  is  the  effect  of  union 
with  the  Church,  that  it  retains  us  in  the  fellowship  of  God. 
The  very  word  communion  likewise  contains  abundant  conso- 

(c)  Rom.  xi.  4.     1  Kinjrs  xix.  18.  (/)  Acts  iv.  32.  {g)  Ephes.  iv.  4 

{h)  Joel  ii.  32.     Obad.  17.  (i)  Psalm  xlvi.  5. 


224  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

lation  ;  for  while  it  is  certain  that  whatever  the  Lord  confers 
iiipon  his  members  and  ours  belong  to  us,  our  hope  is  confirmed 
by  all  the  benefits  which  they  enjoy.  But  in  order  to  embrace 
the  unity  of  the  Church  in  this  manner,  it  is  unnecessary,  as 
we  have  observed,  to  see  the  Church  with  our  eyes,  or  feel  it 
with  our  hands  ;  on  the  contrary,  from  its  being  an  object  of 
faith,  we  are  taught  that  it  is  no  less  to  be  considered  as  exist- 
ing, when  it  escapes  our  observation,  than  if  it  were  evident 
to  our  eyes.  Nor  is  our  faith  the  worse,  because  it  acknow- 
ledges the  Church  which  we  do  not  fully  comprehend ;  for  we 
are  not  commanded  here  to  distinguish  the  reprobate  from  the 
elect,  which  is  not  our  province,  but  that  of  God  alone  ;  we 
are  only  required  to  be  assured  in  our  minds,  that  all  those 
who,  by  the  mercy  of  God  the  Father,  through  the  efficacious 
influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  have  attained  to  the  participation 
of  Christ,  are  separated  as  the  peculiar  possession  and  portion 
of  God ;  and  that  being  numbered  among  them,  we  are  parta- 
kers of  such  great  grace. 

IV.  But  as  our  present  design  is  to  treat  of  the  visible 
Church,  we  may  learn  even  from  the  title  of  mother,  how  use- 
ful and  even  necessary  it  is  for  us  to  know  her ;  since  there  is 
no  other  way  of  entrance  into  life,  unless  we  are  conceived  by 
her,  born  of  her,  nourished  at  her  breast,  and  continually  pre- 
served under  her  care  and  government  till  we  are  divested  of 
this  mortal  flesh,  and  "  become  like  the  angels."  {k)  For  our 
infirmity  will  not  admit  of  our  dismission  from  her  school :  we 
must  continue  under  her  instruction  and  discipline  to  the  end 
of  our  lives.  It  is  also  to  be  remarked,  that  out  of  her  bosom 
there  can  be  no  hope  of  remission  of  sins,  or  any  salvation, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  Joel  and  Isaiah;  (Z)  which  is  con- 
firmed by  Ezekiel,  {m)  when  he  denounces  that  those  whom 
God  excludes  from  the  heavenly  life,  shall  not  be  enrolled 
among  his  people.  So,  on  the  contrary,  those  who  devote 
themselves  to  the  service  of  God,  are  said  to  inscribe  their 
names  among  the  citizens  of  Jerusalem.  For  which  reason  the 
Psalmist  says,  "  Remember  me,  0  Lord,  with  the  favour  that 
thou  bearest  unto  thy  people  :  O  visit  me  with  thy  salvation  ; 
that  I  may  see  the  good  of  thy  chosen ;  that  I  may  rejoice  in 
the  gladness  of  thy  nation;  that  I  may  glory  with  thine  in- 
heritance." (w)  In  these  words  the  paternal  favour  of  God,  and 
the  peculiar  testimony  of  the  spiritual  life,  are  restricted  to  his 
flock,  to  teach  us  that  it  is  always  fatally  dangerous  to  be 
separated  from  the  Church. 

V.  But  let  us  proceed  to  state  what  belongs  to  this  subject. 

{!()  Matt.  xxii.  30.  (wi)  Ezek.  xiii.  9. 

(/)  Isaiah  xxxvii.  35.     Joel  ii.  32.  (/t)  Psalm  cvi.  4,  5. 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  225 

Paul  writes,  that  Christ,  "  that  he  might  fill  all  things,  gave 
some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and 
some  pastors  and  teachers  ;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ : 
till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."  (o)  We  see  that  though 
God  could  easily  make  his  people  perfect  in  a  single  moment, 
yet  it  was  not  his  will  that  they  should  grow  to  mature  age, 
but  under  the  education  of  the  Church.  We  see  the  means 
expressed  ;  the  preaching  of  the  heavenly  doctrine  is  assigned 
to  the  pastors.  We  see  that  all  are  placed  under  the  same 
regulation,  in  order  that  they  may  submit  themselves  with 
gentleness  and  docility  of  mind  to  be  governed  by  the  pastors 
who  are  appointed  for  this  purpose,  Isaiah  had  long  before 
described  the  kingdom  of  Christ  by  this  character :  "  My  Spirit 
that  is  upon  thee,  and  my  words  which  I  have  put  in  thy 
mouth,  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  nor  out  of  the  mouth 
of  thy  seed,  nor  out  of  the  mouth  of  thy  seed's  seed,  from 
henceforth  and  for  ever."(j9)  Hence  it  follows,  that  all  who 
reject  the  spiritual  food  for  their  souls,  which  is  extended  to 
them  by  the  hands  of  the  Church,  deserve  to  perish  with  hun- 
ger and  want.  It  is  God  who  inspires  us  with  faith,  but  it  is 
through  the  instrumentality  of  the  gospel,  according  to  the 
declaration  of  Paul,  "that  faith  cometh  by  hearing."  (9-)  So 
also  the  power  to  save  resides  in  God,  but,  as  the  same  apostle 
testifies  in  another  place,  he  displays  it  in  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  With  this  design,  in  former  ages  he  commanded  so- 
lemn assemblies  to  be  held  in  the  sanctuary,  that  the  doctrine 
taught  by  the  mouth  of  the  priest  might  maintain  the  unity  of 
the  faith  ;  and  the  design  of  those  magnificent  titles,  where  the 
temple  is  called  God's  "rest,"  his  "sanctuary,"  and  "dwelling- 
place,"  where  he  is  said  to  "  dwell  between  the  cherubim,"  (r) 
was  no  other  than  to  promote  the  esteem,  love,  reverence,  and 
dignity  of  the  heavenly  doctrine  ;  which  the  view  of  a  mortal 
and  despised  man  would  otherwise  greatly  diminish.  That 
we  may  know,  therefore,  that  we  have  an  inestimable  treasure 
communicated  to  us  from  earthen  vessels,  (s)  God  himself 
comes  forward,  and  as  he  is  the  Author  of  this  arrangement,  so 
he  will  be  acknowledged  as  present  in  his  institution.  There- 
fore, after  having  forbidden  his  people  to  devote  themselves  to 
auguries,  divinations,  magical  arts,  necromancy,  and  other  su- 
perstitions, he  adds,  that  he  will  give  them  what  ought  to  be 
sufficient  for  every  purpose,  namely,  that  he  will  never  leave 

(0)  Ephes.  iv.  10—13.  (p)  Isaiah  lix.  21.  (7)  Rom.  x.  17. 

(r)  Psalm  cxxxii.  14 ;    Ixxx.  1.  (s)  2  Cor.  iv.  7. 

VOL.  II.  29 


^2Q  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

them  without  prophets.  Now,  as  he  did  not  refer  his  ancient 
people  to  angels,  but  raised  up  earthly  teachers,  who  truly 
discharged  the  office  of  angels,  so,  in  the  present  day,  he  is 
pleased  to  teach  us  by  the  instrumentality  of  men.  And  as 
formerly  he  was  not  content  with  the  written  law,  but  appoint- 
ed the  priests  as  interpreters,  at  whose  lips  the  people  might 
inquire  its  true  meaning,  so,  in  the  present  day,  he  not  only 
requires  us  to  be  attentive  to  reading,  but  has  appointed  teach- 
ers for  our  assistance.  This  is  attended  with  a  twofold 
advantage.  For  on  the  one  hand,  it  is  a  good  proof  of  our 
obedience  when  we  listen  to  his  ministers,  just  as  if  he  were 
addressing  us  himself;  and  on  the  other,  he  has  provided  for 
our  infirmity,  by  choosing  to  address  us  through  the  medium 
of  human  interpreters,  that  he  may  sweetly  allure  us  to  him, 
rather  than  to  drive  us  away  from  him  by  his  thunders.  And 
the  propriety  of  this  familiar  manner  of  teaching,  is  evident  to 
all  the  pious,  from  the  terror  with  which  the  majesty  of  God 
justly  alarms  them.  Those  who  consider  the  authority  of  the 
doctrine  as  weakened  by  the  meanness  of  the  men  who  are  called 
to  teach  it,  betray  their  ingratitude  ;  because  among  so  many 
excellent  gifts  with  which  God  has  adorned  mankind,  it  is  a 
peculiar  privilege,  that  he  deigns  to  consecrate  men's  lips  and 
tongues  to  his  service,  that  his  voice  may  be  heard  in  them. 
Let  us  not  therefore,  on  our  parts,  be  reluctant  to  receive  and 
obey  the  doctrine  of  salvation  proposed  to  us  at  his  express 
command  ;  for  though  the  power  of  God  is  not  confined  to  ex- 
ternal means,  yet  he  has  confined  us  to  the  ordinary  manner 
of  teaching,  the  fanatical  rejecters  of  which  necessarily  involve 
themselves  in  many  fatal  snares.  Many  are  urged  by  pride, 
or  disdain,  or  envy,  to  persuade  themselves  that  they  can  profit 
sufficiently  by  reading  and  meditating  in  private,  and  so  to 
despise  public  assemblies,  and  consider  preaching  as  unneces- 
sary. But  since  they  do  all  in  their  power  to  dissolve  and 
break  asunder  the  bond  of  unity,  which  ought  to  be  preserved 
inviolable,  not  one  of  them  escapes  the  just  punishment  of  this 
impious  breach,  but  they  all  involve  themselves  in  pestilent 
errors  and  pernicious  reveries.  Wherefore,  in  order  that  the 
pure  simplicity  of  faith  may  flourish  among  us,  let  us  not  be 
reluctant  to  use  this  exercise  of  piety,  which  the  Divine  insti- 
tution has  shown  to  be  necessary,  and  which  God  so  repeatedly 
commends  to  us.  There  has  never  been  found,  among  the 
most  extravagant  of  mortals,  one  insolent  enough  to  say  that 
we  ought  to  shut  our  ears  against  God;  but. the  prophets  and 
pious  teachers,  in  all  ages,  have  had  a  difficult  contest  with 
the  wicked,  whose  arrogance  can  never  submit  to  be  taught 
by  the  lips  and  ministry  of  men.  Now,  this  is  no  other 
than  eflacinj 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  227 

the  doctrine.  For  the  faithful  under  the  former  dispensation 
were  directed  to  seek  the  face  of  God  in  the  sanctuary  •,{t)  and 
this  is  so  frequently  repeated  in  the  law,  for  no  other  reason, 
but  because  the  doctrine  of  the  law  and  the  exhortations  of  the 
prophets  exhibited  to  them  a  lively  image  of  God  ;  as  Paul 
declares  that  his  preaching  displayed  "  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus  Christ."  (v)  And  in  so  much  the  greater  detesta- 
tion ought  we  to  hold  tliose  apostates,  who  make  it  their  study 
to  cause  divisions  in  churclies,  as  if  they  would  drive  away  the 
slieep  from  the  fold,  and  throw  them  into  the  jaws  of  wolves. 
But  let  us  remember  what  we  have  quoted  from  Paul  —  that 
the  Church  can  only  be  edified  by  the  preaching  of  this  word, 
and  that  the  saints  have  no  common  bond  of  union  to  hold 
them  together,  any  longer  than,  while  learning  and  profiting 
with  one  accord,  they  observe  the  order  which  God  has  pre- 
scribed for  the  Church.  It  was  principally  for  this  end,  as  1 
have  already  stated,  that  the  faithful  under  the  law  were  com- 
manded to  resort  to  the  sanctuary ;  because  Moses  not  only 
celebrates  it  as  the  residence  of  God,  but  likewise  declares  it  to 
be  the  place  where  God  has  fixed  the  record  of  his  name  ;  (w) 
which  without  the  doctrine  of  piety,  he  plainly  suggests,  would 
be  of  no  use.  And  it  is  undoubtedly  for  the  same  reason  that 
David  complains,  with  great  bitterness  of  soul,  of  being  pre- 
vented from  access  to  the  tabernacle  by  the  tyrannical  cruelty 
of  his  enemies,  (x)  To  many  persons  perhaps  this  appears  to 
be  a  puerile  lamentation,  because  it  could  be  but  a  very  trivial 
loss,  and  not  a  privation  of  much  satisfaction  to  be  absent  from 
the  court  of  the  temple,  provided  he  were  in  the  possession  of 
other  pleasures.  But  by  this  one  trouble,  anxiety,  and  sorrow, 
he  complains  that  he  is  grieved,  tormented,  and  almost  con- 
sumed ;  because  nothing  is  more  valued  by  believers  than 
this  assistance,  by  which  God  gradually  raises  his  people  from 
one  degree  of  elevation  to  another.  For  it  is  also  to  be  re- 
marked, that  God  always  manifested  himself  to  the  holy  fa- 
thers, in  the  mirror  of  his  doctrine,  in  such  a  manner  that  their 
knowledge  of  him  was  spiritual.  Hence  the  temple  was 
not  only  called  his  face,  but  in  order  to  guard  against  all  su- 
perstition, was  also  designated  as  his  footstool,  (y)  And  this  is 
that  happy  conjunction  in  the  unity  of  the  faith  spoken  of  by 
Paul,  when  all,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  are  aspiring 
towards  the  head.  All  the  temples  which  the  Gentiles  erected 
to  God  with  any  other  design,  were  nothing  but  a  profanation 
of  his  worship  —  a  crime  which,  though  not  to  an  equal  extent. 
Was  also  fretiuently   committed  by  the  Jews.       Stephen   re- 


(0  Psalm  cv.  4.  (c)  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  (?o)  Exod.  xx.  24. 

(t)  Psalm  Ixxxlv.  (y)  Psalm  cxxxii.  7.  xcix.  5. 


228  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [eOOK    IV 

preaches  them  for  it  in  the  language  of  Isaiah :  "  The  Most 
High  dwelleth  not  in  temples  made  with  hands ;  as  saith  the 
prophet,  Heaven  is  my  throne,  and  earth  is  my  footstool,"  (z) 
because  God  alone  sanctifies  temples  by  his  word,  that  they 
may  be  legitimately  used  for  his  worship.  And  if  we  pre- 
sumptuously attempt  any  thing  without  his  command,  the  evil 
beginning  is  immediately  succeeded  by  further  inventions, 
which  multiply  the  mischief  without  end,  Xerxes,  however, 
acted  with  great  indiscretion,  when,  at  the  advice  of  the  magi, 
he  burned  or  demolished  all  the  temples  of  Greece,  from  an 
opinion  of  the  absurdity  that  gods,  to  whom  all  space  ought  to 
be  left  perfectly  free,  should  be  enclosed  within  walls  and 
roofs.  As  if  it  were  not  in  the  power  of  God  to  descend  in  any 
way  to  us,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  not  to  make  any  change 
of  place,  or  to  confine  us  to  earthly  means,  but  rather  to  use 
them  as  vehicles  to  elevate  us  towards  his  celestial  glory^ 
which  fills  all  things  with  its  immensity,  as  well  as  transcends 
the  heavens  in  its  sublimity. 

VI.  Now,  as  the  present  age  has  witnessed  a  violent  dispute 
respecting  the  efficacy  of  the  ministry,  some  exaggerating  its 
dignity  beyond  measure,  and  others  contending  that  it  is  a 
criminal  transfer  to  mortal  man  of  what  properly  belongs  to 
the  Holy  Spirit,  to  suppose  that  ministers  and  teachers  penetrate 
the  mind  and  heart,  so  as  to  correct  the  blindness  of  the  one, 
and  the  hardness  of  the  other,  — we  must  proceed  to  a  decision  of 
this  controversy.  The  arguments  advanced  on  both  sides  may 
be  easily  reconciled  by  a  careful  observation  of  the  passages,  in 
which  God,  the  Author  of  preaching,  connecting  his  Spirit  with 
it,  promises  that  it  shall  be  followed  with  success ;  or  those  in 
which,  separating  himself  from  all  external  aids,  he  attributes 
the  commencement  of  faith,  as  well  as  its  subsequent  progress, 
entirely  and  exclusively  to  himself  The  office  of  the  second 
Elias,  according  to  Malachi,  was  to  illuminate  the  minds  and  to 
"  turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers  to  the  children,"  and  the  disobe- 
dient to  the  wisdom  of  the  just,  (a)  Christ  declares  that  he 
sent  his  disciples,  that  they  "  should  bring  forth  fruit  "  (b)  from 
their  labours.  What  that  fruit  was,  is  briefly  defined  by  Peter, 
when  he  says  that  we  are  "born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed, 
but  of  incorruptible."  (c)  Therefore  Paul  glories  that  he  had 
*'  begotten "  the  Corinthians  "  through  the  gospel,"  and  that 
they  were  "  the  seal  of  his  apostleship  ;  "  (d)  and  even  that  he 
was  "  not  a  minister  of  the  letter,"  merely  striking  the  ear  with 
a  vocal  sound,  but  that  the  energy  of  the  Spirit  had  been  given 
to  him  to  render  his  doctrine  efficacious,  (e)     In  the  same  sense, 

(r)  Acts  vii.  48,  49.  (b)  John  xv.  16.  (d)  1  Cor.  iv.  15.  ix.  2. 

(a)  Mai.  iv.  6.  (c)  1  Peter  i.  23.  (e)  2  Cor.  iii.  6. 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  229 

he  affirms,  in  another  Epistle,  that  his  "  gospel  came  not  in  word 
only,  but  also  in  power."  (/)  He  declares  also  to  the  Galatians, 
that  they  "  received  the  Spirit  by  the  hearing  of  faith."  (g)  In 
short,  there  are  several  places,  in  which  he  not  only  represents 
himself  as  a  "  labourer  together  with  God,"  (h)  but  even  attri- 
butes to  himself  the  office  of  communicating  salvation.  He 
certainly  never  advanced  all  these  things,  in  order  to  arrogate  to 
himself  the  least  praise  independent  of  God,  as  he  briefly  states 
in  other  passages  :  "  Our  entrance  in  unto  you  was  not  in  vain."(z) 
*•  I  labour,  striving  according  to  his  working,  which  worketh  in 
roe  mightily."  (k)  "  He  that  wrought  effectually  in  Peter  to  the 
ajjostleship  of  the  circumcision,  the  same  was  mighty  in  me 
toward  the  Gentiles."  (l)  Besides,  it  is  evident,  from  other 
pi  ices,  that  he  leaves  ministers  possessed  of  nothing,  considered 
in  themselves :  "  Neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thing,  neither 
he  that  Avatereth ;  but  God  that  giveth  the  increase."  (lu) 
Again  :  "  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than  they  all ;  yet  not  I, 
but  the  grace  of  God  which  was  with  me."  (n)  And  it  is  cer- 
tainly necessary  to  bear  in  memory  those  passages,  in  which 
God  ascribes  to  himself  the  illumination  of  the  mind  and  reno- 
vation of  the  heart,  and  thereby  declares  it  to  be  sacrilege  for 
man  to  arrogate  to  himself  any  share  in  either.  Yet  every  one 
who  attends  with  docility  of  mind  to  the  ministers  whom  God 
has  appointed,  will  learn  from  the  beneficial  effect,  that  this 
mode  of  teaching  has  not  in  vain  been  pleasing  to  God,  and 
that  this  yoke  of  modesty  has  not  without  reason  been  imposed 
upon  believers. 

VH.  From  what  has  been  said,  I  conceive  it  must  now  be 
evident  what  judgment  we  ought  to  form  respecting  the  Church, 
which  is  visible  to  our  eyes,  and  falls  under  oiu:  knowledge. 
For  we  have  remarked  that  the  word  Church  is  used  in  the  sa- 
cred Scriptures  in  two  senses.  Sometimes,  when  they  mention 
the  Church,  they  intend  that  which  is  really  such  in  the  sight  of 
God,  into  which  none  are  received  but  those  who  by  adoption  and 
grace  are  the  children  of  God,  and  by  the  sanctification  of  the 
Spirit  are  the  true  members  of  Christ.  And  then  it  comprehends 
not  only  the  saints  at  any  one  time  resident  on  earth,  but  all  the 
elect  who  have  lived  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  But  the 
word  Church  is  frequently  used  in  the  Scriptures  to  designate  the 
whole  multitude,  dispersed  all  over  the  world,  who  profess  to 
worship  one  God  and  Jesus  Christ,  who  are  initiated  into  his 
faith  by  baptism,  who  testify  their  unity  in  true  doctrine  and 
charity  by  a  participation  of  the  sacred  supper,  who  consent  to 

(/)  1  Thess.  i.  5.  (A-)  Col.  i.  29. 

(<r)  Gal.  ill.  2  (/)   Gal.  ii.  8. 

(70  1  Cor.  iii.  9;  XV.  10.  2  Cor.  vi.  1.  (m)  1  Cor.  iii.  7. 

(i)  1  Thess.  ii.  1.  («)  1  Cor.  xv.  10 


230  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  preserve  the  ministry  M^hich  Christ 
has  instituted  for  the  purpose  of  preaching  it.  In  this  Church 
are  inchided  many  hypocrites,  who  have  nothing  of  Christ  but 
the  name  and  appearance  ;  many  persons  ambitious,  avaricious, 
snvious,  slanderous,  and  dissohite  in  their  hves,  who  are  tole- 
rated for  a  time,  either  because  they  cannot  be  convicted  by  a 
legitimate  process,  or  because  discipline  is  not  always  maintained 
with  sufficient  vigour.  As  it  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  believe 
that  Church,  which  is  invisible  to  us,  and  known  to  God  alone, 
so  this  Church,  which  is  visible  to  men,  we  are  commanded  to 
honour,  and  to  maintain  communion  with  it. 

VIII.  As  far,  therefore,  as  was  important  for  us  to  know  it, 
the  Lord  has  described  it  by  certain  marks  and  characters.  It 
is  the  peculiar  prerogative  of  God  himself  to  "  know  them  that 
are  his,"  (o)  as  we  have  already  stated  from  Paul.  And  to  guard 
against  human  presumption  ever  going  to  such  an  extreme,  the 
experience  of  every  day  teaches  us  how  very  far  his  secret  judg- 
ments transcend  all  our  apprehensions.  For  those  who  seemed 
the  most  abandoned,  and  were  generally  considered  past  all  hope, 
are  recalled  by  his  goodness  into  the  right  way ;  while  some, 
who  seemed  to  stand  better  than  others,  fall  into  perdition. 
'•'  According  to  the  secret  predestination  of  God,"  therefore,  as 
Augustine  observes,  "  there  are  many  sheep  without  the  pale 
of  the  Church,  and  many  wolves  within."  For  he  knows  and 
seals  those  who  know  not  either  him  or  themselves.  Of  those 
who  externally  bear  his  seal,  his  eyes  alone  can  discern  who 
are  unfeignedly  holy,  and  will  persevere  to  the  end  ;  which 
is  the  completion  of  salvation.  On  the  other  hand,  as  he  saw 
it  to  be  in  some  measure  requisite  that  we  should  know  who 
ought  to  be  considered  as  his  children,  he  has  in  this  respect 
accommodated  himself  to  our  capacity.  And  as  it  was  not 
necessary  that  on  this  point  we  should  have  an  assurance  of 
faith,  he  has  substituted  in  its  place  a  judgment  of  charity, 
according  to  which  we  ought  to  acknowledge  as  members  of 
the  Church  all  those  who  by  a  confession  of  faith,  an  exemplary 
life,  and  a  participation  of  the  sacraments,  profess  the  same  God 
and  Christ  with  ourselves.  But  the  knowledge  of  the  body 
itself  being  more  necessary  to  our  salvation,  he  has  distin- 
guished it  by  more  clear  and  certain  characters. 

IX.  Hence  the  visible  Church  rises  conspicuous  to  our  view. 
For  wherever  we  find  the  Avord  of  God  purely  preached  and 
heard,  and  the  sacraments  administered  according  to  the  insti- 
tution of  Christ,  there,  it  is  not  to  be  doubted,  is  a  Church  of 
God  ;  for  his  promise  can  never  deceive  —  "  where  two  or  three 
I're  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of 

(o)  2  Tim.  ii.  19 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  231 

them."  (p)  But,  that  we  may  have  a  clear  understanding  of 
the  whole  of  this  subject,  let  us  proceed  by  the  following  steps : 
That  the  universal  Church  is  the  whole  multitude,  collected 
from  all  nations,  who,  though  dispersed  in  countries  widely 
distant  from  eaclr  other,  nevertheless  consent  to  the  same  truth 
of  Divine  doctrine,  and  are  united  by  the  bond  of  the  same 
religion ;  that  in  this  universal  Church  are  comprehended 
particular  churches,  distributed  according  to  human  necessity 
in  various  towns  and  villages  ;  and  that  each  of  these  respect- 
ively is  justly  distinguished  by  the  name  and  authority  of  a 
church  ;  and  that  individuals,  who,  on  a  profession  of  piety,  are 
enrolletl  among  Churches  of  the  same  description,  though  they 
are  really  strangers  to  any  particular  Church,  do  nevertheless  in 
some  respect  belong  to  it,  till  they  are  expelled  from  it  by  a 
public  decision.  There  is  some  difference,  however,  in  the  mode 
of  judging  respecting  private  persons  and  churches.  For  it 
may  happen,  in  the  case  of  persons  whom  we  think  altogether 
unworthy  of  the  society  of  the  pious,  that,  on  account  of  the 
common  consent  of  the  Church,  by  wliich  they  are  tolerated  in 
the  body  of  Christ,  we  may  be  obliged  to  treat  them  as  brethren, 
and  to  class  them  in  the  number  of  believers.  In  our  private  opin- 
ion we  approve  not  of  such  persons  as  members  of  the  Church, 
but  we  leave  them  the  station  they  hold  among  the  people  of 
God,  till  it  be  taken  away  from  them  by  legitimate  authority. 
But  respecting  the  congregation  itself,  we  must  form  a  ditferent 
judgment.  If  they  possess  and  honour  the  ministry  of  the  word, 
and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  they  are,  without 
all  doubt,  entitled  to  be  considered  as  a  Church ;  because  it  is 
certain  that  the  word  and  sacraments  cannot  be  unattended 
with  some  good  effects.  In  this  manner,  we  preserve  the  unity 
of  the  universal  Church,  which  diabolical  spirits  have  always 
been  endeavouring  to  destroy ;  and  at  the  same  time  without 
interfering  with  the  authority  of  those  legitimate  assemblies, 
which  local  convenience  has  distributed  in  different  places. 

X.  We  have  stated  that  the  marks  by  which  the  Church 
is  to  be  distinguished,  are,  the  preaching  of  the  word  and  the 
administration  of  the  sacraments.  For  these  can  nowhere  exist 
without  bringing  forth  fruit,  and  being  prospered  with  the 
blessing  of  God,  I  assert  not  that  wherever  the  word  is 
preached,  the  good  efiects  of  it  immediately  appear  ;  but  that  it 
is  never  received  so  as  to  obtain  a  permanent  establishment, 
without  displaying  some  efficacy.  However  this  may  be, 
where  the  word  is  heard  with  reverence,  and  the  sacraments 
are  not  neglected,  there  we  discover,  while  that  is  the  case,  an 
appearance  of  the  Church,  which  is  liable  to  no  suspicion  oi 

(p)  Matt,  xviii.  20. 


232  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

uncertainty,  of  which  no  one  can  safely  despise  tlic  authority, 
or  reject  the  admonitions,  or  resist  the  counsels,  or  slight  the 
censures,  much  less  separate  from  it  and  break  up  its  unity. 
For  so  highly  does  the  Lord  esteem  the  communion  of  his 
Church,  that  he  considers  every  one  as  a  traitor  and  apostate 
from  religion,  who  perversely  withdraws  himself  from  any 
Christian  society  which  preserves  the  trne  ministry  of  the  word 
and  sacraments.  He  commends  the  anthority  of  the  Chnrch, 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  account  every  violation  of  it  an  infringe- 
ment of  his  own.  For  it  is  not  a  trivial  circumstance,  that  the 
Church  is  called  "the  house  of  God,  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
truth."  {q)  For  \n  tliese  words  Paul  signifies  that  in  order  to 
keep  the  truth  of  God  from  being  lost  in  the  world,  the  Church 
is  its  faithful  guardian;  because  it  has  been  the  will  of  God, 
by  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  to  preserve  the  pure  preaching 
of  his  word,  and  to  manifest  himself  as  our  affectionate  Father, 
while  he  nourishes  us  with  spiritual  food,  and  provides  all 
things  conducive  to  our  salvation.  Nor  is  it  small  praise,  that 
the  Church  is  chosen  and  separated  by  Christ  to  be  his  spouse, 
"not  having  spot  or  wrinkle,"  (r)  to  be  "his  body,  the  fulness 
of  him  that  filleth  all  in  all."  (s)  Hence  it  follows,  that  a 
departure  from  the  Church  is  a  renunciation  of  God  and  Christ. 
And  such  a  criminal  dissension  is  so  much  the  more  to  be 
avoided,  because,  while  we  endeavour,  as  far  as  lies  in  our 
power,  to  destroy  the  truth  of  God,  we  deserve  to  be  crushed 
with  the  most  powerful  thunders  of  his  wrath.  Nor  is  it 
possible  to  imagine  a  more  atrocious  crime,  than  that  sacrile- 
gious perfidy,  which  violates  the  conjugal  relation  that  the 
only  begotten  Son  of  God  has  condescended  to  form  with  us. 

XI.  Let  us,  therefore,  diligently  retain  those  characters  im- 
pressed upon  our  minds,  and  estimate  them  according  to  the 
judgment  of  God.  For  there  is  nothing  that  Satan  labours 
more  to  accomplish,  than  to  remove  and  destroy  one  or  both  of 
them  ;  at  one  time  to  efface  and  obliterate  these  marks,  and  so 
to  take  away  all  true  and  genuine  distinction  of  the  Church  ;  at 
another  to  inspire  us  with  contempt  of  them,  and  so  to  drive 
us  out  of  the  Church  by  an  open  separation.  By  his  subtlety 
it  has  liappened,  that  in  some  ages  the  pure  preaching  of  the 
word  has  altogether  disappeared  ;  and  in  the  present  day  he  is 
labouring  with  the  same  malignity  to  overturn  the  ministry  ; 
which,  however,  Christ  has  ordained  in  his  Church,  so  that  if  it 
were  taken  away,  the  edification  of  the  Church  would  be  quite 
at  an  end.  How  dangerous,  then,  how  fatal  is  the  temptation, 
when  it  even  enters  iiUo  the  heart  of  a  man  to  withdraw  him- 
self from  that  congregation,  in  which  he  discovers  those  signs 

{q)  1  Tim.  iii.  15.  (r)  Eph.  v.  27.  {$)  Eph.  i.  23. 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


233 


and  characters  which  the  Lord  has  deemed  sufficiently  descrip- 
tive of  his  Church  !  We  see,  however,  that  great  caution  re- 
quires to  be  observed  on  both  sides.  For,  to  prevent  imposture 
from  deceiving  us,  under  the  name  of  the  Church,  every  con- 
gregation assuming  this  name  should  be  brought  to  that  proof, 
like  gold  to  the  touchstone.  If  it  have  the  order  prescribed  by 
the  Lord  in  the  word  and  sacraments,  it  will  not  deceive  us  ; 
we  may  securely  render  to  it  the  honour  due  to  all  churches. 
On  the  contrary,  if  it  pretend  to  the  name  of  a  Church,  with- 
out the  word  and  sacraments,  we  ought  to  beware  of  such  de- 
lusive pretensions,  with  as  much  caution  as,  in  the  other  case, 
we  should  use  in  avoiding  presumption  and  pride. 

XII.  When  we  affirm  the  pure  ministry  of  the  word,  and 
pure  order  in  the  celebration  of  the  sacraments,  to  be  a  suffi- 
cient pledge  and  earnest,  that  we  may  safely  embrace  the  soci- 
ety in  which  both  these  are  found,  as  a  true  Church,  we  carry 
the  observation  to  this  point,  that  such  a  society  should  never 
be  rejected  as  long  as  it  continues  in  those  things,  although  in 
other  respects  it  may  be  chargeable  with  many  faults.  It  is 
possible,  moreover,  that  some  fault  may  insinuate  itself  into  the 
preaching  of  the  doctrine,  or  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments, which  ought  not  to  alienate  us  from  its  communion. 
For  all  the  articles  of  true  doctrine  are  not  of  the  same  de- 
scription. Some  are  so  necessary  to  be  known,  that  they 
ought  to  be  universally  received  as  fixed  and  indubitable  prin- 
ciples, as  the  peculiar  maxims  of  religion  ;  such  as,  that  there  is 
one  God ;  that  Christ  is  God  and  the  Son  of  God  ;  that  our 
salvation  depends  on  the  mercy  of  God ;  and  the  like.  There 
are  others,  which  are  controverted  among  the  churches,  yet 
without  destroying  the  unity  of  the  faith.  For  why  should 
there  be  a  division  on  this  point,  if  one  church  be  of 
opinion,  that  souls,  at  their  departure  from  their  bodies,  are 
immediately  removed  to  heaven  ;  and  another  church  venture 
to  determine  nothing  respecting  their  local  situation,  but  be 
nevertheless  firmly  convinced,  that  they  live  to  the  Lord  ;  and 
if  this  diversity  of  sentiment  on  both  sides  be  free  from  all 
fondness  for  contention  and  obstinacy  of  assertion  ?  The  lan- 
guage of  the  apostle  is,  "  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as  be  per- 
fect, be  thus  minded;  andifinany  thing  ye  be  otherwise  minded, 
God  shall  reveal  even  this  unto  you."  {t)  Does  not  this  suffi- 
ciently show,  that  a  diversity  of  opinion  respecting  these  non- 
essential points  ought  not  to  be  a  cause  of  discord  among 
Christians  ?  It  is  of  importance,  indeed,  that  we  should  agree 
in  every  thing ;  but  as  there  is  no  person  who  is  not  enveloped 
with  some   cloud  of  ignorance,  either   we  must  allow  of  no 

(t)  Phil.  iii.  15. 

yoL.  II.  30 


234  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

church  at  all,  or  we  must  forgive  mistakes  in  those  things,  of 
which  persons  may  be  ignorant,  witliout  violating  the  essence 
of  religion,  or  incurring  the  loss  of  salvation.  Here  I  would 
not  be  understood  to  plead  for  any  errors,  even  the  smallest,  or 
to  recommend  their  being  encouraged  by  connivance  or  llat- 
tery.  But  I  maintain,  that  we  ought  not,  on  account  of  every 
trivial  difference  of  sentiment,  to  abandon  the  Church,  which 
retains  the  saving  and  pure  doctrine  that  insures  the  preserva- 
tion of  piety,  and  supports  the  use  of  the  sacraments  instituted 
by  our  Lord.  In  the  mean  time,  if  we  endeavour  to  correct 
what  we  disapprove,  we  are  acting  in  this  case  according  to  our 
duty.  And  to  this  we  are  encouraged  by  the  direction  of  Paul : 
"  If  any  thing  be  revealed  to  another  that  sitteth  by,  let  the 
first  hold  his  peace."  (v)  From  which  it  appears,  that  every 
member  of  the  Church  is  required  to  exert  himself  for  the 
general  edification,  according  to  the  measure  of  his  grace,  pro- 
vided he  do  it  decently  and  in  order;  that  is  to  say,  that  we 
should  neither  forsake  the  communion  of  the  Church,  nor,  by 
continuing  in  it,  disturb  its  peace  and  well  regulated  discij)Hne, 
XIII.  But  in  bearing  with  imperfections  of  life,  we  ought 
to  carry  our  indulgence  a  great  deal  further.  For  this  is  a 
point  in  which  we  are  very  liable  to  err,  and  here  Satan  lies  in 
wait  to  deceive  us  with  no  common  devices.  For  there  have 
always  been  persons,  who,  from  a  false  notion  of  perfect  sanc- 
tity, as  if  they  were  already  become  disembodied  spirits,  de- 
spised the  society  of  all  men  in  whom  they  could  discover  any 
remains  of  human  infirmity.  Such,  in  ancient  times,  were  the 
Cathari,  and  also  the  Donatists,  who  approached  to  the  same 
folly.  Such,  in  the  present  day,  are  some  of  the  Anabaptists, 
who  would  be  thought  to  have  made  advances  in  piety  beyond 
all  others.  There  are  others  who  err,  more  from  an  incon- 
siderate zeal  for  righteousness,  than  from  this  unreasonable 
pride.  For  when  they  perceive,  that  among  those  to  whom 
the  gospel  is  preached,  its  doctrine  is  not  followed  by  corre- 
spondent effects  in  the  life,  they  immediately  pronounce,  that 
there  no  church  exists.  This  is,  indeed,  a  very  just  ground  of 
offence,  and  one  for  which  we  fnrnish  more  than  suliicient 
occasion  in  the  present  unhappy  age  ;  nor  is  it  possible  to  ex- 
cuse our  abominable  inactivity,  which  the  Lord  will  not  suffer 
to  escape  with  impunity,  and  which  he  has  already  begun  to 
chastise  with  heavy  scourges.  Woe  to  us,  therefore,  who,  by 
the  dissolute  licentiousness  of  our  crimes,  cause  weak  con- 
sciences to  be  wounded  on  our  account !  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  tiie  error  of  the  persons  of  whom  we  now  speak,  consists 
in  not  knowing  how  to  fix  any  limits  to   their  olfence.     For 

(r)  1  Cor.  xiv.  30. 


CHAP.    1.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  235 

where  our  Lord  requires  the  exercise  of  mercy,  they  entirely 
neglect  it,  and  indulge  themselves  in  immoderate  severity. 
Supposing  it  impossible  for  the  Church  to  exist,  where  there  is 
not  a  perfect  purity  and  integrity  of  life,  through  a  hatred  of 
crimes  they  depart  from  the  true  Church,  while  they  imagine 
themselves  to  be  only  withdrawing  from  the  factions  of  the 
wicked.  They  allege,  that  the  Church  of  Christ  is  holy. 
But  that  they  may  also  understand,  that  it  is  composed  of  good 
and  bad  men  mingled  together,  let  them  hear  that  parable  from 
the  lips  of  Christ,  where  it  is  compared  to  a  net,  in  which 
fishes  of  all  kinds  are  collected,  and  no  separation  is  made  till 
they  are  exposed  on  the  shore,  (to)  Let  them  hear  another 
parable,  comparing  the  Church  to  a  field,  which,  after  having 
been  sown  with  good  seed,  is,  by  the  craft  of  an  enemy,  cor- 
rupted with  tares,  from  which  it  is  never  cleared  till  the  har- 
vest is  brought  into  the  barn,  (x)  Lastly,  let  them  hear  an- 
other comparison  of  the  Church  to  a  threshing-floor,  in  which 
the  wheat  is  collected  in  such  a  manner,  that  it  lies  concealed 
mider  the  chaff,  till,  after  being  carefully  purged,  by  winnow- 
ing and  sifting,  it  is  at  length  laid  up  in  the  garner,  (y)  But 
if  our  Lord  declares,  that  the  Church  is  to  labour  under  this 
evil,  and  to  be  encumbered  with  a  mixture  of  wicked  men, 
even  till  the  day  of  judgment,  it  is  vain  to  seek  for  a  Church 
free  from  every  spot. 

XIV.  But  they  exclaim,  that  it  is  an  intolerable  thing  that 
the  pestilence  of  crimes  so  generally  prevails.  I  grant  it  would 
be  happy  if  the  fact  were  otherwise  ;  but  in  reply,  I  would 
present  them  with  the  judgment  of  the  apostle.  Among  the 
Corinthians,  more  than  a  few  had  gone  astray,  and  the  infec- 
tion had  seized  almost  the  whole  society  ;  there  was  not  only 
one  species  of  sin,  but  many;  and  they  were  not  trivial  faults, 
but  dreadful  crimes  ;  and  there  was  not  only  a  corruption  of 
morals,  but  also  of  doctrine.  In  this  case,  what  is  the  conduct 
of  the  holy  apostle,  the  organ  of  the  heavenly  Spirit,  by  whose 
testimony  the  Church  stands  or  falls  ?  Does  he  seek  to  sepa- 
rate from  them  ?  Does  he  reject  them  from  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  ?  Does  he  strike  them  with  the  thunderbolt  of  the 
severest  anathema?  He  not  only  does  none  of  these  things, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  acknowledges  and  speaks  of  them  as  a 
Church  of  Christ  and  a  society  of  saints.  If  there  remained  a 
church  among  the  Corinthians,  where  contentions,  factions, 
and  emulations  were  raging ;  where  cupidity,  disputes,  and 
litigations  were  prevailing  ;  where  a  crime  held  in  execration 
even  among  the  Gentiles,  was  publicly  sanctioned  ;  where  the 
name  of  Paul,  whom  they  ought  to  have   revered  as  their  fa- 

(w)  Matt.  xiii.  47.  (x)  Matt.  xiii.  24.  (ij)  Matt.  iii.  12 


256  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK  IV. 

ther,  was  insolently  defamed  ;  where  some  ridiculed  the  doc- 
trine of  tlie  resurrection,  with  the  subversion  of  which  the 
whole  gospel  would  be  annihilated  ;  where  the  graces  of  God 
were  made  subservient  to  ambition,  instead  of  charity  ;  where 
many  things  were  conducted  without  decency  and  order  :(^) 
and  if  there  still  remained  a  Church,  because  the  ministry  of 
the  word  and  sacraments  was  not  rejected  —  who  can  refuse 
the  name  of  a  Church  to  those  who  cannot  be  charged  with  a 
tenth  part  of  those  crimes  ?  And  those  who  display  such  vio- 
lence and  severity  against  the  Churches  of  the  present  age,  I 
ask,  how  would  they  have  conducted  themselves  towards  the 
Galatians,  who  almost  entirely  deserted  the  gospel,  but  among 
whom,  nevertheless,  the  same  apostle  found  Churches  ?  (a) 

XV.  They  object  that  Paul  bitterly  reproves  the  Corinthians 
for  admitting  an  atrocious  olfender  into  their  company,  and 
follows  this  reproof  with  a  general  declaration,  that  with  a 
man  of  scandalous  life  it  is  not  lawful  even  to  eat.  (b)  Here 
they  exclaim,  If  it  be  not  lawful  to  eat  common  bread  with  him, 
how  can  it  be  lawful  to  unite  with  him  in  eating  the  bread  of 
the  Lord  ?  I  confess  it  is  a  great  disgrace,  if  persons  of  im- 
moral lives  occupy  places  among  the  children  of  God ;  and  if 
the  sacred  body  of  Christ  be  prostituted  to  them,  the  disgrace  is 
vastly  increased.  And,  indeed,  if  Churches  be  well  regulated, 
they  will  not  suffer  persons  of  abandoned  characters  among 
them,  nor  will  they  promiscuously  admit  the  worthy  and  the 
unworthy  to  that  sacred  supper.  But  because  the  pastors  are 
not  always  so  diligent  in  watching  over  them,  and  sometimes 
exercise  more  indulgence  than  they  ought,  or  are  prevented 
from  exerting  the  severity  they  would  wish,  it  happens  that 
even  those  who  are  openly  wicked  are  not  always  expelled 
from  the  society  of  the  saints.  This  I  acknowledge  to  be  a 
fault,  nor  have  I  any  inclination  to  extenuate  it,  since  Paul 
sharply  reproves  it  in  the  Corinthians.  But  though  the  Church 
may  be  deficient  in  its  duty,  it  does  not  therefore  follow  that  it 
is  the  place  of  every  individual  to  pass  judgment  of  separation 
for  himself  I  admit  that  it  is  the  duty  of  a  pious  man  to  with- 
draw himself  from  all  private  intimacy  with  the  wicked,  and 
not  to  involve  himself  m  any  voluntary  connection  with  them. 
But  it  is  one  thing  to  avoid  familiar  intercourse  with  the 
wicked  ;  and  another  thing,  from  hatred  of  them,  to  renounce 
the  communion  of  the  Church.  And  jx^rsons  who  deem  it 
sacrilege  to  participate  with  them  the  bread  of  the  Lord,  are  in 
this  respect  far  more  rigid  than  Paul.  For  when  he  exhorts  us 
to  a  pure  and  holy  participation  of  it,  he  requires  not  one  to 


(z)  1  Cor.  i.  11;  iii.  3;  v.  1 ;  vi.  7 ;  ix.  1;  xiv.  20,40;  xv.  12. 
(a)  Gal.  i.  G;  iii.  1;  iv.  11.  ^        (t)  1  Cor.  v.  2,  11, 12. 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  257 

examine  another,  or  every  one  to  examine  the  whole  Church, 
but  each  individual  to  prove  himself.  If  it  were  unlawful  to 
communicate  with  an  unworthy  person,  Paul  would  certainly 
have  enjoined  us  to  look  around  us,  to  see  whether  there  were 
not  some  one  in  the  multitude  by  whose  impurity  we  might  be 
contaminated.  But  as  he  only  requires  every  one  to  examine 
himself,  he  shows  that  it  is  not  the  least  injury  to  us  if  some 
unworthy  persons  intrude  themselves  with  us.  And  this  is 
fully  implied  in  what  he  afterwards  subjoins  :  "  He  that  eateth 
and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  judgment  to 
himself."  (c)  He  says,  not  to  others,  but  to  himself,  and  with 
sufficient  reason.  For  it  ought  not  to  be  left  to  the  judgment 
of  every  individual  loho  ought  to  be  admitted  into  the  Church, 
and  who  ought  to  be  expelled  from  it.  This  authority  belongs 
to  the  whole  Church,  and  cannot  be  exercised  without  legitimate 
order,  as  will  be  stated  more  at  large  hereafter.  It  would  be 
unjust,  therefore,  that  any  individual  should  be  contaminated 
with  the  unworthiness  of  another,  whose  approach  it  is  neither 
in  his  power  nor  his  duty  to  prevent. 

XVI.  But  though  this  temptation  sometimes  arises  even  to 
good  men,  from  an  inconsiderate  zeal  for  righteousness,  yet  we 
shall  generally  find  that  excessive  severity  is  more  owing  to 
pride  and  haughtiness,  and  a  false  opinion  which  persons  enter- 
tain of  their  own  superior  sanctity,  than  to  true  holiness,  and  a 
real  concern  for  its  interests.  Those,  therefore,  who  are  most 
daring  in  promoting  a  separation  from  the  Church,  and  act,  as 
it  were,  as  standard-bearers  in  the  revolt,  have  in  general  no 
other  motive  than  to  make  an  ostentatious  display  of  their  own 
superior  excellence,  and  their  contempt  of  all  others.  Augustine 
correctly  and  judiciously  observes  —  "  Whereas  the  pious  rule 
and  method  of  ecclesiastical  discipline  ought  principally  to  regard 
the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  which  the  apostle 
enjoined  to  be  preserved  by  mutual  forbearance,  and  which  not 
being  preserved,  the  medicinal  punishment  is  evinced  to  be  not 
only  superfluous,  but  even  pernicious,  and  therefore  to  be  no 
longer  medicinal ;  those  wicked  children,  who,  not  from  a 
hatred  of  the  iniquities  of  others,  but  from  a  fondness  for  their 
own  contentions,  earnestly  endeavour  to  draw  the  simple  and 
uninformed  multitude  wholly  after  them,  by  entangling  tliem 
with  boasting  of  their  own  characters,  or  at  least  to  divide  them  ; 
those  persons,  I  say,  inflated  with  pride,  infuriated  with  obsti- 
nacy, insidious  in  the  circulation  of  calumnies,  and  turbulent  in 
raising  seditions,  conceal  themselves  under  the  mask  of  a  rigid  se- 
verity, lest  they  should  be  proved  to  be  destitute  of  the  truth  ; 

(c)  1  Cor.  xi.  28,  29. 


238  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

and  tliose  things  which  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  commanded  to 
be  done  with  great  moderation,  and  without  violating  the  sinceri- 
ty of  love,  or  breaking  the  unity  of  peace,  for  the  correction  of 
the  faults  of  our  brethren,  they  pervert  to  the  sacrilege  of  schism, 
and  an  occasion  of  separation  from  the  Church."  To  pious  and 
peaceable  persons  he  gives  this  advice  :  that  they  should  correct 
in  mercy  whatever  they  can  ;  that  what  they  cannot,  they  should 
patiently  bear,  and  affectionately  lament,  till  God  either  reform 
and  correct  it,  or,  at  the  harvest,  root  up  the  tares  and  sift  out 
the  chaff.  All  pious  persons  should  study  to  fortify  themselves 
with  these  counsels,  lest,  while  they  consider  themselves  as 
valiant  and  strenuous  defenders  of  righteousness,  they  depart 
from  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  is  the  only  kingdom  of 
righteousness.  For  since  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  the  com- 
munion of  his  Church  should  be  maintained  in  this  external 
society,  those  who,  from  an  aversion  to  wicked  men,  destroy 
the  token  of  that  society,  enter  on  a  course  in  which  they  are 
in  great  danger  of  falling  from  the  communion  of  saints.  Let 
them  consider,  in  the  first  place,  that  in  a  great  multitude  there 
are  many  who  escape  their  observation,  who,  nevertheless,  are 
truly  holy  and  innocent  in  the  sight  of  God.  Secondly.  let 
them  consider,  that  of  those  who  appear  subject  to  moral  mala- 
dies, there  are  many  who  by  no  means  please  or  flatter  them- 
selves in  their  vices,  but  are  oftentimes  aroused,  with  a  serious 
fear  of  God,  to  aspire  to  greater  integrity.  Thirdly,  let  them 
consider  that  judgment  ought  not  to  be  pronounced  upon  a  man 
from  a  single  act,  since  the  holiest  persons  have  sometimes  most 
grievous  falls.  Fourthly,  let  them  consider,  that  the  ministry 
of  the  word,  and  the  participation  of  the  sacraments,  have 
too  much  influence  in  preserving  the  unity  of  the  Church, 
to  admit  of  its  being  destroyed  by  the  guilt  of  a  few  impious 
men.  Lastly,  let  them  consider,  that  in  forming  an  estimate 
of  the  Church,  the  judgment  of  God  is  of  more  weight  than 
that  of  man. 

XV IL  When  they  allege  that  there  must  be  some  reason 
why  the  Church  is  said  to  be  holy,  it  is  necessary  to  examine 
the  holiness  in  which  it  excels  ;  lest  by  refusing  to  admit  the 
existence  of  a  Church  without  absolute  and  sinless  perfection, 
we  should  leave  no  Church  in  the  world.  It  is  true,  that,  as 
Paul  tells  us,  "  Christ  loved  the  Church,  and  gave  himself  for 
it,  that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it,  by  the  washing  of  water 
by  the  word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious 
Church,  not  having  sjiot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing."  (d)  It 
is  nevertheless  equally  true,  that  the  Lord  works  from  day  to 
day  in  smoothing  its  wrinkles,  and  purging  away  its  spots  ; 

(rf)  Ephes.  V.  25—22. 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  239 

whence  it  follows,  that  its  holiness  is  not  yet  perfect.  The 
Church,  therefore,  is  so  far  holy,  that  it  is  daily  improving, 
but  has  not  yet  arrived  at  perfection  ;  that  it  is  daily  ad- 
vancing, but  has  not  yet  reached  the  mark  of  holiness ;  as  in 
another  part  of  this  work  will  be  more  fully  explained.  The 
predictions  of  the  prophets,  therefore,  that  "Jerusalem  shall 
be  holy,  and  there  shall  no  strangers  pass  through  her  any- 
more," and  that  the  way  of  God  shall  be  a  "  way  of  holi- 
ness, over  which  "  the  unclean  shall  not  pass,"  (e)  are  not 
to  be  understood  as  if  there  were  no  blemish  remaining  in 
any  of  the  members  of  the  Church  ;  but  because  they  aspire 
with  all  their  souls  towards  perfect  holhiess  and  purity,  the 
goodness  of  God  attributes  to  them  that  sanctity  to  which  they 
have  not  yet  fully  attained.  And  though  such  evidences  of 
sanctification  are  oftentimes  rarely  to  be  found  among  men,  yet 
it  must  be  maintained,  that,  from  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
there  has  never  been  a  period  in  which  God  had  not  his  Church 
in  it ;  and  that,  to  the  consummation  of  all  things,  there  never 
will  be  a  time  in  which  he  will  not  have  his  Church.  For 
although,  in  the  very  beginning  of  time,  the  whole  human  race 
was  corrupted  and  defiled  by  the  sin  of  Adam ;  yet,  from  this 
polluted  mass,  God  always  sanctifies  some  vessels  to  honour,  so 
that  there  is  no  age  which  has  not  experienced  his  mercy. 
This  he  has  testified  by  certain  promises,  such  as  the  following  : 
"I  have  made  a  covenant  with  my  chosen  :  I  have  sworn  unto 
David,  my  servant.  Thy  seed  will  I  establish  for  ever,  and  build 
up  thy  throne  to  all  generations."  (/)  Again:  "The  Lord 
hath  chosen  Zion  ;  he  hath  desired  it  for  his  habitation.  This 
is  my  rest  for  ever."  (g)  Again  :  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  which 
giveth  the  sun  for  a  light  by  day,  and  the  ordinances  of  the 
moon  and  of  the  stars  for  a  light  by  night :  If  those  ordinances 
depart  from  before  me,  saith  the  Lord,  then  the  seed  of  Israel 
also  shall  cease  from  being  a  nation  before  me  for  ever."  (h) 

XVIII.  Of  this  truth  Christ  himself,  the  apostles,  and  ahuost 
all  the  prophets,  have  given  us  an  example.  Dreadful  are  those 
descriptions  in  which  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Joel,  Habakkuk,  and 
others,  deplore  the  disorders  of  the  Church  of  Jerusalem.  There 
was  such  general  and  extreme  corruption  in  the  people,  in  the 
magistrates,  and  in  the  priests,  that  Isaiah  does  not  hesitate  to 
compare  Jerusalem  to  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  Religion  was 
partly  despised,  partly  corrupted.  Their  manners  were  gene- 
rally disgraced  by  thefts,  robberies,  treacheries,  murders,  and 
similar  crimes.  Nevertheless,  the  prophets  on  this  account 
neither  raised  themselves  new  churches,  nor  built  new  altars 


(c)  Joel  iii.  17.     Isaiah  xxxv.  8.  (g)  Psalm  cxxxii.  13,  14. 

(J)  Psalm  Ixxxix.  3,  4.  (li)  Jer.  xxxi.  35,  36 


240  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

for  the  oblation  of  separate  sacrifices ;  but  whatever  were  the 
characters  of  the  people,  yet  because  they  considered  that 
God  had  deposited  his  word  among  that  nation,  and  instituted 
the  ceremonies  in  which  he  was  there  worshipped,  they  lilted 
np  pure  hands  to  him  even  in  the  congregation  of  the  impious. 
If  they  had  thought  that  they  contracted  any  contagion  from 
these  services,  surely  they  would  have  suffered  a  hundred  deaths 
rather  than  have  permitted  themselves  to  be  dragged  to  them. 
There  was  nothing  therefore  to  prevent  their  departure  from 
them,  but  the  desire  of  preserving  the  unity  of  the  Church. 
But  if  the  holy  prophets  were  restrained  by  a  sense  of  duty 
from  forsaking  the  Church  on  account  of  the  numerous  and 
enormous  crimes  which  were  practised,  not  by  a  few  individuals, 
but  almost  by  the  whole  nation, —  it  is  extreme  arrogance  in  us, 
if  we  presume  immediately  to  withdraw  from  the  communion 
of  a  Church  where  the  conduct  of  all  the  members  is  not  com- 
patible either  with  our  judgment,  or  even  with  the  Cliristian 
profession. 

XIX.  Now,  what  kind  of  an  age  was  that  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles  ?  Yet  the  desperate  impiety  of  the  Pharisees,  and  the 
dissolute  lives  every  where  led  by  the  people,  could  not  prevent 
them  from  using  the  same  sacrifices,  and  assembling  in  the  same 
temple  with  others,  for  the  public  exercises  of  religion.  How 
did  this  happen,  but  from  a  knowledge  tiiat  the  society  of  the 
wicked  could  not  contaminate  those  who  with  pure  consciences 
united  with  them  in  the  same  solemnities  ?  If  any  one  pay  no 
deference  to  the  prophets  and  apostles,  let  him  at  least  acqui- 
esce in  the  authority  of  Christ.  Cyprian  has  excellently 
remarked,  "  Although  tares,  or  impure  vessels,  are  found  in  the 
Church,  yet  this  is  not  a  reason  why  we  should  withdraw  from 
it.  It  only  behoves  us  to  labour  that  we  may  be  the  wheat,  and 
to  use  our  utmost  endeavours  and  exertions,  that  we  may  be 
vessels  of  gold  or  of  silver.  But  to  break  in  pieces  the  vessels 
of  earth  belongs  to  the  Lord  alone,  to  whom  a  rod  of  iron  is  also 
given.  Nor  let  any  one  arrogate  to  himself  what  is  exclusively 
the  province  of  the  Son  of  God,  by  pretending  to  fan  the  lloor, 
clear  away  the  chaff,  and  separate  all  the  tares  by  the  judgment 
of  man.  This  is  proud  obstinacy  and  sacrilegious  presumption, 
originating  in  a  corrupt  frenzy."  Let  these  two  points,  then, 
be  considered  as  decided  ;  first,  that  he  who  voluntarily  deserts 
the  external  communion  of  the  Church  where  the  word  of  God 
is  preached,  and  the  sacraments  are  administered,  is  without 
any  excuse  ;  secondly,  that  the  faults  either  of  few  persons  or 
of  many,  form  no  obstacles  to  a  due  profession  of  our  faith  in 
the  use  of  the  ceremonies  instituted  by  God  ;  because  the  pious 
conscience  is  not  wounded  by  the  unworthiness  of  any  other 
individual,  whether  he  be  a  pastor  or  a  private  person  ;  nor  are 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  241 

the  mysteries  less  pure  and  salutary  to  a   holy   and  upright 
man,  because  they  are  received  at  the  same  time  by  the  impure. 

XX.  Their  severity  and  haughtiness  go  to  still  greater 
lengths.  Acknowledging  no  church  but  such  as  is  pure  from 
the  smallest  blemishes,  they  are  even  angry  with  honest  teachers, 
because,  by  exhorting  believers  to  progressive  improvements, 
they  teach  them  to  groan  under  the  burden  of  sins,  and  to  seek 
for  pardon  all  their  lifetime.  For  hereby,  they  pretend,  the 
people  are  drawn  away  from  perfection.  I  confess,  that  in 
urging  men  to  perfection,  we  ought  to  labour  with  unremitting 
ardour  and  diligence ;  but  to  inspire  their  minds  with  a  per- 
suasion that  they  have  already  attained  it,  while  they  are 
yet  in  the  pursuit  of  it,  I  maintain  to  be  a  diabolical  invention. 
Therefore,  in  the  Creed,  the  communion  of  saints  is  imme- 
diately followed  by  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  which  can  only  be 
obtained  by  the  citizens  and  members  of  the  Church,  as  we 
read  in  the  prophet,  {i)  The  heavenly  Jerusalem,  therefore, 
ought  first  to  be  built,  in  which  this  favour  of  God  may  be 
enjoyed,  that  whoever  shall  enter  it,  their  iniquity  shall  be 
blotted  out.  Now,  I  affirm  that  this  ought  first  to  be  built ; 
not  that  there  can  ever  be  any  Church  without  remission  of 
sins,  but  because  God  has  not  promised  to  impart  his  mercy, 
except  in  the  communion  of  saints.  Our  first  entrance,  there- 
fore, into  the  Church  and  kingdom  of  God,  is  the  remission  of 
sins,  without  which  we  have  no  covenant  or  union  with  God. 
For  thus  he  speaks  by  the  prophet :  "  In  that  day  will  I  make 
a  covenant  for  them  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  with  the 
fowls  of  heaven,  and  with  the  creeping  things  of  the  ground  ; 
and  I  will  break  the  bow  and  the  sword,  and  the  battle  out  of 
the  earth,  and  will  make  them  to  lie  down  safely.  And  I  will 
betroth  thee  unto  me  for  ever ;  yea,  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me 
in  righteousness,  and  in  judgment,  and  in  loving-kindness,  and 
in  mercies."  {k)  We  see  how  God  reconciles  us  to  himself  by  his 
mercy.  So  in  another  place,  where  he  foretells  the  restoration 
of  the  people  whom  he  had  scattered  in  his  wrath,  he  says,  "  I 
will  cleanse  them  from  all  their  iniquity,  whereby  they  have 
sinned  against  me."  {I)  Wherefore  it  is  by  the  sign  of  ablution, 
that  we  are  initiated  into  the  society  of  his  Church  ;  by  which 
we  are  taught  that  there  is  no  admittance  for  us  into  the  fa- 
mily of  God,  unless  our  pollution  be  first  taken  away  by  his 
goodness. 

XXI.  Nor  does  God  only  once  receive  and  adopt  us  into  his 
Church  by  the  remission  of  sins  ;  he  likewise  preserves  and 
keeps  US  in  it  by  the  same  mercy.     For  to  what  purpose  would 

{i)  Isaiah  xxxiii.  24.  {k)  Hos.  ii.  18, 19.  (0  Jerem.  xxxiii.  8. 

VOL.    II.  31 


242  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

it  be,  if  we  obtained  a  pardon  which  would  afterwards  be  of 
no  use  ?  And  that  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  would  be  vain  and 
delusive,  if  it  were  only  granted  for  once,  all  pious  persons  can 
testify  to  themselves  ;  for  every  one  of  them  is  all  his  life- 
time conscious  of  many  infirmities,  which  need  the  Divine 
mercy.  And  surely  it  is  not  without  reason,  that  God  particu- 
larly promises  this  grace  to  the  members  of  his  family,  and 
commands  the  same  message  of  reconciliation  to  be  daily  ad- 
dressed to  them.  As  we  carry  about  with  us  the  relics  of  sin, 
therefore,  as  long  as  we  live,  we  shall  scarcely  continue  in  the 
Church  for  a  single  moment,  unless  we  are  sustained  by  the 
constant  grace  of  the  Lord  in  forgiving  our  sins.  But  the  Lord 
has  called  his  people  to  eternal  salvation  ;  they  ought,  therefore, 
to  believe  that  his  grace  is  always  ready  to  pardon  their  sins. 
Wherefore  it  ought  to  be  held  as  a  certain  conclusion,  that 
from  the  Divine  liberality,  by  the  intervention  of  the  merit  of 
Christ,  through  the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  pardon  of  sins 
has  been,  and  is  daily,  bestowed  upon  us,  who  have  been  ad- 
mitted and  ingrafted  into  the  body  of  the  Church. 

XXIL  It  was  to  dispense  this  blessing  to  us,  that  the  keys 
were  given  to  the  Church,  (m)  For,  when  Christ  gave  com- 
mandment to  his  apostles,  and  conferred  on  them  the  power 
of  remitting  sins,  {ii)  it  was  not  with  an  intention  that  they 
should  merely  absolve  from  their  sins  those  who  were  converted 
from  impiety  to  the  Christian  faith,  but  rather  that  they  should 
continually  exercise  this  office  among  the  faithful.  This  is 
taught  by  Paul,  when  he  says,  that  the  message  of  reconcilia- 
tion was  committed  to  the  ministers  of  the  Church,  that  in  the 
name  of  Christ  they  might  daily  exhort  the  people  to  be  recon- 
ciled to  God.  (o)  In  the  communion  of  saints,  therefore,  sins 
are  continually  remitted  to  us  by  the  ministry  of  the  Church, 
when  the  presbyters  or  bishops,  to  whom  this  office  is  com- 
mitted, confirm  pious  consciences,  by  the  promises  of  the 
gospel,  in  the  hope  of  pardon  and  remission  ;  and  that  as  well 
publicly  as  privately,  according  as  necessity  requires.  For 
there  are  many  persons  who,  on  account  of  their  infirmity, 
stand  in  need  of  separate  and  private  consolation.  And  Paul 
tells  us  that  he  '•  taught,"  not  only  publicly,  but  also  "  from 
house  to  house,  testifying  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith 
toward  our  liord  Jesus  Christ  ;  "  (jo)  and  admonished  every 
individual  separately  respecting  the  doctrine  of  salvation.  Here 
are  three  things,  therefore,  worthy  of  our  observation.  First, 
that  whatever  iioliness  may  distinguish  the  children  of  God, 
yet  such   is  their  condition  as  long  as  they  inhabit  a  mortal 

(w)  Matt.  xvi.  19;  xviii.  18.  «v.  (o)  2  Cor.  v.  18—20. 

(«)  John  XX.  23.  (p)  Acts  xx.  20,  21. 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  243 

body,  that  they  cfinnot  stand  before  God  without  remission  of 
sins.  Secondly,  that  this  benefit  belongs  to  the  Church  ;  so 
that  we  cannot  enjoy  it  unless  we  continue  in  its  communion. 
Thirdly,  that  it  is  dispensed  to  us  by  the  ministers  and  pastors 
of  the  Church,  either  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  or  in  the 
administration  of  the  sacraments ;  and  that  this  is  the  principal 
exercise  of  the  power  of  the  keys,  which  the  Lord  has  con- 
ferred on  the  society  of  believers.  Let  every  one  of  us,  there- 
fore, consider  it  as  his  duty,  not  to  seek  remission  of  sins  any 
where  but  where  the  Lord  has  placed  it.  Of  public  reconcilia- 
tion, which  is  a  branch  of  discipline,  we  shall  speak  in  its 
proper  place. 

XXIIL  But  as  those  fanatic  spirits,  of  whom  I  spoke,  en- 
deavour to  rob  the  Church  of  this  sole  anchor  of  salvation,  our 
consciences  ought  to  be  still  more  strongly  fortified  against 
such  a  pestilent  opinion.  The  Novatians  disturbed  the  ancient 
Churches  with  this  tenet;  but  the  present  age  also  has  wit- 
nessed some  of  the  Anabaptists,  who  resemble  the  Novatians 
by  falling  into  the  same  follies.  For  they  imagine  that  by 
baptism  the  people  of  God  are  regenerated  to  a  pure  and  an- 
gelic life,  which  cannot  be  contaminated  by  any  impurities  of 
the  flesh.  And  if  any  one  be  guilty  of  sin  after  baptism,  they 
leave  him  no  prospect  of  escaping  the  inexorable  judgment  of 
God.  In  short,  they  encourage  no  hope  of  pardon  in  any  one 
who  sins  after  having  received  the  grace  of  God ;  because  they 
acknowledge  no  other  remission  of  sins  than  that  by  which  we 
are  first  regenerated.  Now,  though  there  is  no  falsehood  more 
clearly  refuted  in  the  Scripture  than  this,  yet  because  its  advo- 
cates find  persons  to  submit  to  their  impositions,  as  Novatus 
formerly  had  numerous  followers,  let  us  briefly  show  how  very 
pernicious  their  error  is  both  to  themselves  and  to  others.  In 
the  first  place,  when  the  saints  obey  the  command  of  the  Lord 
by  a  daily  repetition  of  this  prayer,  "  forgive  us  our  debts,"  (q) 
they  certainly  confess  themselves  to  be  sinners.  Nor  do  they 
pray  in  vain,  for  our  Lord  has  not  enjoined  the  use  of  any 
petitions,  but  such  as  he  designed  to  grant.  And  after  he 
had  declared  that  the  whole  prayer  would  be  heard  by  the 
Father,  he  confirmed  this  absolution  by  a  special  promise. 
What  do  we  want  more  ?  The  Lord  requires  from  the  saints 
a  confession  of  sins,  and  that  daily  as  long  as  they  live,  and  he 
promises  them  pardon.  What  presumption  is  it  either  to  assert 
that  they  are  exempt  from  sin,  or,  if  they  have  fallen,  to  exclude 
them  from  all  grace  !  To  whom  does  he  enjoin  us  to  grant  for- 
giveness seventy  times  seven  times  ?  Is  it  not  to  our  brethren  ? 
And  what  was  the  design  of  this  injunction,  but  that  we  might 

(5)  Matt.  vi.  12. 


244  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

imitate  his  clemency  ?  He  pardons,  therefore,  not  once  or 
twice,  but  as  often  as  the  sinner  is  alarmed  with  a  sense  of  his 
shis,  and  sighs  for  mercy. 

XXIV.  But  to  begin  from  the  infancy  of  the  Church :  the 
patriarchs  had  been  circumcised,  admitted  to  the  privileges  of 
the  covenant,  and  without  doubt  instructed  in  justice  and  in- 
tegrity  by  the  care  of  their  father,  when  they  conspired  to 
murder  their  brother.  This  was  a  crime  to  be  abominated 
even  by  the  most  desperate  and  abandoned  robbers.  At  length, 
softened  by  the  admonitions  of  Judah,  they  sold  him  for  a 
slave.  This  also  was  an  intolerable  cruelty.  Simon  and  Levi, 
in  a  spirit  of  nefarious  revenge,  condemned  even  by  the  judg- 
ment of  their  father,  murdered  the  inhabitants  of  Sichem. 
Reuben  was  guilty  of  execrable  incest  with  his  father's  concu- 
bine. Judah,  with  an  intention  of  indulging  a  libidinous 
passion,  violated  the  law  of  nature  by  a  criminal  connection 
with  his  son's  wife.  Yet  they  are  so  far  from  being  expunged 
out  of  the  number  of  the  chosen  people,  that,  on  the  contrary, 
they  are  constituted  the  heads  of  the  nation,  (r)  What  shall 
we  say  of  David  ?  Though  he  was  the  official  guardian  of 
justice,  how  scandalously  did  he  prepare  the  way  for  the  grati- 
fication of  a  blind  passion,  by  the  effusion  of  innocent  blood  ! 
He  had  already  been  regenerated,  and  among  the  regenerate 
had  been  distinguished  by  the  peculiar  commendations  of  the 
Lord  ;  yet  he  perpetrated  a  crime  even  among  heathens  re- 
garded with  horror,  and  yet  he  obtained  mercy,  (s)  And  not 
to  dwell  any  longer  on  particular  examples,  the  numerous 
promises  which  the  law  and  the  prophets  contain,  of  Divine 
mercy  towards  the  Israelites,  are  so  many  proofs  of  the  mani- 
festation of  God's  placability  to  the  offences  of  his  people.  For 
what  does  Moses  promise  to  the  people  in  case  of  their  return 
to  the  Lord,  after  having  fallen  into  idolatry  ?  "  Then  the 
Lord  thy  God  will  turn  thy  captivity,  and  have  compassion 
upon  thee,  and  will  return  and  gather  thee  from  all  the  nations, 
whither  the  Lord  thy  God  hath  scattered  thee.  If  any  of  tliine 
be  driven  out  unto  the  outmost  parts  of  heaven,  from  thence 
will  the  Lord  thy  God  gather  thee."  (t) 

XXV.  But  I  am  unwilling  to  commence  an  enumeration 
which  would  have  no  end.  For  the  prophets  are  full  of  such 
promises,  which  offer  mercy  to  the  people,  thougli  covered 
with  innumerable  crimes.  What  sin  is  worse  than  rebellion  ? 
It  is  described  as  a  divorce  between  God  and  the  Church  :  yet 
this  is  overcome  by  the  goodness  of  God.  Hear  his  language 
by  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah  :  "  If  a  man  put  away  his  wife,  and 

(r)  Gen.  xxxvii.  18,  28;  xxxiw25;  xxxv.  22;  xxxviii.  16. 
(s)  2  Sam.  xi.  4,  15 ;  xii.  13.  (0  Deut.  xxx.  3,  4 


CHAP.    I.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  245 

she  go  from  him,  and  become  another  man's,  shall  he  return 
unto  her  again  ?  Shall  not  that  land  be  greatly  polluted  ?  But 
thou  hast  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers,  and  thou  hast 
polluted  the  land  with  thy  whoredoms  and  with  thy  wicked- 
ness. Yet  return  again  to  me,  thou  backsliding  Israel,  saith 
the  Lord,  and  I  will  not  cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you  ; 
for  I  am  merciful,  saith  the  Lord,  and  will  not  keep  anger  for 
ever."  {v)  And  surely  there  cannot  possibly  be  any  other  dis- 
position in  him  who  affirms,  that  he  "  hath  no  pleasure  in  the 
death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way 
and  live."  {id)  Therefore,  when  Solomon  dedicated  the  temple, 
he  appointed  it  also  for  this  purpose,  that  prayers,  offered  to 
obtain  pardon  of  sins,  might  there  be  heard  and  answered. 
His  words  are,  "  If  they  sin  against  thee,  (for  there  is  no  man 
that  sinneth  not,)  and  thou  be  angry  with  them,  and  deliver 
them  to  the  enemy,  so  that  they  carry  them  away  captives 
unto  the  land  of  the  enemy,  far  or  near ;  yet  if  they  shall  be- 
think themselves,  and  repent  in  the  land  whither  they  were 
carried  captives,  and  repent  and  make  supplication  unto  thee 
in  the  land  of  those  that  carried  them  captives,  saying,  We  have 
sinned,  and  have  done  perversely,  we  have  committed  wicked- 
ness ;  and  pray  unto  thee  toward  the  land  which  thou  gavest 
unto  their  fathers,  the  city  which  thou  hast  chosen,  and  the 
house  which  I  have  built  for  thy  name  ;  then  hear  thou  their 
prayer  and  their  supplication  in  heaven,  and  forgive  thy  people 
that  have  sinned  against  thee,  and  all  their  transgressions 
wherein  they  have  transgressed  against  thee."  (.r)  Nor  was  it 
without  cause  that  in  the  law  the  Lord  ordained  daily  sacrifices 
for  sins ;  for  unless  he  had  foreseen  that  liis  people  would  be 
subject  to  the  maladies  of  daily  sins,  he  would  never  have  ap- 
pointed these  remedies,  [y) 

XXVI.  Now,  I  ask  whether,  by  the  advent  of  Christ,  in 
whom  the  fulness  of  grace  was  displayed,  believers  have  been 
deprived  of  this  benefit,  so  that  they  can  no  longer  presume  to 
supplicate  for  the  pardon  of  their  sins ;  so  that  if  they  offend 
against  the  Lord,  they  can  obtain  no  mercy.  What  would 
this  be  but  to  affirm,  that  Christ  came  for  the  destruction  of  his 
people,  and  not  for  their  salvation ;  if  the  loving-kindness  of 
God,  in  the  pardon  of  sins,  which  was  continually  ready  to  be 
exercised  to  the  saints  under  the  Old  Testament,  be  maintained 
to  be  now  entirely  withdrawn  ?  But  if  we  give  any  credit  to 
the  Scriptures,  which  proclaim  that  in  Christ  the  grace  and 
philanthropy  of  God  have  at  length  been  fully  manifested,  that 
his   mercy  has  been  abundantly  diffused,   and  reconciliation 

{v)  Jer.  iii.  1,  2, 12.  {x)  1  Kings  viii.  46—50. 

(jo)  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.  (j/)  Numb,  xxviii.  3. 


246  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

between  God  and  man  accomplished,  (z)  we  ouglit  not  to 
donbt  that  the  clemency  of  onr  heavenly  Father  is  displayed 
to  us  in  greater  abundance,  rather  than  restricted  or  diminished. 
Examples  to  prove  this  are  not  wanting.  Peter,  who  had  been 
warned  that  he  who  would  not  confess  the  name  of  Christ  be- 
fore men  would  be  denied  by  him  befoi'e  angels,  denied  him 
three  times  in  one  night,  and  accompanied  the  denial  with 
execrations  ;  yet  he  was  not  refused  pardon,  (a)  Those  of  the. 
Thessalonians  who  led  disorderly  lives,  are  reprehended  by  the 
apostle,  in  order  to  be  mvited  to  repentance.  (6)  Nor  does 
Peter  drive  Simon  Magus  himself  to  despair  ;  but  rather  directs 
him  to  cherish  a  favourable  hope,  when  he  persuades  him  to 
pray  for  forgiveness,  (c) 

XXVII.  What  are  we  to  say  of  cases  in  which  the  most 
enormous  sins  have  sometimes  seized  whole  Churches  ?  From 
this  situation  Paul  rather  mercifully  reclaimed  them,  than  aban- 
doned them  to  the  curse.  The  defection  of  the  Galatians  was 
no  trivial  offence,  (d)  The  Corinthians  were  still  less  excusable, 
their  crimes  being  more  numerous  and  equally  enormons.  (e) 
Yet  neither  are  excluded  from  the  mercy  of  the  Lord :  on  the 
contrary,  the  very  persons  who  had  gone  beyond  all  others  in 
impurity,  unchastity,  and  fornication,  are  expressly  invited  to 
repentance.  For  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  will  ever  remain 
eternal  and  inviolable,  which  he  has  made  with  Christ,  the 
antitype  of  Solomon,  and  with  alibis  members,  in  these  words  : 
"  If  his  children  forsake  my  law,  and  walk  not  in  my  judgments  ; 
if  they  break  my  statutes,  and  keep  not  my  commandments  ; 
then  will  I  visit  their  transgression  with  the  rod,  and  their  ini- 
quity with  strijies.  Nevertheless  my  loving-kindness  will  I  not 
utterly  take  from  him."  (/)  F''inally,  the  order  of  the  Creed 
teaches  us  that  pardon  of  sins  ever  continues  in  the  Church  of 
Christ,  because,  after  having  mentioned  the  Church,  it  imme- 
diately adds  the  forgiveyiess  of  sins. 

XXVIII.  Some  persons,  who  are  a  little  more  judicious, 
perceiving  the  notion  of  Novatus  to  be  so  explicitly  contradicted 
by  the  Scripture,  do  not  represent  every  sin  as  unpardonable, 
but  only  voluntary  transgression,  into  which  a  person  may 
have  fallen  with  the  full  exercise  of  his  knowledge  and  will. 
These  persons  admit  of  no  pardon  for  any  sins,  but  such  as 
may  have  been  the  mere  errors  of  ignorance. "  But  as  the  Lord, 
in  the  law,  commanded  some  sacrifices  to  be  offered  to  expiate 
the  voluntary  sins  of  believers,  and  others  to  atone  for  sins  of 
ignorance,  what  extreme  presumption  is  it  to  deny  that  there 

(2)  2  Tim.  i.  0,  10.     Tit.  ii.  11  ;  iii.  4—7. 
(a)  Matt.  X.  33.     Mark  viii.  38.     Matt.  xxvi.  60,  &c. 
(h)  2  Thess.  iii.  6,  11,  12.  (c)  Acts  viii.  22.  {d)  Gal.  i.  G  ;    iii.  1  ;    iv.  9. 

(e)  1  Cor.  i.  11,  12 ;   V.  1.     2  Cor.  xii.  21.  (/)  Psalm  Ixxxix.  30-33. 


CHAP.    1.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  247 

is  any  pardon  for  voluntary  transgression !  I  maintain,  that 
there  is  nothing  more  evident,  than  that  the  one  sacrifice  of 
Christ  is  available  for  the  remission  of  the  voluntary  sins  of  the 
saints,  since  the  Lord  has  testified  the  same  by  the  legal  vic- 
tims, as  by  so  many  types.  Besides,  who  can  plead  ignorance 
as  an  excuse  for  David,  who  was  evidently  so  well  acquainted 
Avith  the  law  ?  Did  not  David  know  that  adultery  and  murder 
were  great  crimes,  which  he  daily  punished  in  others  ?  Did 
the  patriarchs  consider  fratricide  as  lawful  ?  Had  the  Corin- 
thians learned  so  little  that  they  could  imagine  impurity,  incon- 
tinence, fornication,  animosities,  and  contentions,  to  be  pleasing 
to  God  ?  Could  Peter,  who  had  been  so  carefully  warned,  be 
ignorant  how  great  a  crime  it  was  to  abjure  his  Master?  Let 
us  not,  therefore,  by  our  cruelty,  shut  the  gate  of  mercy  which 
God  has  so  liberally  opened. 

XXIX.  I  am  fully  aware  that  the  old  writers  have  explained 
those  sins,  which  are  daily  forgiven  to  believers,  to  be  the 
smaller  faults,  which  are  inadvertently  committed  through  the 
infirmity  of  the  flesh  ;  but  solemn  repentance,  which  was  then 
required  for  greater  off'ences,  they  thought,  was  no  more  to  be 
repeated  than  baptism.  This  sentiment  is  not  to  be  understood, 
as  indicating  their  design,  either  to  drive  into  despair  such  per- 
sons as  had  relapsed  after  their  first  repentance,  or  to  extenuate 
those  errors,  as  if  they  were  small  in  the  sight  of  God.  For  they 
knew  that  the  saints  frequently  stagger  through  unbelief;  that 
they  sometimes  utter  unnecessary  oaths  ;  that  they  occasionally 
swell  into  anger,  and  even  break  out  into  open  reproaches  ;  and 
that  th'ey  are  likewise  chargeable  with  other  faults,  which  the 
Lord  holds  in  the  greatest  abomination.  They  expressed 
themselves  in  this  manner,  to  distinguish  between  private  of- 
fences and  those  public  crimes  which  were  attended  with  great 
scandal  in  the  Church.  But  the  difliculty,  which  they  made, 
of  forgiving  those  who  had  committed  any  thing  deserving  of 
ecclesiastical  censure,  did  not  arise  from  an  opinion  that  it  was 
difficult  for  them  to  obtain  pardon  from  the  Lord  ;  they  only 
intended  by  this  severity  to  deter  others  from  rashly  running 
into  crimes,  which  would  justly  be  followed  by  their  exclusion 
from  the  communion  of  the  Church.  The  word  of  the  Lord, 
however,  which  ought  to  be  our  only  rule  in  this  case,  certainly 
prescribes  greater  moderation.  For  it  teaches,  that  the  rigour 
of  discipline  ought  not  to  be  carried  to  such  an  extent,  as  to 
overwhelm  with  sorrow  the  person  whose  benefit  we  are  re- 
quired to  regard  as  its  principal  object ;  as  we  have  before 
shown  more  at  large. 


248  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

CHAPTER   II. 

THE    TRUE    AND    FALSE    CHURCH    COMPARED. 

We  have  already  stated  the  importance  which  we  ouglit  to 
attach  to  the  ministry  of  the  word  and  sacraments,  and  tlie  ex- 
tent to  which  our  reverence  for  it  ought  to  be  carried,  so  as  to 
account  it  a  perpetual  mark  and  characteristic  of  the  Church. 
That  is  to  say,  that  wherever  that  exists  entire  and  uncorrupted, 
no  errors  and  irregularities  of  conduct  form  a  sufficient  reason 
for  refusing  the  name  of  a  Church.  In  the  next  place,  that  the 
ministry  itself  is  not  so  far  vitiated  by  smaller  errors,  as  to  be 
considered  on  that  account  less  legitimate.  It  has  further  been 
shown,  that  the  errors  which  are  entitled  to  this  forgiveness 
are  those  by  which  the  grand  doctrine  of  religion  is  not  injured, 
which  do  not  suppress  the  points  in  which  all  believers  ought 
to  agree  as  articles  of  faith,  and  which,  in  regard  to  the  sa- 
craments, neither  abolish  nor  subvert  the  legitimate  institution 
of  their  Author.  But  as  soon  as  falsehood  has  made  a  breach 
in  the  fundamentals  of  religion,  and  the  system  of  necessary 
doctrine  is  subverted,  and  the  use  of  the  sacraments  fails,  the 
certain  consequence  is  the  ruin  of  the  Church,  as  there  is  an 
end  of  a  man's  life  when  his  throat  is  cut,  or  his  heart  is  mor- 
tally wounded.  And  this  is  evident  from  the  language  of  Paul, 
when  he  declares  the  Church  to  be  "  built  upon  the  foundation 
of  the  apostles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the 
chief  corner-stone."  (A)  If  the  foundation  of  the  Church  be 
the  doctrine  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  which  enjoins  be- 
lievers to  place  their  salvation  in  Christ  alone,  how  can  the 
edifice  stand  any  longer,  when  that  doctrine  is  taken  away  ? 
The  Church,  therefore,  must  of  necessity  fall,  where  that  sys- 
tem of  religion  is  subverted  which  alone  is  able  to  sustain  it. 
Besides,  if  the  true  Church  be  "  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
truth,"  [i]  that  certainly  can  be  no  Church  where  delusion  and 
falsehood  have  usurped  the  dominion. 

II.  As  this  is  the  state  of  things  under  the  Papacy,  it  is  easy 
to  judge  how  much  of  the  Church  remains  there.  Instead  of 
the  ministry  of  the  word,  there  reigns  a  corrupt  government, 
composed  of  falsehoods,  by  which  the  pure  light  is  suppressed 
or  extinguished.  An  execrable  sacrilege  has  been  substituted 
for  the  supper  of  the  Lord.  The  worship  of  God  is  deformed 
by  a  multifarious  and  intolerable  mass  of  superstitions.  The 
doctrine,  without  which  Christianity  cannot  exist,  has  been 

(/*)  Ephes.  ii.  20.  (i)  1  Tim.  iii.  15. 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


249 


entirely  forgotten  or  exploded.  The  public  assemblies  have 
become  schools  of  idolatry  and  impiety.  In  withdrawing  our- 
selves, therefore,  from  the  pernicious  participation  of  so  many 
enormities,  there  is  no  danger  of  separating  ourselves  from 
the  Church  of  Christ.  The  communion  of  the  Church  was 
not  instituted  as  a  bond  to  confine  us  in  idolatry,  impiety, 
ignorance  of  God,  and  other  evils  ;  but  rather  as  a  mean  to 
preserve  us  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  obedience  of  the  truth.  I 
know  that  the  Papists  give  us  the  most  magnificent  commen- 
dations of  their  Church,  to  make  us  believe  that  there  is  no 
other  in  the  world  ;  and  then,  as  if  they  had  gained  their  point, 
they  conclude  all  who  dare  to  withdraw  themselves  from  that 
Church  which  they  describe,  to  be  schismatics,  and  pronounce 
all  to  be  heretics  who  venture  to  open  their  mouths  in  opposi- 
tion to  its  doctrine.  But  by  what  reasons  do  they  prove  theirs 
to  be  the  true  Church?  They  allege  from  ancient  records 
what  formerly  occurred  in  Italy,  in  France,  in  Spain  ;  that  they 
are  descended  from  those  holy  men,  who  by  sound  doctrine 
founded  and  raised  the  Churches  in  these  countries,  and  con- 
firmed their  doctrine  and  the  edification  of  the  Church  by 
their  blood  ;  and  that  the  Church,  thus  consecrated  among 
them,  both  by  spiritual  gifts,  and  by  the  blood  of  martyrs,  has 
been  preserved  by  a  perpetual  succession  of  bishops,  that  it 
might  never  be  lost.  They  allege  the  importance  attached  to 
this  succession  by  Irena3us,  Tertullian,  Origen,  Augustine,  and 
others.  To  those  who  are  willing  to  attend  me  in  a  brief 
examination  of  these  allegations,  I  will  clearly  show  that  they 
are  frivolous,  and  manifestly  ridiculous.  I  would  likewise  ex- 
hort those  who  advance  them,  to  pay  a  serious  attention  to  the 
subject,  if  I  thought  my  arguments  could  produce  any  effect 
upon  them  ;  but  as  their  sole  object  is  to  promote  their  own 
interest  by  every  method  in  their  power,  without  any  regard 
to  truth,  I  shall  content  myself  with  making  a  few  observations, 
with  Avhich  good  men,  and  inquirers  after  truth,  may  be  able 
to  answer  their  cavils.  In  the  first  place,  I  ask  them,  why 
they  allege  nothing  respecting  Africa,  and  Egypt,  and  all  Asia. 
It  is  because,  in  all  those  countries,  there  has  been  a  failure  of 
this  sacred  succession  of  bishops,  by  virtue  of  which  they  boast 
that  the  Church  has  been  preserved  among  them.  They  come 
to  this  point,  therefore,  that  they  have  the  true  Church,  be- 
cause from  its  commencement  it  has  never  been  destitute  of 
bishops,  for  that  some  have  been  succeeded  by  others  in  an 
uninterrupted  series.  But  what  if  I  oppose  them  with  the  ex- 
ample of  Greece  ?  I  ask  them  again,  therefore,  why  they  assert 
that  the  Church  has  been  lost  among  the  Greeks,  among  whom 
there  has  never  been  any  interruption  of  that  succession  of 
bishops,  which  they  consider  as  the  sole  guard  and  preservative 
VOL.  II.  32 


250  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

of  tlie  Church  ?  They  call  the  Greeks  schismatics.  For  what 
reason  ?  Because,  it  is  pretended,  they  have  lost  their  privi- 
lege by  revolting  from  the  Apostolical  see.  But  do  not  they 
much  more  deserve  to  lose  it,  who  have  revolted  from  Christ 
himself?  It  follows,  therefore,  that  their  plea  of  uninterrujjted 
succession  is  a  vain  pretence,  unless  the  truth  of  Christ,  which 
was  transmitted  from  the  fathers,  be  permanently  retained  pure 
and  uncorrupted  by  their  posterity. 

III.  The  pretensions  of  the  Romanists,  therefore,  in  the 
present  day,  are  no  other  than  those  which  appear  to  have  been 
formerly  set  up  by  the  Jews,  when  they  were  reproved  by  the 
prophets  of  the  Lord  for  blindness,  impiety,  and  idolatry.  For 
as  the  Jews  boasted  of  the  temple,  the  ceremonies,  and  the 
priesthood,  in  which  things  they  firmly  believed  the  Church  to 
consist ;  so,  instead  of  the  Church,  the  Papists  produce  certain 
external  forms,  which  are  often  at  a  great  distance  from  the 
Church,  and  are  not  at  all  necessary  to  its  existence.  Wherefore 
we  need  no  other  argument  to  refute  them,  than  that  which  was 
urged  by  Jeremiah  against  that  foolish  confidence  of  the  Jews: 
"  Trust  ye  not  in  lying  words,  saying.  The  temple  of  the  Lord, 
the  temple  of  the  Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  are  these."  (k) 
For  the  Lord  acknowledges  no  place  as  his  temple,  where  his 
word  is  not  heard  and  dev^outly  observed.  So,  though  the 
glory  of  God  resided  between  the  cherubim  in  the  sanctuary, 
and  he  had  promised  his  people  that  he  would  make  it  his 
permanent  seat,  yet  when  the  priests  had  corrupted  his  wor- 
ship by  perverse  superstitions,  he  departed,  and  left  the  place 
without  any  sanctity.  If  that  temple  which  appeared  to  be 
consecrated  to  the  perpetual  residence  of  God,  could  be  forsaken 
and  desecrated  by  him,  there  can  be  no  reason  for  their  pre- 
tending that  God  is  so  attached  to  persons  or  places,  or  confined 
to  external  observances,  as  to  be  constrained  to  remain  among 
those  who  have  nothing  but  the  name  and  appearance  of  the 
Church.  And  this  is  the  argument  which  is  maintained  by 
Paul  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  from  the  ninth  chapter  to 
the  twelfth.  For  it  had  violently  disturbed  weak  consciences, 
to  observe  that,  while  the  Jews  appeared  to  be  the  people  of 
God,  they  not  only  rejected,  but  also  persecuted,  the  doctrine 
of  the  gospel.  Therefore,  after  having  discussed  that  doctrine, 
he  removes  this  difficulty  ;  and  denies  the  claim  of  those  Jews, 
who  were  enemies  of  the  truth,  to  be  considered  as  the  Church, 
though  in  other  respects  they  wanted  nothing  that  could  be 
requisite  to  its  external  form.  And  the  only  reason  for  this 
denial  was,  because  they  did  not  receive  Christ.  He  speaks 
rather  more  explicitly  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  (/)  where, 

(Ji)  Jer.  vii.  4.  (/)  Gal.  iv. 


CHAP.    II.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  251 

ill  a  comparison  between  Ishmael  and  Isaac,  he  represents  many 
as  occupying  a  place  in  tlie  Church,  wlio  have  no  right  to  the 
inheritance,  because  they  are  not  the  children  of  a  free  motlier. 
Hence  he  proceeds  to  a  contrast  of  the  two  Jerusalems,  because 
as  the  law  was  given  on  Mount  Sinai,  but  the  gospel  came 
forth  from  Jerusalem,  so  many  who  have  been  born  and  edu- 
cated in  bondage,  confidently  boast  of  being  the  children  of  God 
and  of  the  Church,  and  though  they  are  themselves  a  spurious 
ofispring,  look  down  with  contempt  on  his  genuine  and  legiti- 
mate children.  But  as  for  us,  on  the  contrary,  who  have  once 
heard  it  proclaimed  from  heaven,  "Cast  out  the  bondwoman 
and  her  son,"  let  us  confide  in  this  inviolable  decree,  and  reso- 
kitely  despise  their  ridiculous  pretensions.  For  if  they  pride 
themselves  on  an  external  profession,  Ishmael  also  was  circum- 
cised. .If  they  depend  on  antiquity,  he  was  the  first  born. 
Yet  we  see  that  he  was  rejected.  If  the  cause  of  this  be  in- 
quired, Paul  tells  us  that  none  are  accounted  children  but  those 
who  are  born  of  the  pure  and  legitimate  seed  of  the  word,  (wi) 
According  to  this  reason,  the  Lord  declares  that  he  is  not  con- 
fined to  impious  priests,  because  he  had  made  a  covenant  with 
their  father  Levi  to  be  his  angel  or  messenger,  (u)  He  even 
retorts  on  them  their  false  boasting,  with  which  they  were 
accustomed  to  oppose  the  prophets,  that  the  dignity  of  the 
priesthood  ought  to  be  held  in  peculiar  estimation.  This  he 
readily  admits,  and  argues  with  them  on  this  ground,  because 
he  was  prepared  to  observe  the  covenant,  whereas  they  failed 
of  discharging  the  correspondent  obligations,  and  therefore  de- 
served to  be  rejected.  See,  then,  what  such  succession  is 
worth,  unless  it  be  connected  with  a  continual  imitation  and 
conformity.  Without  this,  the  descendants,  who  are  convicted 
of  a  departure  from  their  predecessors,  must  immediately  be 
deprived  of  all  honour ;  unless,  indeed,  because  Caiaphas  was 
the  successor  of  many  pious  priests,  and  there  had  been  an 
uninterrupted  series  even  from  Aaron  to  him,  that  execrable 
assembly  be  deemed  worthy  to  be  called  the  Church.  But  it 
would  not  be  tolerated  even  in  earthly  governments,  that  the 
tyranny  of  Caligula,  Nero,  Heliogabalus,  and  others,  should  be 
called  the  true  state  of  the  republic,  because  they  succeeded 
the  Bruti,  the  Scipios,  and  the  Camilli.  But  in  regard  to  the 
government  of  the  Church,  nothing  can  be  more  frivolous  than 
to  place  the  succession  in  the  persons,  to  the  neglect  of  the 
doctrine.  And  nothing  was  further  from  the  intentions  of  the 
holy  doctors,  whose  authority  the.y  falsely  obtrude  upon  us, 
than  to  prove  that  Churches  existed  by  a  kind  of  hereditary 
right,  wherever  there  has  been  a  constant  succession  of  bishops. 

(m)  Rom.  ix.  6—8.  («)  Mai.  ii.  1—9. 


252  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

But  as  it  was  beyond  all  doubt  that,  from  the  beginning  even 
down  to  their  times,  no  change  had  taken  place  in  the  doctrine, 
they  assumed,  what  would  suffice  for  the  confutation  of  all  new 
errors,  tliat  they  were  repugnant  to  the  doctrine  which  had 
been  constantly  and  unanimously  maintained  even  from  the 
days  of  the  apostles.  They  will  gain  nothing,  therefore,  by 
persisting  to  disguise  themselves  under  the  name  of  the  Church. 
The  Church  we  regard  with  becoming  reverence ;  but  when 
they  come  to  the  definition,  they  are  miserably  embarrassed,  for 
they  substitute  an  execrable  harlot  in  the  place  of  the  holy 
spouse  of  Christ.  That  we  may  not  be  deceived  by  such  a  sub- 
stitution, beside  other  admonitions,  let  us  remember  this  of  Au- 
gustine; for,  speaking  of  the  Church,  he  says,  "  It  is  sometimes 
obscured  and  beclouded  by  a  multitude  of  scandals  ;  sometimes 
it  appears  quiet  and  unmolested  in  a  season  of  tranquillity,  and 
is  sometimes  disturbed  and  overwhelmed  with  the  waves  of 
tribulations  and  temptations."  He  produces  examples,  that 
those  who  were  its  firmest  pillars,  have  either  undauntedly  suf- 
fered banishment  on  account  of  the  faith,  or  secluded  them- 
selves from  all  society. 

IV.  In  the  same  manner,  the  Romanists  in  the  present  day 
harass  us,  and  terrify  ignorant  persons  with  the  name  of  the 
Church,  though  there  are  no  greater  enemies  to  Christ  than 
themselves.  Although  they  may  pretend  therefore  to  the  temple, 
the  priesthood,  and  other  similar  forms,  this  vain  glitter,  which 
dazzles  the  eyes  of  the  simple,  ought  by  no  means  to  induce  us 
to  admit  the  existence  of  a  Church,  where  we  cannot  discover 
the  word  of  God.  For  this  is  the  perpetual  mark  by  which  our 
Lord  has  characterized  his  people :  "  Every  one  that  is  of  the 
truth  heareth  my  voice."  (o)  And,  "I  am  the  good  Shepherd, 
and  know  my  sheep,  and  am  known  of  mine."  "  My  sheep 
hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me."  He 
had  just  before  said,  "  The  sheep  follow  their  shepherd ;  for 
they  know  his  voice ;  and  a  stranger  will  they  not  follow,  but 
will  flee  from  him,  for  they  know  not  the  voice  of  strangers."  (p) 
Why,  then,  do  we  wilfully  run  into  error  in  forming  a  judgment 
of  the  Church,  since  Christ  has  designated  it  by  an  unequivocal 
character,  that  wherever  it  is  discovered,  it  infallibly  assures 
us  of  the  existence  of  a  Church,  and  wherever  it  is  wanting, 
there  is  no  real  evidence  of  a  Church  left.  For  Paul  de- 
clares the  Church  to  be  founded,  not  upon  the  opinions  of 
men,  not  upon  the  priesthood,  but  upon  the  "doctrine  of  the 
apostles  and  prophets."  (q)  And  Jerusalem  is  to  be  distin- 
guisiied  from  Babylon,  the  Church  of  Christ  from  the  syna;iogue 
of  Satan,  by  this  diflcrence,  by  which  Christ  has  discrimhiated 

(o)  John  xviii.  37.  (p)  Jolin  x.  4,  5,  14,  27.  (q)  Ephes.  ii.  20. 


CHAP.    II.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  253 

them  from  each  other :  "  He  that  is  of  God,  heareth  God's  words  ; 
ye  therefore  hear  them  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  God."(r) 
In  fine,  as  the  Chnrch  is  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  he  reigns 
only  by  his  word,  can  any  person  doubt  the  falsehood  of  those 
pretensions,  which  represent  the  kingdom  of  Christ  as  destitute 
of  his  sceptre,  that  is,  of  his  holy  word  ? 

V.  With  respect  to  the  charge  which  they  bring  against  us  of 
heresy  and  schism,  because  we  preach  a  different  doctrine  from 
theirs,  and  submit  not  to  their  laws,  and  hold  separate  as- 
semblies for  prayers,  for  baptism,  for  the  administration  of  the 
Lord's  supper,  and  other  sacred  exercises,  it  is  indeed  a  most 
heavy  accusation,  but  such  as  by  no  means  requires  a  long  or  la- 
borious defence.  The  appellations  of  heretics  and  schismatics 
are  applied  to  persons  who  cause  dissension,  and  destroy  the  com- 
munion, of  the  Church.  Now,  this  communion  is  preserved  by 
two  bonds  —  agreement  in  sound  doctrine,  and  brotherly  love. 
Between  heretics  and  schismatics,  therefore,  Augustine  makes 
the  following  distinction  —  that  the  former  corrupt  the  purity  of 
the  faith  by  false  doctrines,  and  that  the  latter  break  the  bond 
of  affection,  sometimes  even  while  they  retain  the  same  faith. 
But  it  is  also  to  be  remarked,  that  this  union  of  affection  is 
dependent  on  the  unity  of  faith,  as  its  foundation,  end,  and  rule. 
Let  us  remember,  therefore,  that,  whenever  the  unity  of  the 
Church  is  enjoined  upon  us  in  the  Scripture,  it  is  required, 
that,  while  our  minds  hold  the  same  doctrines  in  Christ,  our 
wills  should  likewise  be  united  in  mutual  benevolence  in  Christ. 
Therefore,  Paul,  when  he  exhorts  us  to  it,  assumes  as  a  founda- 
tion, that  there  is  "  one  Lord,  one  faith,  and  one  baptism."  (s) 
And  when  he  inculcates  our  being  "like-minded,  and  having 
the  same  love,  being  of  one  accord,  of  one  mind,"  {t)  he  im- 
mediately adds,  that  this  should  be  in  Christ,  or  according  to 
Christ  ;  signifying  that  all  union  which  is  formed  without  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  is  a  faction  of  the  impious,  and  not  an  asso- 
ciation of  believers. 

VL  Cyprian,  also,  after  the  example  of  Paul,  deduces  the 
origin  of  all  ecclesiastical  concord  from  the  supreme  bishopric 
of  Christ.  He  afterwards  subjoins,  "  There  is  but  one  Church, 
which  is  widely  extended  into  a  multitude  by  the  offspring  of 
its  fertility ;  just  as  there  are  many  rays  of  the  sun,  but  the 
light  is  one  ;  and  a  tree  has  many  branches,  but  only  one  trunk, 
fixed  on  a  firm  root.  And  when  many  rivers  issue  from  one 
source,  though  by  its  exuberant  abundance  the  stream  is  mul- 
tiplied into  numerous  currents,  yet  the  unity  of  the  fountain 
still  remains.  Separate  a  ray  from  the  body  of  the  sun,  and  its 
unity  sustains  no  division.  Break  off  a  branch  from  a  tree,  and 
the  broken  branch  can  never  bud.     Cut  off  a  river  from  the 

ir)  John  viii.  47.  {s)  Ephes.  iv.  5.  {t)  Phil.  ii.  2,  5. 


254  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

source,  and  it  immediately  dries  up.  So  the  Church,  overspread 
with  the  Hght  of  the  Lord,  is  extended  over  the  whole  world  : 
yet  it  is  one  and  the  same  light  which  is  universally  diffused." 
No  representation  could  be  more  elegant  to  express  that  insepa- 
rable connection  which  subsists  between  all  the  members  of 
Christ.  We  see  how  he  continually  recalls  us  to  the  fountain- 
head.  Therefore  he  pronounces  the  origin  of  heresies  and 
schisms  to  be,  that  men  neither  return  to  the  source  of  truth, 
nor  seek  the  Head,  nor  attend  to  the  doctrine  of  the  heavenly 
Master.  Now,  let  the  Romanists  exclaim  that  Ave  are  heretics, 
because  we  have  withdrawn  from  their  church ;  while  the  sole 
cause  of  our  secession  has  been,  that  theirs  cannot  possibly  be 
the  pure  profession  of  the  truth.  I  say  nothing  of  their  having 
expelled  us  with  anathemas  and  execrations.  But  this  reason 
is  more  than  sufficient  for  our  exculpation,  unless  they  are 
determined  to  pronounce  sentence  of  schism  also  against  the 
apostles,  with  whom  we  have  but  one  common  cause.  Christ, 
I  say,  foretold  to  his  apostles,  that  for  his  name's  sake  they 
should  be  cast  out  of  the  synagogues,  (v)  Now,  those  syna- 
gogues, of  which  he  spoke,  were  then  accounted  legitimate 
Churches.  Since  it  is  evident,  then,  that  we  have  been  cast 
out,  and  we  are  prepared  to  prove  that  this  has  been  done  for 
the  name  of  Christ,  it  is  necessary  to  inquire  into  the  cause, 
before  any  thing  be  determined  respecting  us,  either  on  one  side 
or  the  other.  But  this  point  I  readily  relinquish  to  them.  It  is 
sufficient  for  me  that  it  was  necessary  for  us  to  withdraw  from 
them,  in  order  to  approach  to  Christ. 

VII.  But  it  will  be  still  more  evident,  in  what  estimation 
we  ought  to  hold  all  the  Churches  who  have  submitted  to  the 
tyranny  of  the  Roman  pontiff,  if  we  compare  them  with  the 
ancient  Church  of  Israel,  as  delineated  by  the  prophets.  There 
was  a  true  Church  among  the  Jews  and  the  Israelites,  while 
they  continued  to  observe  the  laws  of  the  covenant  ;  because 
they  then  obtained  from  the  favour  of  God  those  things  which 
constitute  a  Church.  They  had  the  doctrine  of  truth  in  the 
law  ;  the  ministry  of  it  was  committed  to  the  priests  and 
prophets ;  they  were  initiated  into  the  Church  by  the  sign  of 
circumcision ;  and  were  exercised  in  other  sacraments  for  the 
confirmation  of  their  faith.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  com- 
mendations, with  which  the  Lord  has  honoured  his  Church, 
truly  belonged  to  their  society.  But  after  they  deserted  the 
law  of  the  Lord,  and  fell  into  idolatry  and  superstition,  they 
partly  lost  this  privilege.  For  who  would  dare  to  refuse  the 
title  of  a  Church  to  those  among  whom  God  deposited  the 
preaching  of  his  word,  and  the  observance  of  his  mysteries  ? 

(r)  John  xvi.  2. 


CHAP.    II.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  255 

On  the  other  hand,  who  would  dare  to  give  the  appellation  of 
a  Church,  without  any  exception,  to  that  society,  where  the 
word  of  God  is  openly  and  fearlessly  trampled  under  foot  ; 
where  its  ministry,  the  principal  sinew,  and  even  the  soul  of 
the  Church,  is  discontinued  ? 

VIII.  What,  then,  it  will  be  said,  was  there  no  particle  of  a 
Church  left  among  the  Jews  from  the  moment  of  their  defection 
to  idolatry  ?  The  answer  is  easy.  In  the  first  place,  I  observe, 
that  in  this  defection  there  were  several  degrees.  Nor  will  we 
maintain  the  fall  of  Judah,  and  that  of  Israel,  to  have  been  ex- 
actly the  same,  at  the  time  when  they  both  began  to  depart 
from  the  pure  worship  of  God.  When  Jeroboam  made  the 
calves,  in  opposition  to  the  express  prohibition  of  God,  and 
dedicated  a  place  which  it  was  not  lawful  to  use  for  the  oblation 
of  sacrifices,  in  this  case  religion  was  totally  corrupted.  The 
Jews  polluted  themselves  with  practical  impieties  and  supersti- 
tions, before  they  made  any  unlawful  changes  in  the  external 
forms  of  religion.  For  though  they  generally  adopted  many 
corrupt  ceremonies  in  the  time  of  Rehoboam,  yet  as  the  doctrine 
of  the  law,  and  the  priesthood,  and  the  rites  which  God  had 
instituted,  were  still  preserved  at  Jerusalem,  believers  had 
in  that  kingdom  a  tolerable  form  of  a  Church.  Among  the 
Israelites,  there  was  no  reformation  down  to  the  reign  of  Ahab, 
and  in  his  time  there  was  an  alteration  for  the  worse.  Of  the 
succeeding  kings,  even  to  the  subversion  of  the  kingdom,  some 
resembled  Ahab,  and  others,  who  would  be  a  little  better,  followed 
the  example  of  Jeroboam  ;  but  all,  without  exception,  were 
impious  idolaters.  In  Judah  there  were  various  changes  ;  some 
kings  corrupted  the  worship  of  God  with  false  and  groundless 
superstitions,  and  others  restored  religion  from  its  abuses  ;  till, 
at  length,  the  priests  themselves  polluted  the  temple  of  God 
with  idolatrous  and  abominable  rites. 

IX.  Now,  however  the  Papists  may  extenuate  their  vices,  let 
them  deny,  if  they  can,  that  the  state  of  religion  is  as  corrupt  and 
depraved  among  them,  as  it  was  in  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  in 
the  time  of  Jeroboam.  But  they  practise  a  grosser  idolatry,  and 
their  doctrine  is  equally,  if  not  more,  impure.  God  is  my 
witness,  and  all  men  who  are  endued  with  moderate  judgment, 
and  the  fact  itself  declares,  that  in  this  I  am  guilty  of  no  exag- 
geration. Now,  when  they  try  to  drive  us  into  the  communion 
of  their  Church,  they  require  two  things  of  us  —  first,  that  we 
should  communicate  in  all  their  prayers,  sacraments,  and  cere- 
monies ;  secondly,  that  whatever  honour,  power,  and  jurisdic- 
tion, Christ  has  conferred  upon  his  Church,  we  should  attribute 
the  same  to  theirs.  With  respect  to  the  first  point,  I  confess 
that  the  prophets  who  were  at  Jerusalem,  when  the  state  of 
affairs  there  was  very  corrupt,  neither  offered  up  sacrifices  apart 


256  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

from  others,  nor  held  separate  assemblies  for  prayer.  For  they 
had  the  express  command  of  God,  that  they  were  to  assemble 
in  the  temple  of  Solomon  ;  and  they  knew  that  the  Levitical 
priests,  because  they  had  been  ordained  by  the  Lord  as  min- 
isters of  the  sacrifices,  and  had  not  been  deposed,  however 
innvorthy  they  might  be  of  such  honour,  still  retained  the 
lawfnl  possession  of  that  place.  But,  what  is  the  principal 
point  of  the  whole  controversy,  they  were  not  constrained  to 
join  in  any  superstitious  worship ;  on  the  contrary,  they  en- 
gaged in  no  service  that  was  not  of  Divine  institution.  But  what 
resemblance  is  there  to  this  among  the  Papists  ?  We  can  scarcely 
assemble  with  them  on  a  single  occasion,  without  polluting 
ourselves  with  open  idolatry.  The  principal  bond  of  their  com- 
munion is  certainly  the  mass,  which  we  abominate  as  the 
greatest  sacrilege.  Whether  we  are  right  or  wrong  in  this,  will 
be  seen  in  another  place.  It  is  sufficient,  at  present,  to  show 
that,  in  this  respect,  our  case  is  different  from  that  of  the 
prophets,  who,  though  they  were  present  at  the  sacrifices  of 
impious  persons,  were  never  compelled  to  use,  or  to  witness, 
any  ceremonies  but  those  which  God  had  instituted.  And  if  we 
wish  to  have  an  example  entirely  similar,  we  must  take  it  from 
the  kingdom  of  Israel.  According  to  the  regulations  of  Jeroboam, 
circumcision  continued,  sacrifices  were  offered,  the  law  was 
regarded  as  sacred,  the  people  invoked  the  same  God  whom 
their  fathers  had  worshipped ;  yet,  on  account  of  novel  cere- 
monies invented  in  opposition  to  the  Divine  prohibitions,  God 
disapproved  and  condemned  all  that  was  done  there.  Show  me 
a  single  prophet,  or  any  pious  man,  who  even  once  worshipped 
or  offered  sacrifice  at  Bethel,  They  knew  that  they  could  not 
do  it  without  contaminating  themselves  with  sacrilege.  We 
have  established  this  point,  therefore,  that  the  attachment  of 
pious  persons  to  the  communion  of  the  Church,  ought  not  to  be 
carried  to  such  an  extent,  as  to  oblige  them  to  remain  in  it,  if  it 
degenerated  into  profane  and  impure  rites. 

X.  But  against  their  second  requisition,  we  contend  upon  still 
stronger  ground.  For  if  the  Church  be  held  in  such  considera- 
tion that  we  are  required  to  revere  its  judgment,  to  obey  its  au- 
thority, to  receive  its  admonitions,  to  fall  under  its  censures, 
and  scrupulously  and  unitormly  to  adhere  to  its  communion, 
we  cannot  allow  their  claim  to  the  character  of  the  Chinch, 
without  necessarily  obliging  ourselves  to  subjection  and  obe- 
dience. Yet  we  readily  concede  to  them  what  the  prophets 
conceded  to  the  Jews  and  Israelites  of  their  time,  when  things 
among  them  were  in  a  similar,  or  even  in  a  better  state.  But 
we  see  how  they  frequently  exclaim,  that  their  assemblies  were 
iniquitous  meetings,  (w)  a  concurrence  in  which  were  as  criini- 

(ir)  Isaiah  i.  13,  14. 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


25/ 


nal  as  a  renunciation  of  God.  And  certainly,  if  those  assemolies 
weie  Churches,  it  follows  that  Elijah,  Micaiah.  and  others  in 
Israel,  were  strangers  to  the  Church  of  God  ;  and  the  same 
would  be  true  of  Isaiah,  .Jeremiah,  Hosea,  and  others  of  that 
description  in  Judah,  whom  the  false  prophets,  priests,  and  people 
of  their  day,  hated  and  execrated  as  if  they  had  been  worse  than 
any  heathens.  If  such  assemblies  were  Churches,  then  the 
Church  is  not  the  pillar  of  truth,  but  a  foundation  of  falsehood, 
not  the  sanctuary  of  the  living  God,  but  a  receptacle  of  idols. 
They  found  themselves  under  a  necessity,  therefore,  of  with- 
drawing from  all  connection  with  those  assemblies,  which  were 
nothing  but  a  conspiracy  against  God.  For  the  same  reason, 
if  any  one  acknowledges  the  assemblies  of  the  present  day, 
which  are  contaminated  with  idolatry,  superstition,  and  false 
doctrine,  as  true  Churches,  in  full  communion  with  which  a 
Christian  man  ought  to  continue,  and  in  whose  doctrine  he  ought 
to  coincide,  this  will  be  a  great  error.  For  if  they  be  Churches, 
they  possess  the  power  of  the  keys  ;  but  the  keys  are  insepa- 
rably connected  with  the  word,  which  is  exploded  from  among 
them.  Again,  if  they  be  Churches,  that  promise  of  Christ  must 
be  applicable  to  them  —  "Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth 
shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on 
earth  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  (x)  On  the  contrary,  all  who 
sincerely  profess  themselves  to  be  the  servants  of  Christ,  they 
expel  from  their  communion.  Either,  therefore,  the  promise 
of  Christ  must  be  vain,  or  in  this  respect  they  are  not 
Churches.  Lastly,  instead  of  the  ministry  of  the  word,  they 
have  schools  of  impiety,  and  a  gulf  of  every  species  of  errors. 
Either,  therefore,  in  this  respect  they  are  not  Churches,  or  no 
mark  will  be  left  to  distinguish  the  legitimate  assembUes  of 
believers  from  the  conventions  of  Turks. 

XI.  Nevertheless,  as  in  former  times  the  Jews  continued  in 
possession  of  some  peculiar  privileges  of  the  Church,  so  we 
refuse  not  to  acknowledge,  among  the  Papists  of  the  present 
day,  those  vestiges  of  the  Church  which  it  has  pleased  the  Lord 
should  remain  among  them  after  its  removal.  When  God  had 
once  made  his  covenant  with  the  Jews,  it  continued  among 
them,  rather  because  it  was  supported  by  its  own  stability 
in  opposition  to  their  impiety,  than  in  consequence  of  their 
observance  of  it.  Such,  therefore,  was  the  certainty  and  con- 
stancy of  the  Divine  goodness,  the  covenant  of  the  Lord 
remained  among  them  ;  his  faithfulness  could  not  be  obliterated 
by  their  perfidy  ;  nor  could  circumcision  be  so  profaned  by  their 
impure  hands,  but  that  it  was  always  the  true  sign  and  sacra- 
ment of  his   covenant.     Hence  the  children  that  were  born 

(x)  Matt,  xviii.  IS. 

VOL.  II.  33 


258  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

to  them,  God  calls  his  own,  (y)  though  they  could  not  have 
belonged  to  him  but  by  a  special  benediction.  So  after  he  had 
deposited  his  covenant  in  France,  Italy,  Germany,  Spain,  and 
England,  when  those  countries  were  oppressed  by  the  tyranny 
of  Antichrist,  still,  in  order  that  the  covenant  might  remain  in- 
violable, as  a  testimony  of  that  covenant,  he  preserved  baptism 
among  them,  which,  being  consecrated  by  his  lips,  retains  its 
virtue  in  opposition  to  all  the  impiety  of  men.  He  also,  by  his 
providence,  caused  other  vestiges  of  the  Church  to  remain,  that 
it  might  not  be  entirely  lost.  And  as  buildings  are  frequently 
demolished  in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave  the  foundations  and 
ruins  remaining,  so  the  Lord  has  not  suffered  Antichrist  either 
to  subvert  his  Church  from  the  foundation,  or  to  level  it  with 
the  ground;  though,  to  punish  the  ingratitude  of  men  who 
despised  his  word,  he  has  permitted  a  dreadful  concussion  ai)d 
dilapidation  to  be  made  ;  yet,  amidst  this  devastation,  he  has 
been  pleased  to  preserve  the  edifice  from  being  entirely  destroyed. 
XII.  While  we  refuse,  therefore,  to  allow  to  the  Papists  the 
title  of  the  Church,  without  any  qualification  or  restriction,  we  do 
not  deny  that  there  are  Churches  among  them.  We  only  con- 
tend for  the  true  and  legitimate  constitution  of  the  Church,  which 
requires  not  only  a  communion  in  the  sacraments,  which  are 
the  signs  of  a  Christian  profession,  but  above  all,  an  agreement 
in  doctrine.  Daniel  and  Paul  had  predicted  that  Antichrist 
would  sit  in  the  temple  of  God.  (z)  The  head  of  that  cursed 
and  abominable  kingdom,  in  the  Western  Church,  we  affirm  to 
be  the  Pope.  When  his  seat  is  placed  in  the  temple  of  God,  it 
suggests,  that  his  kingdom  will  be  such,  that  he  will  not  abolish 
the  name  of  Christ,  or  the  Church.  Hence  it  appears,  that  we 
by  no  means  deny  that  Churches  may  exist,  even  under  his 
tyranny  ;  but  he  has  profaned  them  l3y  sacrilegious  impiety, 
afflicted  them  by  cruel  despotism,  corrupted  and  almost  termi- 
nated their  existence  by  false  and  pernicious  doctrines,  like  poi- 
sonous potions ;  in  such  Churches,  Christ  lies  half  buried,  the 
gospel  is  suppressed,  piety  exterminated,  and  the  worship  of 
God  almost  abolished ;  in  a  word,  they  are  altogether  in  such  a 
state  of  confusion,  that  they  exhibit  a  picture  of  Babylon, rather 
than  of  the  holy  city  of  God.  To  conclude,  I  aflirm  that  they 
are  Churches,  inasmuch  as  God  has  wonderfully  preserved 
among  them  a  remnant  of  his  people,  though  miserably  dispersed 
and  dejected,  and  as  there  still  remain  some  marks  of  the  Church, 
especially  those,  the  efficacy  of  which  neither  the  craft  of  the 
devil  nor  the  malice  of  men  can  ever  destroy.  But,  on  the  other 
hand,  because  those  marks,  which  we  ought  chiefly  to  regard  in 

(y)  Ezek.  xiv.  20.  (:)  Dan.  ix.  27.     2  Thcss.  ii.  3,  4. 


CHAP.    III.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGIOll.  259 

this  controversy,  are  obliterated,  I  affirm,  that  the  form  of  the 
legitimate  Church  is  not  to  be  found  either  in  any  one  of  their 
congregations,  or  in  the  body  at  large. 


CHAPTER   III. 


THE    TEACHERS     AND    MINISTERS    OF     THE    CHURCH, "    THEIR    ELEC- 
TION   AND    OFFICE. 

We  must  now  treat  of  the  order  which  it  has  been  the  Lord's 
will  to  appoint  for  the  government  of  his  Church.  For  although 
he  alone  ought  to  rule  and  reign  in  the  Church,  and  to  have  all 
preeminence  in  it,  and  this  government  ought  to  be  exercised 
and  administered  solely  by  his  word,  —  yet,  as  he  dwells  not 
among  us  by  a  visible  presence,  so  as  to  make  an  audible  de- 
claration of  his  will  to  us,  we  have  stated,  that  for  this  purpose 
he  uses  the  ministry  of  men  whom  he  employs  as  his  delegates, 
not  to  transfer  his  right  and  honour  to  them,  but  only  that  he 
may  himself  do  his  work  by  their  lips ;  just  as  an  artificer 
makes  use  of  an  instrument  in  the  performance  of  his  work. 
Some  observations  which  1  have  made  already,  are  necessary  to 
be  repeated  here.  It  is  true  that  he  might  do  this  either  by 
himself,  without  any  means  or  instruments,  or  even  by  angels ; 
but  there  are  many  reasons  why  he  prefers  making  use  of  men. 
For,  in  the  first  place,  by  this  method  he  declares  his  kindness 
towards  us,  since  he  chooses  from  among  men  those  who  are 
to  be  his  ambassadors  to  the  world,  to  be  the  interpreters  of 
his  secret  will,  and  even  to  act  as  his  personal  representatives. 
And  thus  he  affords  an  actual  proof,  that  when  he  so  fre- 
quently calls  us  his  temples,  it  is  not  an  unmeaning  appel- 
lation, since  he  gives  answers  to  men,  even  from  the  mouths 
of  men,  as  from  a  sanctuary.  In  the  second  place,  this  is  a 
most  excellent  and  beneficial  method  to  train  us  to  humility, 
since  he  accustoms  us  to  obey  his  word,  though  it  is  preached 
to  us  by  men  like  ourselves,  and  sometimes  even  of  inferior 
rank.  If  he  were  himself  to  speak  from  heaven,  there  would 
be  no  wonder  if  his  sacred  oracles  were  instantly  received 
with  reverence,  by  the  ears  and  hearts  of  all  mankind.  For 
who  would  not  be  awed  by  his  present  power  ?  who  would  not 
fall  prostrate  at  the  first  view  of  infinite  Majesty  ?  who  would 
not  be  confounded  by  that  overpcwering  splendour  ?  But 
when  a  contemptible  mortal,  who  had  just  emerged  from  the 
dust,   addresses   us  in  the  name  of  God,   we   give  the  best 


260  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

evidence  of  onr  piety  and  reverence  towards  God  himself,  if  we 
readily  submit  to  be  instructed  by  his  minister,  who  possesses 
no  personal  superiority  to  ourselves.  For  this  reason,  also,  he  has 
deposited  the  treasure  of  his  heavenly  wisdom  in  frail  and 
earthen  vessels,  (a)  in  order  to  afford  a  better  proof  of  the 
estimation  in  which  we  hold  it.  Besides,  nothhig  was  more 
adapted  to  promote  brotherly  love,  than  a  mutual  connection 
of  men  by  this  bond,  while  one  is  constituted  the  pastor  to 
teach  all  the  rest,  and  they  who  are  commanded  to  be  disci- 
ples, receive  one  common  doctrine  from  the  same  mouth.  For 
if  each  person  were  sufficient  for  himself,  and  had  no  need  of 
the  assistance  of  another,  such  is  the  pride  of  human  nature, 
every  one  would  despise  others,  and  would  also  be  despised 
by  them.  The  Lord,  therefore,  has  connected  his  Church 
together,  by  that  which  he  foresaw  would  be  the  strongest 
bond  for  the  preservation  of  their  union,  when  he  committed 
the  doctrine  of  eternal  life  and  salvation  to  men,  that  by  their 
hands  it  might  be  communicated  to  others.  ]?aul  had  this 
in  view  when  he  wrote  to  the  Ephesians,  "  There  is  one 
body,  and  one  Spirit,  even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
your  calling ;  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one  baptism,  one  God  and 
Father  of  all,  who  is  above  all,  and  through  all,  and  in  you 
all.  But  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace  according  to 
the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ.  Wherefore  he  saith,  AVheii 
he  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and  gave 
gifts  unto  men.  (Now  that  he  ascended,  what  is  it  but  that 
he  also  descended  first  into  the  lower  parts  of  the  earth  ?  He 
that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  up  far  above 
all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things. )  And  he  gave  some, 
apostles  ;  and  some,  prophets  ;  and  some,  evangelists  ;  and  some, 
pastors  and  teachers ;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ  ; 
till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  mea- 
sure of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ ;  that  we  hence- 
forth be  no  more  children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried  about 
with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cun- 
ning craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive  ;  but,  sjieak- 
ing  the  truth  in  love,  may  grow  up  into  him  in  all  things,  which 
is  the  head,  even  Christ  ;  from  whom  the  whole  body  fitly 
joined  together,  and  compacted  by  that  which  every  joint 
supplieth,  according  to  the  etiectual  working  in  the  measure 
of  every  part,  maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying 
of  itself  in  love."  (b) 

IL    In  this  passage  he  shows  that  the  ministry  of  men,  which 

(«)  2  Cor.  iv.  7.  (t)  Eph.  iv.  4—16. 


eUAP.    III.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  261 

God  employs  in  his  government  of  the  Church,  is  the  principal 
bond  which  holds  believers  together  in  one  body.  He  also 
indicates  that  the  Church  cannot  be  preserved  in  perfect  safety, 
unless  it  be  supported  by  these  means  which  God  has  been 
pleased  to  appoint  for  its  preservation.  Christ,  he  says,  "  as- 
cended up  far  above  all  heavens,  that  he  might  fill  all  things."  (c) 
And  tliis  is  the  way  in  which  he  does  it.  By  means  of  his 
ministers,  to  whom  he  has  committed  this  office,  and  on  whom 
he  has  bestowed  grace  to  discharge  it,  he  dispenses  and  distri- 
butes his  gifts  to  the  Church,  and  even  affords  some  manifesta- 
tion of  his  own  presence,  by  exerting  the  power  of  his  Spirit  in 
this  his  institution,  that  it  may  not  be  vain  or  ineffectual. 
Thus  is  the  restoration  of  the  saints  effected ;  thus  is  the  body 
of  Christ  edified  ;  thus  we  grow  up  unto  him  who  is  our  Head 
in  all  things,  and  are  united  with  each  other ;  thus  we  are  all 
brought  to  the  unity  of  Christ ;  if  prophecy  flourishes  among 
us,  if  we  receive  the  apostles,  if  we  despise  not  the  doctrine 
which  is  delivered  to  us.  Whoever,  therefore,  either  aims  to 
abolish  or  undervalue  this  order,  of  which  we  are  treating,  and 
this  species  of  government,  attempts  to  disorganize  the  Church, 
or  rather  to  subvert  and  destroy  it  altogether.  For  neither  the 
light  and  heat  of  the  sun,  nor  any  meat  and  drink,  are  so  neces- 
sary to  the  nourishment  and  sustenance  of  the  present  life,  as  the 
apostolical  and  pastoral  office  is  to  the  preservation  of  the  Church 
in  the  world. 

HI.  Therefore  I  have  already  remarked,  that  God  has  fre- 
quently commended  its  dignity  to  us  by  every  possible  enco- 
mium, in  order  that  we  might  hold  it  in  the  highest  estimation 
and  value,  as  more  excellent  than  every  thing  else.  That  he 
confers  a  peculiar  favour  upon  men  by  raising  up  teachers  for 
them,  he  fully  signifies,  when  he  commands  the  prophet  to 
exclaim,  "  How  beautiful  are  the  feet  of  him  that  publisheth 
peace  ;  "  {d)  and  when  he  calls  the  apostles  "  the  light  of  the 
world,"  and  "  the  salt  of  the  earth."  (e)  Nor  could  that  office 
be  more  splendidly  distinguished  than  when  he  said  to  them, 
"  He  that  heareth  yon,  heareth  me."  (/)  But  there  is  no 
passage  more  remarkable  than  that  in  Paul 's  Second  Epistle  to 
the  Corinthians,  where  he  professedly  discusses  this  question. 
He  contends,  that  there  is  nothing  more  excellent  or  glorious 
than  the  ministry  of  the  gospel  in  the  Church,  inasmuch  as 
it  is  the  ministration  of  the  Spirit,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of 
eternal  life,  {g)  The  tendency  of  these  and  similar  passages,  is 
to  preserve  that  mode  of  governing  the  Church  by  its  ministers, 
which  the  Lord  appointed  to  be  of  perpetual  contiimance,  from 

(c)  Eph.  iv.  10.  {d)  Isaiah  lii.  7.  (c)  Matt.  v.  13, 14. 

(/)  Luke  X.  16.  ig)  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  &c. 


262  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    17. 

sinking  into  discsteem,  and,  at  length,  falling  into  disuse  through 
mere  contempt.  And  how  exceedingly  necessary  it  is,  he  has 
not  only  declared  in  words,  but  shown  by  examples.  When 
he  was  pleased  to  illuminate  Cornelius  more  fully  with  the 
light  of  his  truth,  he  despatched  an  angel  from  heaven  to  send 
Peter  to  him.  When  he  designs  to  call  Paul  to  the  knowledge 
of  himself,  and  to  introduce  him  into  the  Church,  he  does  not 
address  him  with  his  own  voice,  but  sends  him  to  a  man  to  re- 
ceive the  doctrine  of  salvation,  and  the  sanctification  of  baptism. 
If  it  was  not  without  sufficient  reason,  that  an  angel,  Miio  is 
the  messenger  of  God,  refrains  from  announcing  the  Divine  will 
himself,  and  directs  a  man  to  be  sent  for  in  order  to  declare  it,  — 
and  that  Christ,  the  sole  Teacher  of  believers,  committed  Paul 
to  the  instruction  of  a  man,  the  same  Paul  whom  he  had  deter- 
mined to  elevate  into  the  third  heaven,  and  to  favour  with  a 
miraculous  revelation  of  things  unspeakable, — who  can  now 
dare  to  despise  that  ministry,  or  to  neglect  it  as  unnecessary,  the 
utility  and  necessity  of  which  God  has  been  pleased  to  evince 
by  such  examples  ? 

IV.  Those  who  preside  over  the  government  of  the  Church, 
according  to  the  institution  of  Christ,  are  named  by  Paul,  first, 
"  apostles  ;  "  secondly.  "  prophets  ;  "  thirdly,  "  evangelists  ;  " 
fourthly,  "  pastors  ;  "  lastly,  "  teachers."  (A)  Of  these,  only  the 
two  last  sustain  an  ordinary  office  in  the  Church  :  the  others  were 
such  as  the  Lord  raised  up  at  the  commencement  of  his  king- 
dom, and  such  as  he  still  raises  up  on  particular  occasions,  when 
required  by  the  necessity  of  the  times.  The  nature  of  the 
apostolic  office  is  manifest  from  this  command:  "Go  preach 
the  gospel  to  every  creature."  (i)  No  certain  limits  are  pre- 
scribed, but  the  whole  world  is  assigned  to  them,  to  be  re- 
duced to  obedience  to  Christ ;  that  by  disseminating  the  gospel 
wherever  they  could,  they  might  erect  his  kingdom  in  all 
nations.  Therefore  Paul,  when  he  wished  to  prove  his  apostle- 
ship,  declares,  not  merely  that  he  had  gained  some  one  city  for 
Christ,  but  that  he  had  propagated  the  gospel  far  and  wide, 
and  that  he  had  not  built  upon  the  foundation  of  others,  but  had 
planted  Churches  where  the  name  of  the  Lord  had  never  been 
heard  before.  The  "  apostles,"  therefore,  were  missionaries,  who 
were  to  reduce  the  world  from  their  revolt  to  true  obedience  to 
God,  and  to  establish  his  kingdom  universally  by  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel.  Or,  if  you  please,  they  were  the  first  architects 
of  the  Church,  appointed  to  lay  its  foundations  all  over  the 
world.  Paul  gives  the  appellation  of  "  prophets,"  not  to  all 
interpreters  of  the  Divine  will,  but  only  to  those  who  were 
honoured  with  some  special  revelation.    Of  these,  either  there 

(A)  Eph.  iv.  11.  (/)  Mark  xvi.  15. 


CHAP.    III.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  263 

are  none  in  our  day,  or  they  are  less  conspicuous.  By  "  evan- 
gelists," I  understand  tliose  who  were  inferior  to  the  apostles 
in  dignity,  but  next  to  them  in  office,  and  who  performed  sim- 
ilar functions.  Such  were  Luke,  Timothy,  Titus,  and  others 
of  that  description ;  and  perhaps  also  the  seventy  disciples, 
whom  Christ  ordained  to  occupy  the  second  station  from  the 
apostles,  {k)  According  to  this  interpretation,  which  appears 
to  me  perfectly  consistent  with  the  language  and  meaning  of 
the  apostle,  those  three  offices  were  not  instituted  to  be  of 
perpetual  continuance  in  the  Church,  but  only  for  that  age 
when  Churches  were  to  be  raised  where  none  had  existed  be- 
fore, or  were  at  least  to  be  conducted  from  Moses  to  Christ. 
Though  I  do  not  deny,  that,  even  since  that  period,  God  has 
sometimes  raised  up  apostles  or  evangelists  in  their  stead,  as 
he  has  done  in  our  own  time.  For  there  was  a  necessity  for 
such  persons  to  recover  the  Church  from  the  defection  of  An- 
tichrist. Nevertheless,  I  call  this  an  extraordinary  office, 
because  it  has  no  place  in  well-constituted  Churches.  Next 
follow  ''  pastors  "  and  "  teachers,"  who  are  always  indispensable 
to  the  Church.  The  difference  between  them  I  apprehend  to 
be  this  —  that  teachers  have  no  official  concern  with  the  disci- 
pline, or  the  administration  of  the  sacraments,  or  with  admoni- 
tions and  exhortations,  but  only  with  the  interpretation  of  the 
Scripture,  that  pure  and  sound  doctrine  may  be  retained  among 
believers  ;  whereas  the  pastoral  office  includes  all  these  things. 
V.  We  have  now  ascertained  what  offices  were  appointed  to 
continue  for  a  time  in  the  government  of  the  Church,  and  what 
were  instituted  to  be  of  perpetual  duration.  If  we  connect 
the  evangelists  with  the  apostles,  as  sustaining  the  same  office, 
we  shall  then  have  two  offices  of  each  description,  correspond- 
ing to  each  other.  For  our  pastors  bear  the  same  resemblance 
to  the  apostles,  as  our  teachers  do  to  the  ancient  prophets. 
The  office  of  the  prophets  was  more  excellent,  on  account  of 
the  special  gift  of  revelation,  by  which  they  were  distinguished  ; 
Lut  the  office  of  teachers  is  executed  ni  a  similar  manner,  and 
has  precisely  the  same  end.  So  those  twelve  individuals, 
whom  the  Lord  chose  to  promulgate  the  first  proclamation  of 
his  gospel  to  the  world,  preceded  all  others  in  order  and  dignity. 
For  although,  according  to  the  meaning  and  etymology  of  the 
word,  all  the  ministers  of  the  Church  may  be  called  apostles, 
because  they  are  all  sent  by  the  Lord,  and  are  his  messengers, 
yet,  as  it  was  of  great  importance  to  have  a  certain  knowledge 
of  the  mission  of  persons  who  were  to  announce  a  thing  new 
and  unheard  before,  it  was  necessary  that  those  twelve,  together 
with  Paul,  who  was  afterwards  added  to  their  number,  should 
be  distinguished  beyond  all  others  by  a  peculiar  title.     Paul 

ik)  Luke  X.  1. 


264  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

himself,  indeed,  gives  this  name  to  "Andronicns  and  Junia, 
who,"  he  says,  "are  of  note  among  the  apostles  ;"  (Z)  bat 
when  he  means  to  speak  with  strict  propriety,  he  never  applies 
that  name  except  to  those  of  the  first  order  that  we  have  men- 
tioned. And  this  is  the  common  usage  of  the  Scripture.  But 
the  province  of  pastors  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  apostles,  ex- 
cept that  they  preside  over  particular  Churches  respectively 
committed  to  each  of  them.  Of  the  nature  of  their  functions 
let  us  now  proceed  to  a  more  distinct  statement. 

VI.  Our  Lord,  when  he  sent  forth  his  apostles,  commissioned 
them,  as  we  have  just  remarked,  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  to 
baptize  all  believers  for  the  remission  of  sins,  (m)  He  had 
already  commanded  them  to  distribute  the  sacred  symbols  of 
his  body  and  blood  according  to  his  own  example,  (n)  Behold 
the  sacred,  inviolable,  and  perpetual  law  imposed  upon  those 
who  call  themselves  successors  of  the  apostles ;  it  commands 
them  to  preach  the  gospel,  and  to  administer  the  sacraments. 
Hence  we  conclude,  that  those  who  neglect  both  these  duties 
have  no  just  pretensions  to  the  character  of  apostles.  But  what 
shall  we  say  of  pastors  ?  Paul  speaks  not  only  of  himself,  but  of 
all  who  bear  that  office,  when  he  says,  "  Let  a  man  so  account 
of  us,  as  of  the  ministers  of  Christ,  and  stewards  of  the  mysteries 
of  God."  (o)  Again :  "  A  bishop  must  hold  fast  the  faithful  \vord 
as  he  hath  been  taught,  that  he  may  be  able,  by  sound  doctrine, 
both  to  exhort  and  to  convince  the  gainsayers."  (p)  From  these 
and  similar  passages,  which  frequently  occur,  we  may  infer  that 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  the  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments, constitute  the  two  principal  parts  of  the  pastoral  office. 
Now,  the  business  of  teaching  is  not  confined  to  public  discourses, 
but  extends  also  to  private  admonitions.  Thus  Paul  calls  upon 
the  Ephesians  to  witness  the  truth  of  his  declaration,  "  I  have  kept 
back  nothing  that  was  profitable  unto  you,  but  have  showed 
you,  and  have  taught  you  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house, 
testifying  both  to  the  Jews,  and  also  to  the  Greeks,  repentance 
toward  God,  and  faith  towai'd  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  And  a 
little  after  :  "  I  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one,  night  and  day,  with 
tears."  (q)  But  it  is  no  part  of  my  present  design,  to  enumerate 
all  the  excellences  of  a  good  pastor,  but  only  to  show  what  is 
implied  in  the  profession  of  those  who  call  themselves  pastors  ; 
namely,  that  they  preside  over  the  Church  in  that  station,  not 
that  they  may  enjoy  a  respectable  sinecure,  but  to  instruct  the 
people  in  true  piety  by  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  to  administer  the 
holy  mysteries,  to  maintain  and  exercise  proper  discipline.  For 
the  Lord  denounces  to  all  those  who  have  been  stationed  as 


(0  Rom.  xvi.  7.  (n)  Luke  xxii.  19.  (p)  Titus  i.  7.  9. 

(m)  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  {o)  1  Cor.  iv.  1.  (7)  Acts  xx.  20,  21,  31 


CHAP.    III.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  265 

watchmen  in  the  Church,  that  if  any  one  perish  in  ignorance 
through  their  negligence,  he  will  require  the  blood  of  such  a 
person  at  their  hands,  (r)  What  Paul  says  of  himself,  belongs 
to  them  all  :  "  Woe  is  unto  me,  if  I  preach  not  the  gospel,"  be- 
cause "a  dispensation  of  the  gospel  is  committed  unto  me."  (s) 
Lastly,  what  the  apostles  did  for  the  whole  world,  that  every 
individual  pastor  ought  to  do  for  his  flock  to  which  he  is 
appointed. 

VII,  While  we  assign  to  them  all  respectively  their  distinct 
Churches,  yet  we  do  not  deny  that  a  pastor,  who  is  connected  with 
one  Church,  may  assist  others,  either  when  any  disputes  arise, 
which  may  require  his  presence,  or  when  his  advice  is  asked 
upon  any  difficult  subject.  But  because,  in  order  to  preserve 
the  peace  of  the  Church,  there  is  a  necessity  for  such  a  regulation 
as  shall  clearly  define  to  every  one  what  duty  he  has  to  do,  lest 
they  should  all  fall  into  disorder,  run  hither  and  thither  in  un- 
certainty without  any  call,  and  all  resort  to  one  place  ;  and  lest 
those  who  feel  more  solicitude  for  their  personal  accommodation 
than  for  the  edification  of  the  Church,  should,  without  any 
cause  but  their  own  caprice,  leave  the  Churches  destitute,  — 
this  distribution  ought  as  far  as  possible  to  be  generally  observed, 
that  every  one  may  be  content  with  his  own  limits,  and  not 
invade  the  province  of  another.  Nor  is  this  an  invention  of 
men,  but  an  institution  of  God  himself.  For  we  read  that  Paul 
and  Barnabas  "  ordained  elders  in  the  respective  Churches  of 
Lystra,  Iconium,  and  Antioch  ;  "  (t)  and  Paul  himself  directed 
Titus  to  "ordain  elders  in  every  city."  (v)  So  in  other  pas- 
sages he  mentions  "  the  bishops  at  Philippi,"  (w)  and  Archippus, 
the  bishop  of  the  Colossians.  (x)  And  a  remarkable  speech 
of  his  is  preserved  by  Luke,  addressed  to  "  the  elders  of  the 
Church  of  Ephesus."  (y)  Whoever,  therefore,  has  undertaken 
the  government  and  charge  of  one  Church,  let  him  know  that 
he  is  bound  to  this  law  of  the  Divine  call ;  not  that  he  is  fixed 
to  his  station  so  as  never  to  be  permitted  to  leave  it  in  a  regular 
and  orderly  manner,  if  the  public  benefit  should  require  it ;  but 
he  who  has  been  called  to  one  place,  ought  never  to  think  either 
of  departing  from  his  situation,  or  relinquishing  the  office  alto- 
gether, from  any  motive  of  personal  convenience  or  advantage. 
But  if  it  be  expedient  that  he  should  remove  to  another  station, 
he  ought  not  to  attempt  this  on  his  own  private  opinion,  but  to 
be  guided  by  public  authority. 

VIII.  In  calling  those  who  preside  over  Churches  by  the  appel- 
lations of  bishops,  elders,  pastors,  and  ministers,  without  any  dis- 


(r)  Ezek.  iii.  17,  18.  (v)  Titus  i.  5.  (x)  Col.  iv.  17. 

Is)   1  Cor.  ix.  16,  17.  (to)  Phil.  i.  1.  (y)  Acts  xx.  17,  &c. 

{t)  Acts  xiv.  21,  23. 

VOL.  II.  34 


^6Q  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

tinction,  I  have  followed  the  usage  of  the  Scripture,  which  applies 
all  these  terms  to  express  the  same  meaning.  For  to  all  who 
discharge  the  ministry  of  the  word,  it  gives  the  title  of  "  bishops." 
So  when  Paul  enjoins  Titus  to  ''  ordain  elders  in  every  city,'' 
he  immediately  adds,  "For  a  bishop  must  be  blameless."  (~) 
So  in  another  Epistle  he  salutes  more  bishops  than  one  in  one 
Church,  (a)  And  in  the  Acts  he  is  declared  to  have  sent  for 
the  elders  of  the  Cliurch  of  Ephesus,  whom,  in  his  address  to 
them,  he  calls  "  bishops."  (b)  Here  it  must  be  observed,  that 
we  have  enumerated  only  those  offices  which  consist  in  the 
ministry  of  the  word ;  nor  does  Paul  mention  any  other  in  the 
fourth  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  which  we  have 
quoted.  But  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  and  the  First  Epis- 
tle to  the  Corinthians,  he  enumerates  others,  as  '•  powers," 
"  gifts  of  healing,"  "interpretation  of  tongues,"  "  governments," 
"care  of  the  poor."  (c)  Those  functions  which  were  merely 
temporary,  I  omit,  as  foreign  to  our  present  subject.  But  there 
are  two  which  perpetually  remain —  "  government,"  and  "the 
care  of  the  poor."  "Governors"  I  apprehend  to  have  been 
persons  of  advanced  years,  selected  from  the  people,  to  unite 
with  the  bishops  in  giving  admonitions  and  exercising  disci- 
pline. For  no  otlier  interpretation  can  be  given  of  that  injunc- 
tion, "  He  that  ruleth,  let  him  do  it  with  diligence."  (d)  There- 
fore, from  the  beginning,  every  Church  has  had  its  senate  or  coun- 
cil, composed  of  pious,  grave,  and  holy  men,  who  were  invested 
with  that  jurisdiction  in  the  correction  of  vices,  of  which  we 
shall  soon  treat.  Now,  that  this  regulation  was  not  of  a  single 
age,  experience  itself  demonstrates.  This  office  of  government 
is  necessary,  therefore,  in  every  age. 

IX.  The  care  of  the  poor  was  committed  to  the  "deacons." 
The  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  however,  mentions  two  functions 
of  this  kind.  "  He  that  giveth,"  says  the  apostle,  "  let  him  do 
it  with  simplicity  :  he  that  showeth  mercy,  with  cheerful- 
ness." (e)  Now,  as  it  is  certain  that  he  there  speaks  of  the 
public  offices  of  the  Church,  it  follows  that  there  were  two 
distinct  orders  of  deacons.  Unless  my  judgment  deceive  me, 
the  former  clause  refers  to  the  deacons  who  administered  the 
alms  ;  and  the  other  to  those  who  devoted  themselves  to  the 
care  of  poor  and  sick  persons  ;  such  as  the  widows  mentioned 
by  Paul  to  Timothy.  (/)  For  women  could  execute  no  other 
public  office,  than  by  devoting  themselves  to  the  service  of  the 
poor.  If  we  admit  this,  — and  it  ought  to  be  fully  admitted,  — 
there  will   be  two  classes  of  deacons,  of  whom  one   will  serve 

(2)  Titus  i   5,  7.  («)  Phil.  i.  1.  (i)  Acts  XX.  17,  28,  iirtayoTtovg. 

(f)   1  Cor.  xii.  28,  Swaiitic,  /uoinuaTn  lauaTojv,  ytyt]  yAtocffior,  xn^tgir/fltij. 

(d)  Rom.  xii.    8.     (c)  Rom.  xii.  8,  ufntSiSovi.  ir  a.iXorrjTi,  6  tXiwr,  tr  iXaQorr^t. 

if)  1  Tim.  V.  9,  10. 


CHAP.    111.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  267 

the  Church  in  dispensing  the  property  given  to  the  poor,  the 
other  in  taking  care  of  the  poor  themselves.  —  Tliough  the 
word  itself  (tJiaxovia)  is  of  more  extensive  signification,  yet  the 
Scripture  particularly  gives  the  title  of  "  deacons  "  to  those 
whom  the  Church  has  appointed  to  dispense  the  ahns  and  take 
care  of  the  poor,  and  constituted  stewards,  as  it  were,  of  the 
common  treasury  of  the  poor ;  and  whose  origin,  institution, 
and  office,  are  described  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  For 
"  when  there  arose  a  murmuring  of  the  Grecians  against  the 
Hebrews,  because  their  widows  were  neglected  in  the  daily 
ministration,"  (g)  the  apostles  pleaded  their  inability  to  dis- 
charge both  offices,  of  the  ministry  of  the  word  and  the  service 
of  tables,  and  said  to  the  multitude,  "  Wherefore,  brethren,  look 
ye  out  among  you  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint  over  this  business." 
See  what  were  the  characters  of  the  deacons  in  the  apostolic 
Church,  and  what  ought  to  be  the  characters  of  ours,  in  con- 
formity to  the  primitive  example. 

X.  Now,  as  "  all  things  "  in  the  Church  are  required  to  "  be 
done  decently  and  in  order,"  (h)  there  is  nothing  in  which  this 
ought  to  be  more  diligently  observed,  than  the  constitution  of 
its  government ;  because  there  would  be  more  danger  from 
disorder  in  this  case  than  in  any  other.  Therefore,  that  rest- 
less and  turbulent  persons  may  not  presumptuously  intrude 
themselves  into  the  office  of  teaching  or  of  governing,  it  is 
expressly  provided,  that  no  one  shall  assume  a  public  office 
in  the  Church  without  a  call.  In  order,  therefore,  that  any 
one  may  be  accounted  a  true  minister  of  the  Church,  it  is  ne- 
cessary, in  the  first  place,  that  he  be  regularly  called  to  it,  and, 
in  the  second  place,  that  he  answer  his  call ;  that  is,  by  underta- 
king and  executing  the  office  assigned  to  him.  This  may  fre- 
quently be  observed  in  Paul ;  who,  when  he  wishes  to  prove 
his  apostleship,  almost  always  alleges  his  call,  together  with 
his  fidelity  in  the  execution  of  the  office.  If  so  eminent  a 
minister  of  Christ  dare  not  arrogate  to  himself  an  authority  to 
require  his  being  heard  in  the  Church,  but  in  consequence  of 
his  appointment  to  it  by  a  Divine  commission,  and  his  faithful 
discharge  of  the  duty  assigned  him,  —  what  extreme  impudence 
must  it  be,  if  any  man,  destitute  of  both  these  characters, 
should  claim  such  an  honour  for  himself!  But  having  already 
spoken  of  the  necessity  of  discharging  the  office,  let  us  now 
confine  ourselves  to  the  call. 

XI.  Now,  the  discussion  of  this  subject  includes  four 
branches  :  what  are  the  qualifications  of  ministers  ;  in  what 
manner  they  are  to  be  chosen  ;  by   whom  they  ought  to  be 

(g)  Acts  vi.  1—3.  (A)  1  Cor.  xiv.  40. 


26'8  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

appointed ;  and  with  what  rite  or  ceremony  they  are  to  be  in- 
troduced into  their  office.  I  speak  of  the  external  and  solemn 
call,  which  belongs  to  the  public  order  of  the  Church ;  passing 
over  that  secret  call,  of  which  every  minister  is  conscious  to 
himself  before  God,  but  which  is  not  known  to  the  Church. 
This  secret  call,  however,  is  the  honest  testimony  of  our  heart, 
that  we  accept  the  office  offered  to  us,  not  from  ambition  or 
avarice,  or  any  other  unlawful  motive,  but  from  a  sincere  fear 
of  God,  and  an  ardent  zeal  for  the  edification  of  the  Church. 
This,  as  I  have  hinted,  is  indispensable  to  every  one  of  us,  if 
we  would  approve  our  ministry  in  the  sight  of  God.  In  the 
view  of  the  Church,  however,  he  who  enters  on  his  office  with 
an  evil  conscience,  is  nevertheless  duly  called,  provided  his  ini- 
quity be  not  discovered.  It  is  even  common  to  speak  of  pri- 
vate persons  as  called  to  the  ministry,  who  appear  to  be  adapted 
and  qualified  for  the  discharge  of  its  duties ;  because  learning, 
connected  with  piety  and  other  endowments  of  a  good  pastor, 
constitutes  a  kind  of  preparation  for  it.  For  those  whom  the 
Lord  has  destined  to  so  important  an  office,  he  first  furnishes 
with  those  talents  which  are  requisite  to  its  execution,  that 
they  may  not  enter  upon  it  empty  and  unprepared.  Hence 
Paul,  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  when  he  intended  to 
treat  of  the  offices  themselves,  first  enumerated  the  gifts  which 
ought  to  be  possessed  by  the  persons  who  sustain  those  offices,  (i) 
But  as  this  is  the  first  of  the  four  points  which  I  have  proposed, 
let  us  now  proceed  to  it. 

XII.  The  qualifications  of  those  who  ought  to  be  chosen 
bishops,  are  stated  at  large  by  Paul  in  two  passages,  (k)  The 
sum  of  all  he  says  is,  that  none  are  to  be  chosen  but  men  of 
sound  doctrine  and  a  holy  life,  not  chargeable  with  any  fault 
that  may  destroy  their  authority,  or  disgrace  their  ministry. 
The  same  rule  is  laid  down  for  the  deacons  and  governors. 
Constant  care  is  required,  that  they  be  not  unequal  to  the  bur- 
den imposed  upon  them,  or,  in  other  words,  that  they  be  en- 
dowed with  those  talents  which  are  necessary  to  the  discharge 
of  their  duty.  So,  when  Christ  was  about  to  send  forth  his 
apostles,  he  furnished  them  with  such  means  and  powers  as 
were  indispensable  to  their  success.  (/)  And  Paul,  after  having 
delineated  the  character  of  a  good  and  genuine  bishop,  admo- 
nishes Timothy  not  to  contaminate  himself  by  the  appointment 
of  any  one  of  a  ditferent  description,  (m)  The  question  rela- 
ting to  the  manner  in  which  they  are  to  be  chosen,  I  refer  not 
\o  the  form  of  election,  but  to  the  religious  awe  which  ought 
to  be   observed  in  it.     Hence  the   fasting  and  prayer,  which 

(t)  1  Cor.  xii.  7,  &c.  (/)  Luke  xxi.  lo;  xxiv.  49.     Acts  i.  8. 

(k)  1  Tim.  iii.  1,  «fcc.  Titus  i.  7,  &c.  (th)  1  Tim.  v.  22. 


CHAP.    IIl.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  269 

Luke  states  to  have  been  practised  by  the  faithful  at  the  ordina- 
tion of  elders,  (u)  For  knowing  themselves  to  be  engaged  in  a 
business  of  the  highest  importance,  they  dared  not  attempt  any 
thing  but  with  the  greatest  reverence  and  solicitude.  And 
above  all  thingS;  they  were  earnest  in  prayers  and  supplications 
to  God  for  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  discretion. 

XIII.  The  third  inquiry  we  proposed  was,  by  whom  minis- 
ters are  to  be  chosen.  Now,  for  this  no  certain  rule  can  be 
gathered  from  the  appointment  of  the  apostles,  which  was  a  case 
somewhat  different  from  the  common  call  of  other  ministers. 
For  as  theirs  was  an  extraordinary  office,  it  was  necessary,  in 
order  to  render  it  conspicuous  by  some  eminent  character,  that 
they  who  were  to  sustain  it  should  be  called  and  appointed  by  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  himself.  The  apostles,  therefore,  entered  upon 
their  work,  not  in  consequence  of  any  human  election,  but  em- 
powered by  the  sole  command  of  God  and  of  Christ.  Hence, 
when  they  wish  to  substitute  another  in  the  place  of  Judas, 
they  refrain  from  a  certain  appointment  of  any  one,  but  nomi- 
nate two,  that  the  Lord  may  declare  by  lot  which  of  them  he 
wills  to  be  his  successor,  (o)  In  the  same  sense  must  be 
understood  the  declaration  of  Paul,  that  he  had  been  created 
"  an  apostle,  not  of  men,  neither  by  man,  but  by  Jesus  Christ, 
and  God  the  Father."  (p)  The  first  clause,  7iot  of  men,  was 
applicable  to  him  in  common  with  all  pious  ministers  of  the 
word  ;  for  no  man  can  lawfully  exercise  this  ministry  without 
having  been  called  by  God.  The  other  clause  was  special  and 
peculiar  to  himself  When  he  glories  in  this,  therefore,  he 
not  only  claims  what  belongs  to  a  true  and  lawful  pastor, 
but  likewise  brings  forward  an  evidence  of  his  apostleship. 
For  whereas  there  were,  among  the  Galatians,  some  who,  from 
an  eagerness  to  diminish  his  authority,  represented  him  as  a 
common  disciple  deputed  by  the  primary  apostles, —  in  order  to 
vindicate  the  dignity  of  his  preaching,  against  which  he  knew 
these  artifices  were  directed,  he  found  it  necessary  to  show 
that  he  was  not  inferior  to  the  other  apostles  in  any  respect. 
Wherefore  he  affirms,  that  he  had  not  been  elected  by  the  judg- 
ment of  men,  like  some  ordinary  bishop,  but  by  the  mouth  and 
clear  revelation  of  the  Lord  himself 

XIV.  But  that  the  election  and  appointment  of  bishops  by 
men  is  necessary  to  constitute  a  legitimate  call  to  the  office,  no 
sober  person  will  deny,  while  there  are  so  many  testimonies  of 
Scripture  to  establish  it.  Nor  is  it  contradicted  by  that  declara- 
tion of  Paul,  that  he  was  "an  apostle, not  of  men,  nor  byman,"  (q) 
since  he  is  not  speaking  in  that  passage  of  the  ordinary  election  of 
ministers,  but  claiming  to  himself  what  was  the  special  privilege 

(n)  Acts  xiv.  23.  (o)  Acts  i.  23.  (;>)  Gal.  i.  1.  (q)  Gal.  i.  1 


270  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

of  the  apostles.  The  immediate  designation  of  Paul,  by  the 
Lord  himself,  to  this  peculiar  privilege,  was  nevertheless  accom- 
panied with  the  form  of  an  ecclesiastical  call,  for  Luke  states, 
that  "As  they  ministered  to  the  Lord,  and  fasted,  the  Holy 
Ghost  said,  Separate  me  Barnabas  and  Saul  for  the  work  where- 
unto  I  have  called  them."  (r)  What  end  could  be  answered  by 
this  separation  and  imposition  of  hands  after  the  Holy  Spirit  had 
testified  their  election,  unless  it  was  the  preservation  of  the  order 
of  the  Church  in  designating  ministers  by  men  ?  God  could 
not  sanction  that  order,  therefore,  by  a  more  illustrious  example 
than  when,  after  having  declared  that  he  had  constituted  Paul 
the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles,  he  nevertheless  directed  him  to  be 
designated  by  the  Church.  The  same  may  be  observed  in  the 
election  of  Matthias,  (s)  For  the  apostolic  office  being  of  such 
high  importance  that  they  could  not  venture  to  fill  up  their  num- 
ber by  the  choice  of  any  one  person  from  their  own  judgment, 
they  appointed  two,  one  of  whom  was  to  be  chosen  by  lot  ; 
that  so  the  election  might  obtain  a  positive  sanction  from  Heaven, 
and  yet  that  the  order  of  the  Church  might  not  be  altogether 
neglected. 

XV.  Here  it  is  inquired,  whether  a  minister  ought  to  be 
chosen  by  the  whole  Church,  or  only  by  the  other  ministers 
and  the  elders  who  preside  over  the  discipline,  or  whether  he 
may  be  appointed  by  the  authority  of  an  individual.  Those 
who  attribute  this  right  to  any  one  man,  quote  what  Paul  says  to 
Titus  :  "  For  this  cause  I  left  thee  in  Crete,  that  thou  shouldst 
ordain  elders  in  every  city  ;  "  {t)  and  to  Timothy:  "  Lay  hands 
suddenly  on  no  man."  {v)  But  they  are  exceedingly  mis- 
taken, if  they  suppose  that  either  Timothy  at  Ephesus,  or 
Titus  in  Crete,  exercised  a  sovereign  power  to  regulate  every 
thing  according  to  his  own  pleasure.  For  they  presided  over 
the  people,  only  to  lead  them  by  good  and  salutary  counsels,  not 
to  act  alone  to  the  exclusion  of  all  others.  But  that  this  may 
not  be  thought  to  be  an  invention  of  mine,  I  will  prove  it  by  a 
similar  example.  For  Luke  relates,  that  elders  were  ordained 
in  the  Churches  by  Paul  and  Barnabas,  but  at  the  same  time  he 
distinctly  marks  the  manner  in  which  this  was  done,  — namely, 
by  the  sullrages  or  votes  of  the  people  ;  for  this  is  the  meaning 
of  the  term  he  there  employs  —  )(;sipoTovy)fl'avTi5  ■jr^stfJuTHPou?  var'  fKxXy^ 
tfiav.  [w)  Those  two  apostles,  therefore,  ordained  them  :  but  the 
whole  multitude,  according  to  the  custom  observed  in  elections 
among  the  Greeks,  declared  by  the  elevation  of  their  hands 
who  Avas  the  object  of  their  choice.  So  the  Roman  historians 
frequently  speak  of  the  consul,  who  held  the  assemblies,  as 

(r)  Acts  xiii.  2.  (s)  Acts  i.  23.  {f)  Titua  i.  5. 

(c)  1  Tim.  V.  22.  (ir)  Acts  .\iv.  23. 


CHAP.     111.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  271 

appointing  the  new  magistrates,  for  no  other  reason  but  because 
he  received  the  suffrages  and  presided  at  the  election.  Surely 
it  is  not  credible  that  Paul  granted  to  Timothy  and  Titus  more 
power  than  he  assumed  to  himself ;  but  we  see  that  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  ordain  bishops  according  to  the  suffrages  of  the  people. 
The  above  passages,  therefore,  ought  to  be  understood  in  the 
same  manner,  to  guard  against  all  infringement  of  the  common 
right  and  liberty  of  the  Church.  It  is  a  good  remark,  therefore, 
of  Cyprian,  when  he  contends,  "  that  it  proceeds  from  Divine 
authority,  that  a  priest  should  be  elected  publicly  in  the  presence 
of  all  the  people,  and  that  he  should  be  approved  as  a  worthy 
and  fit  person  by  the  public  judgment  and  testimony."  In  the 
case  of  the  Levitical  priests,  we  find  it  was  commanded  by  the 
Lord,  that  they  should  be  brought  forward  in  the  view  of  the 
people  before  their  consecration.  Nor  was  Matthias  added  to 
the  number  of  the  apostles,  nor  were  the  seven  deacons  appoint- 
ed, without  the  presence  and  approbation  of  the  people.  — 
"  These  examples,"  says  Cyprian,  "show  that  the  ordination 
of  a  priest  ought  not  to  be  performed  but  with  the  knowledge 
and  concurrence  of  the  people,  in  order  that  the  election 
which  shall  have  been  examined  by  the  testimony  of  all,  may 
be  just  and  legitimate."  We  find,  therefore,  that  it  is  a  legiti- 
mate ministry  according  to  the  word  of  God,  when  those  who 
appear  suitable  persons  are  appointed  with  the  consent  and  ap- 
probation of  the  people  ;  but  that  other  pastors  ought  to  preside 
over  the  election,  to  guard  the  multitude  from  falling  into  any 
improprieties,  through  inconstancy,  intrigue,  or  confusion. 

XVI.  There  remains  the  Form  of  ordination,  which  is  the  last 
point  that  we  have  mentioned  relative  to  the  call  of  ministers. 
Now,  it  appears  that  when  the  apostles  introduced  any  one  into 
the  ministry,  they  used  no  other  ceremony  than  imposition  of 
hands.  This  rite,  I  believe,  descended  from  the  custom  of  the 
Hebrews,  who,  when  they  wished  to  bless  and  consecrate  any 
thing,  presented  it  to  God  by  imposition  of  hands.  Thus,  when 
Jacob  blessed  Ephraim  andManasseh,  he  laid  his  hands  upon  their 
heads,  {x)  This  custom  was  followed  by  our  Lord,  when  he 
prayed  over  infants,  [y)  It  was  with  the  same  design,  I  appre- 
hend, that  the  Jews  were  directed  in  the  law  to  lay  their  hands 
upon  their  sacrifices.  Wherefore  the  imposition  of  the  hands 
of  the  apostles  was  an  indication  that  they  offered  to  God  the 
person  whom  they  introduced  into  the  ministry.  They  used 
the  same  ceremony  over  those  on  whom  they  conferred  the 
visible  gifts  of  the  Spirit.  But,  be  that  as  it  may,  this  was 
the  solemn  rite  invariably  practised,  whenever  any  one  was 
called  to  the  ministry  of  the  Church.     Thus  they  ordained 

(x)  Gon.  xlviii.  14.  {y)  Matt.  x\x.  15. 


272  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

pastors  and  teachers,  and  thus  they  ordained  deacons.  Now, 
though  there  is  no  express  precept  for  the  imposition  of  hands, 
yet  since  we  find  it  to  have  been  constantly  used  by  the 
apostles,  such  a  punctual  observance  of  it  by  them  ought  to 
have  the  force  of  a  precept  with  us.  And  certainly  this  ceremony 
is  highly  useful  both  to  recommend  to  the  people  the  dignity  of 
the  ministry,  and  to  admonish  the  person  ordained  that  he  is  no 
longer  his  own  master,  but  devoted  to  the  service  of  God  and 
the  Chmrch.  Besides,  it  will  not  be  an  unmeaning  sign,  if  it  be 
restored  to  its  true  origin.  For  if  the  Spirit  of  God  institutes 
nothing  in  the  Church  in  vain,  we  shall  perceive  that  this 
ceremony,  which  proceeded  from  him,  is  not  without  its  use, 
provided  it  be  not  perverted  by  a  superstitious  abuse.  Finally, 
it  is  to  be  remarked,  that  the  imposition  of  hands  on  the  minis- 
ters was  not  the  act  of  the  whole  multitude,  but  was  confined 
to  the  pastors.  It  is  not  certain  whether  this  ceremony  was,  in 
all  cases,  performed  by  more  pastors  than  one,  or  whether  it 
was  ever  the  act  of  a  single  pastor.  The  former  appears  to  have 
been  the  fact  in  the  case  of  the  seven  deacons,  of  Paul  and  Bar- 
nabas, and  some  few  others,  (z)  But  Paul  speaks  of  himself  as 
having  laid  hands  upon  Timothy,  without  any  mention  of  many 
others  having  united  with  him.  "  I  put  thee  in  remembrance,  that 
thou  stir  up  the  gift  of  God  which  is  in  thee,  by  the  putting  on  of 
my  hands."  (a)  His  expression,  in  the  other  Epistle,  of  '-the 
laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  presbytery,"  (h)  I  apprehend  not 
to  signify  a  company  of  elders,  but  to  denote  the  ordination 
itself;  as  if  he  had  said,  Take  care  that  the  grace  which  thou 
receivedst  by  the  laying  on  of  hands,  when  I  ordained  thee  a 
presbyter,  be  not  in  vain. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    STATE    OF    THE    ANCIENT    CHURCH,    AND    THE    MODE    OF 
GOVERNMENT    PRACTISED    BEFORE    THE    PAPACY. 

Hitherto  we  have  treated  of  the  mode  of  government  in 
the  Church,  as  it  lias  been  delivered  to  us  by  the  pure  word  of 
God,  and  of  the  offices  in  it,  as  they  were  instituted  by  Christ. 
Now,  that  all  these  things  may  be  more  clearly  and  familiarly 
displayed,  and  more  dec})ly  impressed  upon  our  minds,  it  will 
be  useful  to  examine  what  was  the  form  of  the  ancient  Church, 
in  these  particulars.     It  will  jilace  before  our  eyes  an  actual 

(z)  Acts  vi.  6;  xiii.  3.  («)  2  Tim.  i.  G.  (l>)  1  Tim.  iv.  14. 


CHAP.     IV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  273 

exem^plification  of  the  Divine  institution.  For  though  the 
bishops  of  those  times  pubHshed  many  canons,  in  which  they 
seemed  to  express  more  than  had  been  expressed  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  yet  they  were  so  cautious  in  framing  their  whole 
economy  according  to  the  sole  standard  of  the  word  of  God,  that 
in  this  respect  scarcely  any  thing  can  be  detected  among  them 
inconsistent  with  that  word.  But  though  there  might  be  some- 
thing to  be  regretted  in  their  regulations,  yet  because  they  direct- 
ed their  sincere  and  zealous  efforts  to  preserve  the  institution  of 
God,  without  deviating  from  it  to  any  considerable  extent,  it  will 
be  highly  useful  in  this  place  to  give  a  brief  sketch  of  what  their 
practice  was.  As  we  have  stated  that  there  are  three  kinds  of 
ministers  recommended  to  us  in  the  Scripture,  so  the  ancient 
Church  divided  all  the  ministers  it  had  into  three  orders.  For 
from  the  order  of  presbyters,  they  chose  some  for  pastors  and 
teachers  ;  the  others  presided  over  the  discipline  and  corrections. 
To  the  deacons  was  committed  the  care  of  the  poor  and  the  dis- 
tribution of  the  alms.  Readers  and  Acolytes  were  not  names  of 
certain  offices,  but  young  men,  to  whom  they  also  gave  the  name 
of  clergy,  whom  they  accustomed  from  their  youth  to  certain 
exercises  in  the  service  of  the  Church,  that  they  might  better  un- 
derstand to  what  they  were  destined,  and  might  enter  upon  their 
office  better  prepared  for  it  in  due  time  ;  as  1  shall  soon  show  more 
at  large.  Therefore  Jerome,  after  having  mentioned  five  orders 
of  the  Church,  enumerates  bishops,  presbyters,  deacons,  the 
faithful,  or  believers  at  large,  and  catechumens,  or  persons  who 
had  not  yet  been  baptized,  but  had  applied  for  instruction  in 
the  Christian  faith.  Thus  he  assigns  no  particular  place  to  the 
rest  of  the  clergy  and  the  monks. 

II.  All  those  to  whom  the  office  of  teaching  was  assigned, 
were  denominated  presbyters.  To  guard  against  dissension,  the 
general  consequence  of  equality,  the  presbyters  in  each  city 
chose  one  of  their  own  number,  whom  they  distinguished  by 
the  title  of  bishop.  The  bishop,  however,  was  not  so  superior 
to  the  rest  in  honour  and  dignity,  as  to  have  any  dominion  over 
his  colleagues ;  but  the  functions  performed  by  a  consul  in  the 
senate,  such  as,  to  propose  things  for  consideration,  to  collect 
the  votes,  to  preside  over  the  rest  in  the  exercise  of  advice, 
admonition,  and  exhortation,  to  regulate  all  the  proceedings  by 
his  authority,  and  to  carry  into  execution  whatever  had  been 
decreed  by  the  general  voice  ;  — such  were  the  functions  exer- 
cised by  the  bishop  in  the  assembly  of  the  presbyters.  And 
that  this  arrangement  was  introduced  by  human  agreement,  on 
account  of  the  necessity  of  the  times,  is  acknowledged  by  the 
ancient  writers  themselves.  Thus  Jerome,  on  the  Epistle  to 
Titus,  says,  "  A  presbyter  is  the  same  as  a  bishop.  And  before 
dissensions  in  religion  M^ere  produced  by  the  instigation  of  the 

VOL.  IL  35 


274  NSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

devil,  and  one  said,  I  am  of  Paul,  and  another,  I  am  of  Cephas, 
the  Chnrches  were  governed  by  a  common  council  of  presbyters. 
Afterwards,  in  order  to  destroy  the  seeds  of  dissensions,  the  whole 
charge  was  committed  to  one.  Therefore,  as  the  presbyters 
know  that  according  to  the  custom  of  the  Church  they  are 
subject  to  the  bishop  who  presides  over  them,  so  let  the 
bishops  know  that  their  superiority  to  the  presbyters  is  more  from 
custom  than  from  the  appointment  of  the  Lord,  and  they  ought 
to  unite  together  in  the  government  of  the  Church."  In  another 
place,  he  shows  the  antiquity  of  this  institution  ;  for  he  says, 
that  at  Alexandria,  even  from  Mark  the  Evangelist  to  Heracias 
and  Dionysius,  the  presbyters  always  chose  one  of  their  body 
to  preside  over  them,  whom  they  called  their  bishop.  Every 
city,  therefore,  had  its  college  of  presbyters,  who  were  pastors 
and  teachers.  For  they  all  executed  the  duties  of  teaching, 
exhorting,  and  correcting,  among  the  people,  as  Paul  enjoins 
bishops  to  do  ;  (c)  and  in  order  to  leave  successors  behind  them, 
they  laboured  in  training  young  men,  who  liad  enlisted  tliem- 
selves  in  the  sacred  warfare.  To  every  city  was  assigned  a  cer- 
tain district,  which  received  presbyters  from  it,  and  was  reckoned 
as  a  part  of  that  Church.  Every  assembly,  as  I  have  stated,  for 
the  sole  purpose  of  preserving  order  and  peace,  was  under  the  di- 
rection of  one  bishop,  who,  while  he  had  the  precedence  of  all 
others  in  dignity,  was  himself  subject  to  the  assembly  of  the 
brethren.  If  the  territory  placed  under  his  episcopate  was  too 
extensive  to  admit  of  his  discharging  all  the  duties  of  a  bishop 
in  every  part  of  it,  presbyters  were  appointed  in  certain  stations, 
to  act  as  his  deputies  in  things  of  minor  importance.  These 
were  called  chorepiscopi,  or  country  hisliops,  because  in  the 
country  they  represented  the  bishop. 

III.  But  with  respect  to  the  office  of  which  we  are  now 
treating,  the  bishops  and  presbyters  were  equally  required  to 
employ  themselves  in  the  dispensation  of  the  word  and  sacra- 
ments. For  at  Alexandria  only,  because  Arius  had  disturbed 
the  Church  there,  it  was  ordained  that  no  presbyter  should 
preach  to  the  people  ;  as  is  asserted  by  Socrates  in  the  ninth 
book  of  his  Tripartite  History,  with  which  Jerome  hesitates 
not  to  express  his  dissatisfaction.  It  would  certainly  have 
been  regarded  as  a  prodigy,  if  any  man  had  claimed  the  cha- 
racter of  a  bishop,  who  had  not  shown  himself  really  such  in 
his  conduct.  Such  was  the  strictness  of  those  times,  that  all 
ministers  were  constrained  to  discharge  the  duties  which  the 
Lord  requires  of  them.  I  refer  not  to  the  custom  of  one  age 
only  ;  for  even  in  the  time  of  Gregory,  when  the  Church  was 
almost  extinct,  or  at  least  had  considerably  degenerated  from 
its  ancient  purity,  it  would  not  have  been  permitted  for  any 

(c)  Titus  i.  9. 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


275 


bishop  to  abstain  from  preaching.  Gregory  somewhere  says, 
"  A  priest  dies,  if  his  sound  be  not  heard  ;  {d)  for  he  provokes 
the  wrath  of  the  invisible  Judge  against  him,  if  he  go  without 
the  sound  of  preaching."  And  in  another  place:  "  When  Paul 
declares  that  he  is  '  pure  from  the  blood  of  all,'  (e)  by  this  decla- 
ration, we,  who  are  called  priests,  are  convicted,  confounded, 
and  declared  to  be  guilty,  who  to  all  our  own  crimes  add  the 
deaths  of  others ;  for  we  are  chargeable  with  slaying  all  those 
whom  we  daily  behold  advancing  to  death,  while  we  are  indif- 
ferent and  silent."  He  calls  himself  and  others  silent,  because 
they  were  less  assiduous  in  their  work  than  they  ought  to  be. 
Since  he  spares  not  those  who  performed  half  of  their  duty,  what 
is  it  probaljle  he  would  have  done,  if  any  one  had  neglected  it 
altogether  ?  It  was  therefore  long  maintained  in  the  Church, 
that  the  principal  office  of  a  bishop  was  to  feed  the  people  with 
the  word  of  God,  or  to  edify  the  Church  both  in  public  and 
private  with  sound  doctrine. 

IV.  The  establishment  of  one  archbishop  over  all  the  bishops 
of  each  province,  and  the  appointment  of  patriarchs  at  the 
Council  of  Nice,  with  rank  and  dignity  superior  to  the  arch- 
bishops, were  regulations  for  the  preservation  of  discipline.  In 
this  disquisition,  however,  what  was  of  the  least  frequent  use 
cannot  be  wholly  omitted.  The  principal  reason,  therefore,  for 
the  institution  of  these  orders  was,  that  if  any  thing  should 
take  place  in  any  Church  which  could  not  be  settled  by  a  few 
persons,  it  might  be  referred  to  a  provincial  synod.  If  the 
magnitude  or  difficulty  of  the  case  required  a  further  discussion, 
the  patriarchs  were  called  to  unite  with  the  synods ;  and  from 
them  there  could  be  no  appeal  but  to  a  general  council.  This 
constitution  of  government  some  called  a  hierarchy — a  name,  in 
my  opinion,  improper,  and  certainly  not  used  in  the  Scriptures. 
For  it  has  been  the  design  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  every  thing 
relating  to  the  government  of  the  Church,  to  guard  against 
any  dreams  of  principality  or  dominion.  But  if  we  look  at  the 
thing,  without  regarding  the  term,  we  shall  find  that  the  an- 
cient bishops  had  no  intention  of  contriving  a  form  of  govern- 
ment for  the  Church,  different  from  that  which  God  has  pre- 
scribed in  his  word. 

V.  Nor  was  the  situation  of  deacons  at  that  time  at  all  dif- 
ferent from  what  it  had  been  under  the  apostles.  For  they 
received  the  daily  contributions  of  believers  and  the  annual 
revenues  of  the  Church,  to  apply  them  to  their  proper  uses, 
that  is,  to  distribute  part  to  the  ministers,  and  part  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  poor ;  subject,  however,  to  the  authority  of  the 
bishop,  to  whom  they  also  rendered  an  account  of  their  admi- 

(<Z)  Exod.  xxxviii.  35.  (c)  Acts  xx.  26. 


276  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

nistration  every  year.  For  when  the  canons  invariably  repre- 
sent the  bishop  as  the  dispenser  of  all  the  benefactions  of  the 
Chnrch,  it  is  not  to  be  understood  as  if  he  executed  that  charge 
himself,  but  because  it  belonged  to  him  to  give  directions  to 
the  deacon,  Avho  were  to  be  entirely  supported  from  the  funds 
of  the  Church,  to  whom  the  remainder  was  to  be  distributed, 
and  in  what  proportion  to  each  person  ;  and  because  he  had 
the  superintendence  over  the  deacon,  to  examine  whether  he 
faithfully  discharged  his  office.  Thus  the  canons,  ascribed  to 
the  apostles,  contain  the  following  injunction  :  "  We  ordain 
that  the  bishop  do  have  the  property  of  the  Church  in  his 
own  power.  For  if  the  souls  of  men,  which  are  of  superior 
value,  have  been  intrusted  to  him,  there  is  far  greater  proprie- 
ty in  his  taking  charge  of  the  pecuniary  concerns ;  so  that  all 
things  may  be  distributed  to  the  poor  by  his  authority  through 
the  presbyters  and  deacons,  and  that  they  may  be  administered 
with  reverence,  and  all  concern."  And  in  the  Council  of  An- 
tioch  it  was  decreed,  that  those  bishops  should  be  censured 
who  managed  the  pecuniary  concerns  of  the  Church  without 
the  concurrence  of  the  presbyters  and  deacons.  But  it  is 
unnecessary  to  argue  this  point  any  further,  since  it  is  evident 
from  many  epistles  of  Gregory,  that  even  in  his  time, 
when  the  administration  of  the  Church  was  in  other  respects 
become  very  corrupt,  yet  this  custom  was  still  retained,  that 
the  deacons  were  the  stewards  for  the  relief  of  the  poor, 
under  the  authority  of  the  bishop.  It  is  probable  that  sub- 
deacons  were  at  first  attached  to  the  deacons,  to  assist  them 
in  transacting  the  business  of  the  poor ;  but  this  distinction 
was  soon  lost.  Archdeacons  were  first  erected  when  the  ex- 
tent of  the  property  requu'ed  a  new  and  more  accurate  mode 
of  administration ;  though  Jerome  states  that  there  were  such 
offices  even  in  his  time.  In  their  hands  was  placed  the  amount 
of  the  annual  revenues,  of  the  possessions,  and  of  the  house- 
hold furniture,  and  the  management  of  the  daily  contributions. 
Whence  Gregory  denounces  to  the  archdeacon  of  Thessalo- 
nica,  that  he  would  be  held  guilty,  if  any  of  the  property  of  the 
Chtu'ch  should  be  lost  by  him,  either  through  negligence  or 
fraud.  Their  appointment  to  read  the  gospel,  and  to  exhort 
the  people  to  pray,  and  their  admission  to  the  administration  of 
the  cup  in  the  sacred  supper,  were  intended  to  dignify  their 
office,  that  they  might  discharge  it  with  the  more  piety,  in 
consequence  of  being  admonished  by  such  ceremonies,  that 
they  were  not  executing  some  profane  stewardship,  but  that 
their  function  was  spiritual  and  dedicated  to  God. 

VI.  Hence  it  is  easy  to  judge  what  use  was  made  of  the 
property  of  the  Church,  and  in  what  manner  it  was  dispensed. 
We  often  find  it  stated,  both  in  the  decrees  of  the  councils,  and 


CHAP.    IV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  277 

by  the  ancient  writers,  that  whatever  the  Church  possessed, 
whether  in  lands  or  hi  money,  was  the  patrimony  of  the  poor. 
The  bishops  and  deacons,  therefore,  are  conthnially  reminded 
that  they  are  not  managing  their  own  treasures,  but  those  des- 
tined to  supply  the  necessity  of  the  poor,  which  if  they  un- 
faitlifully  withhold  or  embezzle,  they  will  be  guilty  of  murder. 
Hence  they  are  admonished  to  distribute  this  property  to  the 
parties  entitled  to  it,  with  the  greatest  caution  and  reverence, 
as  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  without  respect  of  persons.  Hence 
also  the  solemn  protestations  of  Chrysostom,  Ambrose,  Augus- 
tine, and  other  bishops,  assuring  the  people  of  their  integrity. 
Now,  since  it  is  perfectly  equitable,  and  sanctioned  by  the  law 
of  the  Lord,  that  those  who  are  employed  in  the  service  of 
the  Church  should  be  maintained  at  the  public  expense  of  the 
Church,  —  and  even  in  that  age  some  presbyters  consecrated 
their  patrimonies  to  God,  and  reduced  themselves  to  voluntary 
poverty,  —  the  distribution  was  such,  that  neither  were  the  mi- 
nisters left  without  support,  nor  were  the  poor  neglected.  Yet, 
at  the  same  time,  care  was  taken  that  the  ministers  themselves, 
who  ought  to  set  an  example  of  frugality  to  others,  should  not 
have  enough  to  be  abused  to  the  purposes  of  splendour  or  deli- 
cacy, but  only  what  would  suffice  to  supply  their  necessities, 
"For,"  says  Jerome,  "those  of  the  clergy  who  are  able  to 
maintain  themselves  from  their  own  patrimony,  if  they  take 
what  belongs  to  the  poor,  are  guilty  of  sacrilege,  and  by  such 
an  abuse,  they  eat  and  drink  judgment  to  themselves." 

VH.  At  first  the  administration  was  free  and  voluntary,  the 
bishops  and  deacons  acting  with  spontaneous  fidelity,  and  integ- 
rity of  conscience  and  innocence  of  life  supplying  the  place  of 
laws.  Afterwards,  when  the  cupidity  or  corrupt  dispositions 
of  some  gave  birth  to  evil  examples,  in  order  to  correct  these 
abuses,  canons  were  made,  which  divided  the  revenues  of  the 
Church  into  four  parts,  assigning  the  first  to  the  clergy,  the 
second  to  the  poor,  the  third  to  the  reparation  of  Churches  and 
other  buildings,  the  fourth  to  poor  strangers.  For,  though 
other  canons  assign  this  last  part  to  the  bishop,  this  forms  no 
variation  from  the  division  which  I  have  mentioned.  For  the 
intention  was,  that  it  should  be  appropriated  to  him,  neither 
for  his  own  exclusive  consumption,  nor  for  lavish  or  arbitrary 
distribution,  but  to  enable  him  to  support  the  hospitality  which 
Paul  requires  of  persons  in  that  office.  (/)  And  so  it  is  ex- 
plained by  Gelasius  and  Gregory.  For  Gelasius  adduces 
no  other  reason  why  the  bishop  should  claim  any  thing  for 
himself,  than  to  enable  him  to  communicate  to  captives  and 
strangers.     And  Gregory  is  still  more  explicit.     He  says,  "It 

(/)  1  Tim.  iii.  2,  3. 


278  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

is  the  custom  of  the  apostolic  see,  at  the  ordination  of  a  bishop, 
to  command  him  that  all  the  revenue  received  by  him  be 
divided  into  four  portions  ;  namely,  one  for  the  bishop  and  his 
family,  for  the  support  of  hospitality  and  entertainment  ;  the 
second  for  the  clergy ;  the  third  for  the  poor ;  the  fourth  for  the 
reparation  of  Churches."  It  was  unlawful  for  the  bishop, 
therefore,  to  take  for  his  own  use  any  thing  more  than  was 
sufficient  for  moderate  and  frugal  sustenance  and  clothing.  If 
any  one  began  to  transgress  the  due  limits,  either  in  luxury,  or 
in  ostentation  and  pomp,  he  was  immediately  admonished  by 
his  colleagues ;  and  if  he  would  not  comply  with  the  admoni- 
tion, he  was  deposed  from  his  office. 

VIII.  The  portion  which  they  applied  to  ornament  the 
sacred  edifices,  at  first  was  very  small ;  and  even  after  the 
Church  was  become  a  little  more  wealthy,  they  did  not  exceed 
moderation  in  this  respect :  whatever  money  was  so  employed, 
still  continued  to  be  held  in  reserve  for  the  poor,  if  any  pressing 
necessity  should  occur.  Thus,  when  famine  prevailed  in  the 
province  of  Jerusalem,  and  there  was  no  other  way  of  relieving 
their  wants,  Cyril  sold  the  vessels  and  vestments,  and  expend- 
ed the  produce  in  purchasing  sustenance  for  the  poor.  In  like 
manner,  when  vast  numbers  of  the  Persians  were  almost  pe- 
rishing with  hunger,  Acatius,  bishop  of  Amida,  after  having 
convoked  his  clergy,  and  made  that  celebrated  speech,  "  Our 
God  has  no  need  of  dishes  or  cups,  because  he  neither  eats  nor 
drinks,"  melted  down  the  vessels,  and  converted  them  into 
money,  to  redeem  the  wretched,  and  buy  food  for  them.  Je- 
rome also,  while  he  inveighs  against  the  excessive  splendour 
of  the  temples,  makes  honourable  mention  of  Exuperius,  at  that 
time  bishop  of  Thoulouse,  who  administered  the  emblem  of 
our  Lord's  body  in  a  wicker  basket,  and  the  emblem  of  his 
blood  in  a  glass,  but  suffered  no  poor  person  to  endure  hunger. 
The  same  that  I  have  just  said  of  Acatius,  Ambrose  relates  of 
himself;  for  when  he  was  censured  by  the  Arians  for  having 
broken  up  the  sacred  vessels  to  pay  the  ransom  of  some  cap- 
tives, he  made  the  following  most  excellent  defence  :  "He  who 
sent  forth  the  apostles  without  gold,  gathered  Churches  to- 
gether likewise  without  gold.  Tlie  Church  has  gold,  not  to 
keep,  but  to  expend,  and  to  furnish  relief  in  necessities.  What 
need  is  there  to  keep  that  which  is  of  no  service  ?  Do  not  we 
know  how  much  gold  and  silver  the  Assyrians  plundered  from 
the  temple  of  the  Lord  ?  Is  it  not  better  that  it  should  be 
melted  down  by  the  priest  for  the  sustenance  of  the  poor,  if 
other  resources  are  wanting,  than  that  it  should  be  carried  away 
by  a  sacrilegious  enemy  ?  Will  not  the  Lord  say.  Wherefore 
hast  thou  suffered  so  many  poor  to  die  with  hunger,  and  at  the 
same  time  hadst  gold,  with  which  thou  mightest  have  supplied 


CHAP.    IV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  279 

them  with  food  ?  Why  have  so  many  been  carried  away  into 
captivity,  and  never  been  redeemed  ?  Why  have  so  many 
been  slain  by  the  enemy  ?  It  wonld  have  been  better  to  pre- 
serve the  vessels  of  living  beings,  than  those  of  metals.  To 
these  questions  you  could  make  no  answer.  For  what  would 
you  say  ?  I  was  afraid  that  the  temple  of  God  would  be  desti- 
tute of  ornament.  God  would  reply,  The  sacraments  require 
no  gold,  nor  is  gold  any  recommendation  of  that  which  is  not 
purchased  with  gold.  The  ornament  of  the  sacraments  is  the 
redemption  of  captives."  In  short,  we  see  that  it  was  very 
true  which  was  observed  by  the  same  writer  in  another  place, 
"  that  whatever  the  Church  possessed  at  that  time,  was  appro- 
priated to  the  relief  of  the  necessitous,"  and  "  that  all  that  a 
bishop  had,  belonged  to  the  poor." 

IX.  These,  which  we  have  enumerated,  were  the  offices  of 
the  ancient  Church.  Others,  which  are  mentioned  by  ecclesi- 
astical historians,  were  rather  exercises  and  preparations,  than 
certain  offices.  For  to  form  a  seminary,  which  should  provide 
the  Church  with  future  ministers,  those  holy  men  took  under 
their  charge,  protection,  and  discipline,  such  youths  as,  with 
the  consent  and  sanction  of  their  parents,  enlisted  themselves 
in  the  spiritual  warfare  ;  and  so  they  educated  them  from  an 
early  age,  that  they  might  not  enter  on  the  discharge  of  their 
office  ignorant  and  unprepared.  All  who  were  trained  in  this 
manner,  were  called  by  the  general  name  of  clergy.  I  could 
wish,  indeed,  that  some  other  more  appropriate  name  had  been 
given  them ;  for  this  appellation  originated  in  error,  or  at  least 
in  some  improper  views  ;  for  Peter  calls  the  whole  Church  the 
clergy,  that  is,  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord,  (g)  The  institution 
itself,  however,  was  pious  and  eminently  beneficial ;  that  those 
who  wished  to  consecrate  themselves  and  their  labours  to  the 
Church,  should  be  educated  under  the  care  of  the  bishop ;  that 
no  one  might  minister  in  the  Church  but  one  who  had  received 
sufficient  previous  instruction,  who  from  his  early  youth  had 
imbibed  sound  doctrine,  who  from  a  strict  discipline  had  ac- 
quired a  certain  habitual  gravity,  and  more  than  common  sanc- 
tity of  life,  who  had  been  abstracted  from  secular  occupations, 
and  accustomed  to  spiritual  cares  and  studies.  Now,  as  young 
soldiers  by  counterfeit  battles  are  trained  to  real  and  serious 
warfare,  so  the  clergy  were  prepared  by  certain  probationary 
exercises,  before  they  were  actually  promoted  to  offices.  At 
first  they  were  charged  with  the  care  of  opening  and  shutting 
the  temples,  and  they  were  called  ostiarii,  or  door-keepers. 
Afterwards  they  were  called  acoluthi,  ov  folloivers,  waiting  upon 
the  bishop  in  domestic  services,  and  accompanying  him  on  all 

(g)  1  Peter  v  3. 


280  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

occasions,  at  first  in  a  way  of  honour,  and  afterwards  to  pre- 
vent all  suspicion ;  moreover,  that  by  degrees  they  might 
become  known  to  the  people,  and  might  acquire  some  consider- 
ation among  them,  and  at  the  same  time  that  they  might  learn 
to  bear  the  presence  of  all,  and  have  courage  to  speak  before 
them,  that  after  being  made  presbyters,  when  they  should  come 
to  preach,  they  might  not  be  confounded  with  shame,  therefore 
they  were  appointed  to  read  the  Scriptures  from  the  pulj)it.  In 
this  manner  tliey  were  promoted  by  degrees,  that  they  might 
approve  their  diligence  in  the  respective  exercises,  till  they 
were  made  snbdeacons.  I  only  contend,  that  these  were  rather 
preparations  for  pupils,  than  functions  reckoned  among  the  real 
offices  of  the  Church. 

X.  We  have  said,  that  the  first  point  in  the  election  of 
ministers  related  to  the  qualifications  of  the  persons  to  be 
chosen,  and  the  second  to  the  religious  reverence  with  which 
the  business  ought  to  be  conducted.  In  both  these  points,  the 
ancient  Church  followed  the  direction  of  Paul  and  the  examples 
of  the  apostles.  For  it  was  their  custom  to  assemble  for  the 
election  of  pastors  with  the  greatest  reverence  and  solemn  invo- 
cation of  the  name  of  God.  They  had  likewise  a  form  of  ex- 
amination, in  which  they  tried  the  life  and  doctrine  of  the 
candidates  by  that  standard  of  Paul.  Only  they  ran  into  the 
error  of  immoderate  severity,  from  a  wish  to  require  in  a  bishop 
more  than  Paul  requires,  and  especially,  in  process  of  time,  by 
enjoining  celibacy.  In  other  things  their  practice  was  in  con- 
formity with  the  description  of  Paul,  (h)  In  the  third  point 
which  we  have  mentioned,  namely,  by  whom  ministers  ought 
to  be  chosen,  they  did  not  always  observe  the  same  order.  In 
the  primitive  times  there  was  no  one  admitted  among  the  num- 
ber of  the  clergy,  without  the  consent  of  all  the  people  ;  so 
that  Cyprian  makes  a  laboured  defence  of  his  having  appointed 
one  Aurelius  a  reader,  without  consulting  the  Church,  because 
he  departed  in  this  instance  from  the  general  custom,  though 
not  without  reason.  He  begins  in  the  following  manner  :  "  In 
appointing  the  clergy,  my  very  dear  brethren,  we  are  accus- 
tomed first  to  consult  you,  and  to  weigh  the  morals  and  merits 
of  every  one  of  them  in  the  general  assembly."  But  as  there 
was  not  much  danger  in  these  inferior  exercises,  because  they 
were  admitted  to  a  long  probation,  and  not  to  a  high  office,  the 
consent  of  the  people  ceased  to  be  asked.  Afterwards,  in  the 
other  offices  also,  except  tlic  ei)iscopate,  the  people  generally 
left  the  judgment  and  choice  to  the  bishop  and  "presbyters,  so 
that  they  determined  who  were  capable  and  deserving ;  excejit 
when  new  presbyters  were  appointed  to  the  parishes,  for  then 

(h)  1  Tim.  iii.  2—7. 


CHAP,      v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  281 

it,  was  necessary  to  have  the  express  consent  of  the  body  of  the 
people  at  each  place.  Nor  is  it  any  wonder  that  the  people 
were  not  very  solicitous  for  the  preservation  of  their  right  in 
this  case.  For  no  one  was  made  a  subdeacon,  who  had  not 
been  tried  for  a  considerable  time  as  one  of  the  clergy^  under 
the  severe  discipline  which  was  then  practised.  After  he  had 
been  tried  in  that  station,  he  was  constituted  a  deacon  ;  in 
which  if  he  conducted  himself  with  fidelity,  he  obtained  the 
rank  of  a  presbyter.  Thus  no  one  was  promoted  who  had  not 
really  undergone  an  examination  for  many  years,  under  the 
eyes  of  the  people.  And  there  were  many  canons  for  the 
punishment  of  their  faults  ;  so  that  the  Church  could  not  be 
troubled  with  wicked  presbyters  or  deacons,  unless  it  neglected 
the  remedies  within  its  reach.  The  election  of  presbyters, 
however,  always  required  the  consent  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
place  ;  which  is  testified  by  the  first  canon,  which  is  attributed 
to  Anacletus.  And  all  ordinations  took  place  at  stated  times 
of  the  year,  that  no  one  might  be  introduced  clandestinely, 
without  the  consent  of  the  faithful,  or  be  promoted  with  too 
much  facility,  without  any  attestation  to  his  character. 

XI.  The  right  of  voting  in  the  election  of  bishops  was  re- 
tained by  the  people  for  a  long  time,  that  no  one  might  be 
obtruded  who  was  not  acceptable  to  all.  The  Council  of  Anti- 
och  therefore  decreed,  that  no  bishop  should  be  appointed 
without  the  consent  of  the  people,  which  Leo  the  First  express- 
ly confirms.  Hence  the  following  injunctions  :  "  Let  him  be 
chosen  who  shall  be  called  for  by  the  clergy  and  people,  or  at 
least  by  the  majority  of  them."  Again:  "Let  him  who  is  to 
preside  over  all,  be  chosen  by  all."  For  he  who  is  appointed 
without  having  been  previously  known  and  examined,  must  of 
necessity  be  intruded  by  force.  Again :  "  Let  him  be  elected 
who  shall  have  been  chosen  by  the  clergy  and  desired  by  the 
people  ;  and  let  him  be  consecrated  by  the  bishops  of  that  pro- 
vince, with  the  authority  of  the  metropolitan.  So  careful  were 
the  holy  fathers  that  this  liberty  of  the  people  should  not  by 
any  means  be  infringed,  that  when  the  general  council,  assem- 
bled at  Constantinople,  appointed  Nectarius,  they  would  not  do 
it  witliout  the  approbation  of  all  the  clergy  and  people  ;  as  is 
evident  from  their  epistle  to  the  Council  of  Rome.  Wherefore, 
when  any  bishop  appointed  his  successor,  the  appointment  was 
not  confirmed  but  by  the  suifrages  of  all  the  people.  Of  such 
a  circumstance  we  have  not  only  an  example,  but  the  particu- 
lar form  in  Augustine's  nomination  of  Eradius.  And  Theodo- 
ret,  when  he  states  that  Peter  was  nominated  by  Athanasuis  as 
his  successor,  immediately  adds,  that  this  was  confirmed  by 
the  clergy,  and  ratified  by  the  acclamations  of  the  magistracy, 
the  nobility,  and  all  the  people. 
VOL.  II.  36 


282  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IT. 

XII.  I  confess  that  there  was  the  greatest  propriety  in  the 
decree  of  the  Council  of  Laodicca,  that  the  election  should  not 
be  left  to  the  populace.  For  it  scarcely  ever  happens  that  so 
many  heads  concur  in  one  oj)inion  for  the  settlement  of  any 
business  ;  and  almost  every  case  verifies  the  observation,  that 
the  uncertaiu  vnlgar  are  divided  by  contrary  inclinations.  But 
to  this  danger  was  applied  an  excellent  remedy.  For  in  the 
first  place,  the  clergy  alone  made  their  choice,  and  presented 
the  person  they  had  chosen  to  the  magistracy,  or  to  the  senate 
and  governors.  They  deliberated  on  the  election,  and  if  it  ap- 
peared to  them  a  proper  one,  confirmed  it,  or  otherwise  chose 
another  person  whom  they  preferred.  Then  the  business  was 
referred  to  the  multitude,  who,  though  they  were  nor  bound  to 
concur  in  these  previous  opinions,  yet  were  less  likely  to  be 
thrown  into  disorder.  Or  if  the  business  commenced  with  the 
multitude,  this  method  was  adopted  in  order  to  discover  who 
was  the  principal  object  of  their  wishes ;  and  after  hearing  the 
wishes  of  the  people,  the  clergy  proceeded  to  the  election. 
Thus  the  clergy  were  neither  at  liberty  to  elect  whom  they 
pleased,  nor  under  a  necessity  of  complying  with  the  foolish 
desires  of  the  people.  This  order  is  stated  by  Leo  in  another 
place,  when  he  says,  "  It  is  requisite  to  have  the  votes  of  the 
citizens,  the  testimonies  of  the  people,  the  authority  of  the 
governors,  and  the  election  of  the  clergy."  Again  :  "  Let  there 
be  the  testimony  of  the  governors,  the  subscription  of  the 
clergy,  the  consent  of  the  senate  and  people.  Reason  permits 
it  not  to  be  done  in  any  other  way."  Nor  is  there  any  other 
meaning  in  that  decree  of  the  Council  of  Laodicea,  than  that 
the  clergy  and  governors  should  not  suffer  themselves  to  be 
carried  away  by  the  inconsiderate  multitude,  but  by  their  pru- 
dence and  gravity  should  check,  on  every  necessary  occasion, 
the  folly  and  violence  of  popular  desires. 

XIII.  This  mode  of  election  was  still  practised  in  the  time 
of  Gregory,  and  it  is  probable  that  it  continued  long  after. 
There  are  many  of  his  epistles  which  furnish  sullicient  evi- 
dence of  this  fact.  For  in  every  case  relating  to  the  creation 
of  a  new  bishop  in  any  place,  he  was  accustomed  to  write  to 
the  clergy,  the  senate,  and  the  people  ;  and  sometimes  to  the 
duke,  according  to  the  constitution  of  the  government  in  the 
place  to  which  he  was  writing.  And  if,  on  account  of  distur- 
bances or  dissensions  in  any  Church,  he  confides  the  superin- 
tendence of  the  election  to  some  neighbouring  bishop,  yet  he 
invariably  requires  a  solemn  decree  confirmed  by  the  subscrip- 
tions of  all.  Even  when  one  Constantius  was  created  bishop 
of  Milan,  and  on  account  of  the  incursions  of  the  barbarians, 
many  of  the  Milanese  had  retired  to  Genoa,  lie  thought  the 
election  would  not  be  legitimate,  unless  they  also  were  called 


CHAP.    IV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  283 

together,  and  gave  their  united  consent.  And  what  is  more,  it 
was  within  the  last  five  hundred  years  that  Pope  Nicholas  made 
this  decree  respecting  the  election  of  the  Roman  pontiff;  tha* 
the  cardinals  should  take  the  lead,  that  in  the  next  place  they 
should  unite  with  them  the  rest  of  the  clergy,  and  lastly  that 
the  election  should  be  confirmed  by  the  consent  of  the  people. 
And  at  the  conclusion  he  recites  that  decree  of  Leo,  which  I 
have  just  quoted,  and  commands  it  to  be  observed  in  future. 
If  the  cabals  of  the  wicked  should  go  to  such  a  length  as  to 
constrain  the  clergy  to  quit  the  city  in  order  to  make  a  proper 
election,  still  he  ordains  that  some  of  the  people  should  be 
present  at  the  same  time.  The  consent  of  the  emperor,  as  far 
as  I  can  discover,  was  required  only  in  two  Churches,  at  Rome 
and  at  Constantinople,  because  they  were  the  two  capitals  of 
the  empire.  For  when  Ambrose  was  sent  to  Milan  with  au- 
thority from  Valentinian  to  preside  at  the  election  of  a  new 
bishop,  that  w^as  an  extraordinary  measure,  in  consequence  of 
the  grievous  factions  which  raged  among  the  citizens.  At 
Rome  the  authority  of  the  emperor  had  anciently  so  much  in- 
fluence in  the  creation  of  a  bishop,  that  Gregory  speaks  of  himself 
as  having  been  appointed  to  the  government  of  the  Church  by 
the  sole  command  of  the  emperor,  notwithstanding  he  had  been 
formally  chosen  by  the  people.  But  the  custom  was,  that 
when  any  one  had  been  chosen  by  the  senate,  clergy,  and 
people,  it  was  immediately  reported  to  the  emperor,  that  he  might 
either  ratify  the  election  by  his  approbation,  or  rescind  it  by  his 
negative.  Nor  is  there  any  thing  repugnant  to  this  custom  in 
the  decrees  collected  by  Gratian  ;  which  only  say,  that  it  is  by 
no  means  to  be  suffered  that  a  king  should  supersede  all  ca- 
nonical election  by  appointing  a  bishop  at  his  own  pleasure,  and 
that  the  metropolitans  ought  not  to  consecrate  any  one  who 
shall  thus  have  been  promoted  by  the  violence  of  power.  For 
it  is  one  thing  to  spoil  the  Church  of  its  right,  by  transferring 
the  whole  to  the  caprice  of  an  individual,  and  another  to  give 
a  king  or  an  emperor  the  honour  of  confirming  a  legitimate 
election  by  his  authority. 

XIV.  It  remains  for  us  to  state,  by  what  ceremony  the 
ministers  of  the  ancient  Church,  after  their  election,  were  ini- 
tiated into  their  office.  This  the  Latins  have  called  ordhiation 
or  consecration.  The  Greeks  have  called  it  x^'po'^'""")  extension 
or  elevation  of  hcmds,  and  sometimes  x^'po^^"^'"?  imposition  of 
hands  ;  though  the  former  word  properly  signifies  that  kind  of 
election  in  which  the  suffrages  are  declared  by  the  lifting  up  of 
the  hands.  There  is  a  decree  of  the  Council  of  Nice,  that  the 
metropolitan  should  meet  with  all  the  bishops  of  the  province, 
to  ordain  him  who  shall  have  been  elected ;  but  that  if  any  of 
them  be  prevented  by  the  length  of  the  journey,  by  sickness,  oi 


INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    IV. 


by  any  other  necessary  cause,  at  least  three  should  meet,  and 
those  who  are  absent  should  testify  their  consent  by  letters. 
And  when  this  canon  from  disuse  had  grown  obsolete,  it  was  re- 
newed in  various  councils.  Now,  the  reason  why  all,  or  at  least 
as  many  as  had  no  sufficient  excuse,  were  commanded  to  be 
present,  was  that  there  might  be  a  more  solemn  examination 
into  the  learning  and  morals  of  the  person  to  be  ordained  ;  for 
the  business  was  not  completed  without  examination.  And  it 
appears  from  the  epistles  of  Cyprian,  that  in  the  beginning  the 
bisliops  were  not  invited  after  the  election,  but  used  to  be 
present  at  the  election,  and  that  for  the  purpose  of  acting  as 
moderators,  that  nothing  turbulent  might  take  place  among  the 
multitude.  For  after  having  said  that  the  people  have  the 
power  either  to  choose  the  worthy  for  priests,  or  to  reject  the 
unworthy,  he  adds,  "  Wherefore  it  is  to  be  carefully  held  and 
observed  as  a  Divine  and  apostolical  tradition,  (which  is  observed 
among  us,  and  in  almost  all  the  provinces,)  that  for  the  due 
performance  of  ordinations,  all  the  neighbouring  bishops  of  the 
same  province  should  meet  with  the  people  over  whom  a  bishop 
is  to  be  ordained,  and  that  the  bishop  should  be  chosen  in  the 
presence  of  the  people."  But  because  such  an  assembly  was 
sometimes  very  slowly  collected,  and  there  was  danger  that  such 
a  delay  might  be  abused  by  some  for  the  purposes  of  intrigue,  it 
Avas  deemed  suthcient,  if  they  assembled  after  the  election  was 
made,  and  upon  due  examination  consecrated  the  person  who 
had  been  chosen. 

XV.  This  was  the  universal  practice,  without  any  exception. 
By  degrees  a  different  custom  was  introduced,  and  the  persons 
elected  went  to  the  metropolitan  city  to  seek  ordination.  This 
change  arose  from  ambition  and  a  corruption  of  the  ancient  in- 
stitution, rather  than  from  any  good  reason.  And  not  long  after, 
when  the  authority  of  the  see  of  Rome  had  increased,  another 
custom  obtained,  which  was  still  worse  ;  almost  all  the  bishops 
of  Italy  went  to  Rome  to  be  consecrated.  This  may  be  seen 
by  the  epistles  of  Gregory.  Only  a  few  cities,  which  did  not  so 
easily  yield,  preserved  their  ancient  right  ;  of  which  there  is  an 
example  recorded  by  him  in  the  case  of  Milan.  Perhaps  the 
metropolitan  cities  were  the  only  ones  that  retained  their  privi- 
lege. For  almost  all  the  provincial  bisliops  used  to  assemble 
in  the  metropolitan  city  to  consecrate  their  archbishop.  The 
ceremony  was  imposition  of  hands.  For  I  read  of  no  other  cer- 
emony practised,  except  that  in  the  public  assembly  the  bishops 
had  some  dress  to  distinguish  them  from  the  rest  of  the  presby- 
ters. Presbyters  and  deacons  also  were  ordained  solely  by  impo- 
sition of  hands.  But  every  bishop  ordained  his  own  presbyters, 
in  conjunction  with  the  assembly  of  the  other  presbyters 
of  his  diocese.  Now,  though  they  all  united  in  the  same  act, 
yet  because  the  bishop  took  the  lead,  and  the  ceremony  was 


CHAP,    v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  285 

performed  under  his  direction,  therefore  it  was  called  his  ordi- 
nation. Wherefore  it  is  often  remarked  by  the  ancient  writers, 
that  a  presbyter  differs  from  a  bishop  in  no  other  respect,  than 
that  he  does  not  possess  the  power  of  ordination. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE    ANCIENT     FORM    OF     GOVERNMENT     ENTIRELY     SUBVERTED     BY 
THE    PAPAL    TYRANNY. 

Now,  it  is  proper  to  exhibit  the  system  of  ecclesiastical  govern- 
ment at  present  maintained  by  the  see  of  Rome,  and  all  its 
dependencies,  with  a  full  view  of  that  hierarchy  which  is  per- 
petually in  their  mouths,  and  to  compare  it  with  the  description 
we  have  given  of  the  primitive  and  ancient  Church.  This  com- 
parison will  show  what  kind  of  a  Church  there  is  among  those 
who  fiercely  arrogate  this  exclusive  title,  in  order  to  oppress,  or 
rather  to  overwhelm  us.  Now,  it  is  best  to  begin  with  the  voca- 
tion, that  we  may  see  who  and  what  kind  of  men  are  called  to 
the  ministry,  and  how  they  are  introduced  to  it.  We  shall  then 
consider  how  faithfully  they  discharge  their  duty.  We  shall 
give  the  first  place  to  the  bishops  ;  and  I  wish  it  might  be  to 
their  honour  to  hold  the  first  rank  in  this  disquisition.  But  the 
subject  itself  will  not  permit  me  to  touch  on  this  argument  ever 
so  slightly,  without  involving  their  deepest  disgrace.  I  shall 
remember,  however,  the  nature  of  the  work  in  which  I  am  now 
engaged,  and  shall  not  suffer  my  discourse,  which  ought  to  be 
confined  to  simple  doctrine,  to  exceed  its  proper  bounds.  But 
let  some  one  of  those  who  have  not  lost  all  shame,  answer  me  ; 
What  kind  of  bishops  are  now  generally  chosen  ?  To  examine 
into  their  learning,  is  too  obsolete  ;  and  if  any  regard  be  paid  to  it, 
they  choose  some  lawyer,  who  understands  pleading  in  a  court, 
better  than  preaching  in  a  Church.  It  is  evident,  that  for  a 
hundred  years,  scarcely  one  in  a  hundred  that  has  been  chosen, 
had  any  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scripture.  I  say  nothing  of 
the  preceding  ages ;  not  that  they  were  much  better,  but  be- 
cause our  business  is  only  with  the  present  Church.  If  we 
inquire  into  their  morals,  we  shall  find  that  there  have  been  few 
or  none  who  would  not  have  been  judged  unworthy  by  the 
a^icient  canons.  He  who  has  not  been  a  drunkard,  has  been  a 
fornicator ;  and  he  who  has  been  free  from  both  these  vices,  has 
been  either  a  gambler  or  a  hunter,  or  dissolute  in  some  part  of  his 
life.    For  the  old  canons  exclude  a  man  from  the  episcopal  office 


286  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

for  smaller  vices  than  these.  But  the  greatest  absurdity  of  all  is, 
that  even  boys,  scarcely  ten  years  of  age,  have  by  the  permission 
of  the  pope  been  made  bishops.  And  to  such  lengths  of  impu- 
dence and  stupidity  have  they  proceeded,  as  not  to  be  afraid  of 
that  extreme  and  monstrous  enormity,  which  is  altogether  re- 
pugnant to  the  common  sense  of  nature.  Hence  it  appears 
how  solemn  and  conscientious  must  have  been  their  elections, 
which  were  marked  with  such  extreme  negligence. 

11.  All  the  right  of  the  people  to  choose  has  been  entirely 
taken  away.  Their  suffrages,  assent,  subscriptions,  and  every 
thing  of  this  kind,  have  disappeared.  All  the  power  is  trans- 
ferred to  the  canons.  They  confer  the  bishopric  on  whom 
they  please,  and  then  produce  him  before  the  people,  but  to  be 
adored,  not  to  be  examined.  Leo,  on  the  contrary,  exclaims 
that  no  reason  permits  this,  and  pronounces  it  to  be  a  violent 
imposition.  When  Cyprian  declares  it  to  be  of  Divine  right, 
that  an  election  should  not  be  made  without  the  consent  of  the 
people,  he  shows  that  a  different  method  is  repugnant  to  the 
word  of  God.  The  decrees  of  various  councils  most  severely 
prohibit  it  to  be  done  in  any  other  way,  and  if  it  be  done, 
command  it  to  be  void.  If  these  things  be  true,  there  is  now 
no  canonical  election  remaining  in  all  the  Papacy,  either  accord- 
ing to  Divine  or  ecclesiastical  right.  Now,  though  there  were 
no  other  evil,  how  will  they  be  able  to  excuse  themselves  for 
having  thus  deprived  the  Church  of  her  right  ?  But  they  say, 
the  corruption  of  the  times  required,  that  as  the  people  and 
magistrates,  in  the  choice  of  bishops,  were  rather  carried  away 
by  antipathies  and  partialities  than  governed  by  an  honest  and 
correct  judgment,  the  decision  of  this  business  should  be  in- 
trusted to  a  few.  Let  it  be  admitted  that  this  was  an  extreme 
remedy  for  a  disease  under  desperate  circumstances.  Yet  as 
the  medicine  has  been  found  more  injurious  than  the  disease 
itself,  why  is  there  no  remedy  provided  against  this  new  mala- 
dy ?  They  reply,  The  canons  themselves  have  been  particularly 
directed  what  course  they  ought  to  pursue  in  an  election.  But 
do  we  doubt,  that  the  people  formerly  understood  themselves 
to  be  bound  by  the  most  sacred  laws,  when  they  saw  the  word 
of  God  proposed  as  their  rule,  whenever  they  assembled  for  the 
election  of  a  bishop  ?  For  that  one  declaration  of  God,  in 
which  he  describes  the  true  character  of  a  bishop,  ought  to  have 
more  weight  than  millions  of  canons.  Yet,  corrupted  by  a 
most  sinful  disposition,  they  paid  no  regard  to  law  or  equity. 
So  in  the  present  day,  though  there  are  the  best  written  laws, 
yet  they  remain  buried  in  ])aper.  At  the  same  time,  it  has 
been  the  general  practice,  and,  as  if  it  were  founded  in  reason, 
has  obtained  the  general  approbation,  that  drunkards,  forni- 
cators, and   gamblers,    have   been   promoted   to   this   honour. 


CHAP,    v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  287 

I  do  not  say  enough.  Bishoprics  are  the  rewards  of  adulterers 
and  panders.  For  when  they  are  given  to  hunters  and  fowlers, 
the  business  must  be  considered  as  well  managed.  To  attempt 
any  excuse  of  such  flagitious  proceedings  is  abominable.  The 
people,  I  say,  had  a  most  excellent  canon,  in  the  direction  of  the 
word  of  God,  that  "a  bishop  must  be  blameless,  apt  to  teach,  no 
striker,"  &c.  (i)  Why,  then,  was  the  right  of  election  transferred 
from  the  people  to  the  canons  ?  They  reply,  Because  the  word 
of  God  was  not  attended  to,  amidst  the  tumults  and  factions  of 
the  people.  And  why  should  it  not  now  be  again  transferred 
from  them,  who  not  only  violate  all  laws,  but,  casting  off  all 
shame,  mingle  and  confound  heaven  and  earth  together,  by 
their  lust,  avarice,  and  ambition  ? 

III.  But  it  is  a  false  pretence  when  they  say,  that  the  pre- 
sent practice  was  introduced  as  a  remedy.  We  read  that  in  the 
early  times,  cities  were  frequently  thrown  into  confusion  at  the 
election  of  their  bishops ;  yet  no  one  ever  dared  to  think  of 
depriving  the  citizens  of  their  right.  For  they  had  other  ways, 
either  of  guarding  against  these  evils,  or  of  correcting  them 
when  they  occurred.  But  I  will  state  the  real  truth  of  the  case. 
When  the  people  began  to  be  negligent  about  choosing,  and, 
considering  this  care  as  less  suitable  to  themselves,  left  it  to 
the  presbyters,  the  latter  abused  this  occasion  to  usurp  a  tyran- 
nical power,  which  they  afterwards  confirmed  to  themselves  by 
new  canons.  Their  form  of  ordination  is  no  other  than  a  mere 
mockery.  For  the  appearance  of  examination  which  they  dis- 
play in  it,  is  so  frivolous  and  jejune,  that  it  is  even  destitute 
of  all  plausibility.  The  power  of  nominating  bishops,  there- 
fore, which  some  princes  have  obtained  by  stipulation  with 
the  Roman  pontiff,  has  caused  no  new  injury  to  the  Church, 
because  the  election  has  only  been  taken  from  the  canons,  who 
had  seized,  or  rather  stolen,  it  without  any  just  claim.  It  is 
certainly  a  most  disgraceful  example,  that  courtiers  are  made 
bishops,  and  sent  from  the  court  to  seize  upon  the  Churches ; 
and  it  ought  to  be  the  concern  of  all  pious  princes  to  refrain 
from  such  an  abuse.  For  it  is  an  impious  robbery  of  the 
Church,  whenever  a  bishop  is  imposed  upon  any  people,  who 
have  not  desired,  or  at  least  freely  approved  of  him.  But  the 
disorderly  custom  which  has  long  prevailed  in  the  Churches, 
has  given  occasion  to  princes  to  assume  the  presentation  of 
bishops  to  themselves.  For  they  would  rather  have  this  at 
their  own  disposal,  than  in  the  hands  of  those  who  had  no  more 
•ight  to  it,  and  by  whom  it  was  not  less  abused. 

IV.  This  is  the  goodly  calling,  in  consequence  of  which 
bishops  boast  of  being  successors  of  the  apostles.     The  power 

(i)  1  Tim.  iii.  2—7. 


288  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

of  creating  presbyters,  they  say,  belongs  exclusively  to  them. 
But  this  is  a  gross  corruption  of  the  ancient  institution  ;  for 
by  their  ordination  they  create,  not  presbyters  to  rule  and  feed 
the  people,  but  priests  to  offer  sacrifice.  So  when  they  conse* 
crate  deacons,  they  have  nothing  to  do  with  their  true  and 
proper  office,  but  only  ordain  them  to  certain  ceremonies  about 
the  chalice  and  patine.  In  the  Council  of  Chalcedon,  on  the 
contrary,  it  was  decreed,  that  there  should  be  no  absolute  or- 
dinations, that  is,  without  some  place  being  at  the  same  time 
assigned  to  the  persons  ordained,  where  they  w^ere  to  exercise 
their  office.  Tiiis  decree  w^as  highly  useful,  for  two  reasons  — 
first,  that  the  Churches  might  not  be  burdened  with  an  unne- 
cessary charge,  and  the  money  which  ought  to  be  distributed  to 
the  poor  consumed  upon  idle  men  ;  secondly,  that  the  persons  or- 
dained might  consider  themselves  not  as  promoted  to  an  honour, 
but  as  intrusted  with  an  office  to  the  discharge  of  which  they 
were  bound  by  a  solemn  engagement.  But  the  Romish  doctors, 
who  think  their  belly  ought  to  be  all  their  care,  even  in  matters 
of  religion,  first  explain  the  requisite  title  to  consist  in  an  income 
sufficient  for  their  support,  whether  arising  from  their  own  pa- 
trimony or  from  a  benefice.  Therefore,  when  they  ordain  a 
deacon  or  a  presbyter,  without  giving  themselves  any  concern 
where  he  is  to  officiate,  they  readily  admit  him,  if  he  be  only 
rich  enough  to  maintain  himself.  But  who  can  admit  this,  that 
the  title  which  the  decree  of  the  council  requires  is  a  competent 
annual  income  ?  And  because  the  more  recent  canons  con- 
demned the  bishops  to  maintain  those  whom  they  had  ordained 
without  a  sufficient  title,  in  order  to  prevent  their  too  great  fa- 
ciUty  in  the  admission  of  candidates,  they  have  even  contrived  a 
way  to  evade  this  penalty.  For  the  person  ordained  mentions 
any  title  whatever,  and  promises  that  he  will  be  content  with  it. 
By  this  engagement  he  is  debarred  from  an  action  for  main- 
tenance. I  say  nothing  of  a  thousand  frauds  practised  in  this 
business;  as  when  some  falsely  exhibit  empty  titles  of  bene- 
fices, from  which  they  could  not  derive  five  pence  a  year ; 
others,  under  a  secret  stipulation,  borrow  benefices  which  they 
promise  to  return  immediately,  but  which,  in  many  instances, 
are  never  returned  ;  and  other  similar  mysteries. 

V.  But  even  though  these  grosser  abuses  were  removed,  is 
it  not  always  absurd  to  ordain  a  presbyter  without  assigning 
him  any  station  ?  For  they  ordain  no  one,  but  to  ofler  sacri- 
fice. Now,  the  legitimate  ordination  of  a  presbyter  consists  in 
a  call  to  the  government  of  the  Church,  and  that  of  a  deacon 
to  the  collection  of  the  alms.  They  adorn  their  procedure,  in- 
deed, with  many  pompous  ceremonies,  that  its  appearance  may 
gain  the  veneration  of  the  simple  ;  but  with  judicious  persons, 
what  can  be  gained  by  those  aj>pearances  unaccompanied  by 


CHAP,  v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  289 

any  solidity  or  truth  ?  For  they  use  ceremonies  either  derived 
from  Judaism,  or  invented  among  themselves,  from  which  it 
would  be  better  to  refrain.  But  as  to  any  real  examination, 
the  consent  oT  the  people,  and  other  necessary  things,  they  are 
not  mentioned.  The  shadow  they  retain  of  these  things,  I 
consider  not  worthy  of  notice.  By  shadow,  I  mean  those 
ridiculous  gesticulations,  used  as  a  dull  and  foolish  imitation  of 
antiquity.  The  bishops  have  their  vicars,  to  inquire  before 
an  ordination,  into  the  learning  of  the  candidates.  But  in 
what  manner  ?  They  interrogate  them,  whether  they  can 
read  their  masses :  whether  they  know  how  to  decline  some 
common  noun  that  may  occur  in  reading,  or  to  conjugate  a 
verb,  or  to  tell  the  meaning  of  a  word  ;  for  it  is  not  necessary 
for  them  to  know  how  to  give  the  sense  of  a  verse.  And  yet 
none  are  rejected  from  the  priesthood,  who  are  deficient  even 
in  these  puerile  elements,  provided  they  bring  some  present  or 
recommendation  to  favour.  In  the  same  spirit  it  is,  that  when 
the  persons  to  be  ordained  present  themselves  at  the  altar, 
some  one  inquires  three  times,  in  a  language  not  understood, 
whether  they  are  worthy  of  that  honour.  One  (who  never  saw 
them  before,  but,  that  no  part  of  the  process  might  be  wanting, 
acts  his  part  in  the  farce)  answers.  They  are  worthy.  What 
accusation  is  there  against  these  venerable  fathers,  but  that  by 
sporting  with  such  manifest  sacrileges  they  are  guilty  of  un- 
blushing mockery  of  God  and  men  ?  But  because  they  have 
been  long  in  possession  of  it,  they  suppose  it  is  now  become 
right.  For  whoever  ventures  to  open  his  mouth  against  these 
glaring  and  atrocious  enormities,  they  hurry  him  away  to  ex- 
ecution, as  if  he  had  committed  a  capital  crime.  Would  they 
do  this  if  they  believed  that  there  Avas  any  God  ? 

VI.  Now,  how  much  better  do  they  conduct  themselves  in 
the  collation  of  benefices?  —  a  thing  formerly  connected  with 
ordination,  but  now  entirely  separated  from  it.  The  ways  in 
which  this  business  is  managed,  are  various.  For  the  bishops 
are  not  the  only  persons  who  confer  benefices,  and  in  those  the 
collation  of  which  is  ascribed  to  them,  they  do  not  always 
possess  the  full  power,  but  while  they  retain  the  name  of  the 
collation  for  the  sake  of  honour,  the  presentation  belongs  to 
others.  Besides  these,  there  are  nominations  from  the  colleges, 
resignations  either  absolute  or  made  for  the  sake  of  exchange, 
commendatory  rescripts,  preventions,  and  the  like.  But  they 
all  conduct  themselves  in  such  a  manner,  that  no  one  can 
reproach  another  for  any  thing.  I  maintain  that  scarcely  one 
benefice  in  a  hundred,  in  all  the  Papacy,  is  at  present  conferred 
without  simony,  according  to  the  definition  which  the  ancients 
gave  of  that  crime.  I  do  not  say  that  they  all  purchase  with 
ready  money  ;  but  show  me  one  in  twenty  who  obtains  a 
VOL.  II.  37 


290  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

benefice  without  any  indirect  recommendation.  Some  are  pro- 
moted by  relationship,  others  by  aUiance,  others  by  the  influence 
of  parents,  others  gain  favour  by  their  services.  In  short,  the 
end  for  which  sacerdotal  offices  are  conferred,  is  rk>t  to  provide 
for  the  Churches,  but  for  the  persons  to  whom  they  are  given. 
And  therefore  they  call  them  benefices^  a  name  by  which  they 
sufficiently  declare  that  they  view  them  in  no  other  light  than 
as  donatives  of  princes,  by  which  they  either  conciliate  the 
favour  of  their  soldiers,  or  reward  their  services.  I  forbear 
to  remark  that  these  rewards  are  conferred  upon  barbers,  cooks, 
muleteers,  and  other  dregs  of  the  people.  And,  in  the  present 
day,  scarcely  any  litigations  make  more  noise  in  the  courts  of 
justice  than  those  respecting  benefices ;  so  that  they  may  be 
considered  as  a  mere  prey  thrown  out  for  dogs  to  hunt  after. 
Is  it  tolerable  even  to  hear  the  name  of  pastors  given  to  men 
who  have  forced  themselves  into  the  possession  of  a  Church,  as 
into  an  enemy's  farm  ;  who  have  obtained  it  by  a  legal  process  ; 
who  have  purchased  it  with  money ;  who  have  gained  it 
by  dishonourable  services ;  who,  while  infants  just  beginning 
to  lisp,  succeeded  to  it  as  an  inheritance  transmitted  by  their 
uncles  and  cousins,  and  sometimes  even  by  fathers  to  their  il- 
legitimate children  ? 

VII.  Would  the  licentiousness  of  the  people,  however  corrupt 
and  lawless,  ever  have  proceeded  to  such  a  length  ?  But  it  is 
still  more  monstrous  that  one  man  —  I  say  nothing  of  his  qualifi- 
cations, only  a  man  not  capable  of  governing  himself — should 
preside  over  the  government  of  five  or  six  Churches.  We 
may  now  see,  in  the  courts  of  princes,  young  men  who  hold 
one  archbishopric,  two  bishoprics,  and  three  abbeys.  It  is 
a  common  thing  for  canons  to  be  loaded  with  five,  six,  or 
seven  benefices,  of  which  they  take  not  the  least  care,  except 
in  receiving  the  revenues.  I  will  not  object  that  this  is  every 
where  condemned  by  the  word  of  God,  which  has  long  ceased 
to  have  the  least  weight  with  them.  I  will  not  object  tha. 
various  councils  have  made  many  very  severe  decrees  against 
such  disorder ;  for  these  also,  whenever  they  please,  they  fear- 
lessly treat  with  contempt.  But  I  maintain,  that  both  these 
things  are  execrable  enormities,  utterly  repugnant  to  God,  to 
nature,  and  to  the  government  of  the  Church — that  one  robber 
should  engross  several  Churches  at  once,  and  that  the  name 
of  ■pastor  should  be  given  to  one  who  could  not  be  present 
with  his  flock,  even  if  he  would  ;  and  yet,  such  is  their  impu- 
dence, they  cover  these  abominable  impurities  with  the  name 
of  the  Church,  in  order  to  exempt  them  from  all  censure.  And, 
moreover,  that  inviolable  succession,  to  the  merit  of  which  they 
boast  that  the  Church  owes  its  perpetual  preservation,  is  in- 
cluded  in  these  iniquities. 


CHAP,    v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  291 

VIII.  Now,  let  us  see  how  faithfully  they  exercise  their  office, 
which  is  the  second  mark  by  which  we  are  to  judge  of  a  legiti- 
mate pastor.  Of  the  priests  whom  they  create,  some  are  unonks^ 
others  are  Called  seculars.  The  former  of  these  classes  was 
unknown  to  the  ancient  Church,  and  to  hold  such  a  place  in 
the  Church  was  so  incompatible  with  the  monastic  profession, 
that  anciently,  when  any  one  was  chosen  from  a  monastery  to  be 
one  of  the  clergy,  he  ceased  to  be  a  monk.  And  even  Gregory, 
ill  whose  time  there  was  much  corruption,  yet  suffered  not  this 
confusion  to  take  place.  For  he  enjoined,  that  they  who  be- 
came abbots  should  be  divested  of  their  clerical  character  ;  for 
that  no  one  could  be  a  monk  and  a  clergyman  at  the  same  time, 
because  the  one  would  be  an  impediment  to  the  other.  Now, 
if  I  inquire  how  that  man  can  duly  discharge  his  office,  Avhom 
the  canons  declare  to  be  unfit  for  it,  what  answer  will  they 
make?  I  suppose  they  will  cite  those  abortive  decrees  of  Inno- 
cent and  Boniface,  by  which  monks  are  admitted  to  the  honour 
and  authority  of  the  priesthood,  so  that  they  may  still  remain 
in  their  monasteries.  But  what  reason  is  there,  that  any  illiterate 
ass,  as  soon  as  he  has  once  occupied  the  see  of  Rome,  should 
by  one  diminutive  word  overturn  all  the  usages  of  antiquity  ? 
But  of  this  we  shall  say  more  hereafter.  Suffice  it  at  present 
to  remark,  that  during  the  purer  times  of  the  Church,  it  was 
deemed  a  great  absurdity  for  a  monk  to  hold  the  office  of  a 
priest.  For  Jerome  denies  that  he  performed  the  office  of  a 
priest  while  he  lived  among  the  monks  ;  but  represents  himself 
as  one  of  the  people  who  ought  to  be  governed  by  the  priests. 
But  if  we  grant  them  this  point,  how  do  they  execute  their 
office  ?  There  are  some  of  the  mendicants,  and  a  few  of  the 
others,  who  preach.  All  the  rest  of  the  monks  either  chant  or 
mutter  over  masses  in  their  cloisters,  as  if  it  were  the  design 
of  Jesus  Christ  that  presbyters  should  be  appointed  for  this 
purpose,  or  as  if  the  nature  of  their  office  admitted  of  it.  While 
the  Scripture  clearly  testifies  that  it  is  the  duty  of  a  presbyter 
to  govern  his  own  Church,  [k)  is  it  not  an  impious  profanation 
to  transfer  to  another  object,  or  rather  to  make  a  total  change 
in,  God's  sacred  institution  ?  For  when  they  are  ordained  monks, 
they  are  expressly  forbidden  to  do  things  which  the  Lord  enjoins 
upon  all  presbyters.  This  direction  is  given  to  them :  Let  a 
monk  be  content  in  his  cloister,  and  not  presume  to  administer 
the  sacraments,  or  to  execute  any  other  branch  of  public  duty. 
Let  them  deny,  if  they  can,  that  it  is  a  glaring  mockery  of  God, 
to  create  a  presbyter  in  order  that  he  may  refrain  from  dischar- 
ging his  true  and  genuine  office,  and  to  give  a  man  the  name, 
who  cannot  possess  the  thing. 

(k)  Acts  XX.  28. 


292 


INSTITUTES    OF    THE 


IX.  I  proceed  to  the  seculars  ;  of  whom  some  are  called  bene- 
ficiaries^ that  is,  they  have  benefices  by  which  they  are  main- 
tained ;  others  hire  themselves  to  labour  by  the  day,  in  saying 
mass  or  singing,  and  live  on  the  wages  which  they  gain  from 
these  employments.  Benefices  are  either  attended  with  cure  of 
souls,  as  bishoprics  and  parishes ;  or  they  are  the  stipends  of 
delicate  men,  who  gain  a  livelihood  by  chanting,  as  prebends, 
canonries.  dignities,  chaplainships,  and  the  like.  But  in  the 
confusion  which  has  been  introduced,  abbeys  and  priories  are 
conferred  not  only  on  secular  priests,  but  also  on  boys,  by 
privilege,  that  is,  by  common  and  ordinary  custom.  As  to  the 
mercenaries,  who  seek  their  daily  sustenance,  how  could  they 
act  otherwise  than  they  do,  that  is,  to  offer  themselves  to  hire 
in  a  mean  and  shameful  manner ;  especially  among  such  a  vast 
multitude  as  now  swarms  in  the  world  ?  Therefore,  when 
they  are  ashamed  of  open  begging,  or  think  they  should  gain 
but  little  by  that  practice,  they  run  about  like  hungry  dogs, 
and  by  their  importunity,  as  by  barking,  extort  from  reluctant 
hands  some  morsels  to  put  into  their  mouths.  Here  if  I  should 
endeavour  to  describe  what  a  great  disgrace  it  is  to  the  Church, 
that  the  office  and  dignity  of  the  presbytery  has  been  so  de- 
graded, there  would  be  no  end.  My  readers,  therefore,  have 
no  reason  to  expect  from  me  a  long  discourse,  corresponding  to 
such  a  flagitious  enormity.  I  only  assert,  in  few  words,  that 
if  it  be  the  duty  of  a  presbyter,  as  the  word  of  God  prescribes, 
and  the  ancient  canons  require,  to  feed  the  Church  and  adminis- 
ter the  spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ,  (/)  all  those  priests  who 
have  no  work  or  wages,  except  in  making  merchandise  of 
masses,  not  only  fail  of  executing  their  office,  but  have  no 
legitimate  office  to  execute.  For  there  is  no  place  assigned  to 
them  to  teach ;  they  have  no  people  to  govern.  In  short, 
nothing  remains  to  them  but  the  altar  upon  which  to  offer  up 
Christ  in  sacrifice ;  and  this  is  not  sacrificing  to  God,  but  to 
demons,  as  we  shall  see  in  another  place. 

X.  Here  I  touch  not  on  the  external  vices,  but  only  on  the 
intestine  evil  which  is  deeply  rooted  in  their  institution,  and 
caimot  be  separated  from  it.  I  shall  add  a  remark,  which  will 
sound  harshly  in  their  ears,  but  because  it  is  true,  it  must  be 
expressed — that  canons,  deans,  chaplains,  provosts,  and  all  who 
are  supported  by  sinecures,  are  to  be  considered  in  the  same 
light.  For  what  service  can  they  perform  for  the  Church? 
They  have  discarded  the  preaching  of  the  word,  the  superin- 
tendence of  disci])line,  and  the  administration  of  the  sacraments, 
as  employments  attended  with  too  nuich  labour  and  trouble. 
What  have  they  remaining,  then,  to  boast  of  as  true  presbyters? 

(0  1  Cor.  iv.  1. 


CHAP,    v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  293 

They  have  chanting  and  the  pomp  of  ceremonies.  But  what 
is  all  this  to  the  purpose  ?  If  they  plead  custom,  usage,  pre- 
scription of  long  continuance,  I  will  confront  them  with  the 
decision  of  Christ,  where  he  has  given  us  a  description  of  true 
presbyters,  and  what  qualifications  ought  to  be  possessed  by 
those  who  wish  to  be  considered  as  such.  If  they  cannot  bear 
so  hard  a  law  as  to  submit  themselves  to  the  rule  of  Christ, 
let  them  at  least  allow  this  cause  to  be  decided  by  the  author- 
ity of  the  primitive  Church.  But  their  condition  will  not  be 
at  all  better,  if  we  judge  of  their  state  by  the  ancient  canons. 
Those  who  have  degenerated  into  canons,  ought  to  be  presby- 
ters, as  they  were  in  former  times,  to  govern  the  Church  in 
common  with  the  bishop,  and  to  be  his  colleagues  in  the  pas- 
toral office.  These  chapter  dignities,  as  they  call  them,  have 
nothing  to  do  with  the  government  of  the  Church  ;  much  less 
have  the  chaplainships,  and  the  other  dregs  of  similar  offices. 
In  what  estimation,  then,  shall  we  hold  them  all  ?  It  is  certain 
that  the  word  of  Christ  and  the  practice  of  the  ancient  Church 
agree  in  excluding  them  from  the  honour  of  the  presbytery. 
They  contend,  however,  that  they  are  presbyters;  but  the  mask 
must  be  torn  off.  Then  we  shall  find,  that  their  whole  pro- 
fession is  most  foreign  and  remote  from  the  office  of  presbyters, 
which  is  described  to  us  by  the  apostles,  and  which  was  re- 
quired in  the  primitive  Church.  AH  such  orders,  therefore,  by 
whatever  titles  they  may  be  distinguished,  since  they  are  of 
modern  invention,  or  at  least  are  not  supported  by  the  institu- 
tion of  God,  or  the  ancient  usage  of  the  Church,  ought  to  have 
no  place  in  a  description  of  the  spiritual  government,  which 
the  Church  has  received,  consecrated  by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
himself.  Or,  if  they  wish  me  to  use  plainer  language,  since 
chaplains,  canons,  deans,  provosts,  and  other  idlers  of  this 
description,  do  not  even  with  their  little  fingers  touch  a  parti- 
cle of  that  duty  which  is  necessarily  required  in  presbyters,  it 
is  not  to  be  endured  that  they  should  falsely  usurp  the  honour, 
and  thus  violate  the  sacred  institution  of  Jesus  Christ. 

XI.  There  remain  the  bishops  and  the  rectors  of  parishes, 
who  would  afford  me  great  pleasure  if  they  exerted  themselves 
to  support  their  office.  For  we  would  readily  admit  to  them, 
that  they  have  y  pious  and  honourable  office,  provided  they 
discharged  it.  But  when  they  wish  to  be  considered  as  pastors, 
notwithstanding  they  desert  the  churches  committed  to  them, 
and  transfer  the  care  of  them  to  others,  they  act  just  as  if  the 
office  of  a  pastor  consisted  in  doing  nothing.  If  a  usurer,  who 
never  stirred  his  foot  out  of  the  city,  should  profess  himself  a 
ploughman  or  vinedresser,  —  if  a  soldier,  who  had  spent  all  his 
time  in  the  camp  and  in  the  field  of  battle,  and  had  never  seen 
a  court  of  justice  or  books,  should  offer  himself  as  a  lawyer,  — 


294  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

who  could  endure  such  gross  absurdities  ?  But  these  men  act 
ill  a  mamicr  still  more  absurd,  who  wish  to  be  accounted  and 
called  legitimate  pastors  of  the  Church,  and  yet  are  not  willing 
to  be  so  in  reality.  For  how  few  of  them  are  there,  who 
execute  the  government  of  their  Chnrches  even  in  appearance ! 
Many  of  them  all  their  lifetime  devour  the  revenues  of  Churches, 
which  they  never  approach  even  to  look  at  them.  Others 
either  go  themselves,  or  send  an  agent  once  every  year,  that 
nothing  may  be  lost  by  farming  them  out.  When  this  abuse 
first  intruded  itself,  they  who  wislied  to  enjoy  this  kind  of  va- 
cation from  duty,  exempted  themselves  by  special  privileges. 
Now,  it  is  a  rare  case  for  any  one  to  reside  in  his  own  Church ; 
for  they  consider  their  Churches  as  no  other  than  farms,  over 
which  they  place  their  vicars,  as  bailiffs  or  stewards.  But  it  is 
repugnant  to  common  sense,  that  a  man  should  be  pastor  of  a 
flock,  who  never  saw  one  of  the  sheep. 

XII.  It  appears  that  some  seeds  of  this  evil  had  sprung  up 
in  the  time  of  Gregory,  and  that  the  rectors  of  Churches  began 
to  be  negligent  in  preaching  and  teaching;  for  he  heavily 
complains  of  it  in  the  following  passages  :  "  The  world  is  full 
of  priests ;  but  yet  there  are  few  labourers  found  in  the  har- 
vest ;  because  we  undertake  the  sacerdotal  oflice,  but  perform 
not  the  work  of  the  office. "  Again:  "  Because  they  have  no 
bowels  of  charity,  they  wish  to  be  considered  as  lords ;  they 
do  not  acknowledge  themselves  to  be  fathers.  They  change 
the  place  of  humility  into  an  aggrandizement  of  dominion," 
Again :  "  But,  O  ye  pastors,  what  are  we  doing,  who  receive 
the  wages  and  are  not  labourers  ?  We  have  fallen  into  extra- 
neous employments ;  we  undertake  one  thing,  and  perform 
another.  We  relinquish  the  office  of  preaching  ;  and  it  is  our 
misfortune,  I  conceive,  that  we  are  called  bishops,  since  we 
hold  a  title  of  honour,  but  not  of  virtue."  Since  he  uses  such 
severity  of  language  against  those  who  were  only  chargeable 
with  a  want  of  sufficient  assiduity,  or  diligence,  in  their  office, 
what  would  he  have  said,  if  he  had  seen  scarcely  any,  or  very 
few  of  the  bishops,  and  among  the  rest  hardly  one  in  a  hun- 
dred, ascend  a  pulpit  once  in  their  lives  ?  For  things  are 
come  to  such  a  pitch  of  frenzy,  that  it  is  generally  esteemed 
beneath  the  dignity  of  a  bishop  to  deliver  a  sermon  to  a  con- 
gregation. In  the  time  of  Bernard  there  had  been  some  de- 
clension ;  but  we  see  how  sharply  he  reproves  and  inveighs 
against  the  whole  body  of  the  clergy,  who,  it  is  probable, 
however,  were  far  less  corrupt  in  that  age  than  they  are  in  the 
present. 

XIII.  Now,  if  any  one  will  closely  observe  and  strictly  examine 
this  whole  form  of  ecclesiastical  government,  wliich  exists  at 
the  present  day  under  the  Papacy,  he  will  find  it  a  nest  of 


CHAP,    v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  295 

the  most  lawless  and  ferocious  banditti  in  the  world.  Every 
thing  in  it  is  clearly  so  dissimilar  and  repugnant  to  the 
institution  of  Christ,  so  degenerated  from  the  ancient  regu- 
lations and  usages  of  the  Church,  so  at  variance  with  na- 
ture and  reason,  that  no  greater  injury  can  be  done  to  Christ, 
than  by  pleading  his  name  in  defence  of  such  a  disorderly 
government.  We  (they  say)  are  the  pillars  of  the  Church,  the 
prelates  of  religion,  the  vicars  of  Christ,  the  heads  of  the  faith- 
ful, because  we  have  succeeded  to  the  power  and  authority  of 
the  apostles.  They  are  perpetually  vaunting  of  these  fooleries, 
as  if  they  were  talking  to  blocks  of  wood  ;  but  whenever  they 
repeat  these  boasts,  I  will  ask  them  in  return,  what  they  have  in 
common  with  the  apostles.  For  the  question  is  not  respect- 
ing any  hereditary  honour,  which  may  be  given  to  men  while 
they  are  asleep,  but  of  the  office  of  preaching,  which  they  so 
carefully  avoid.  So,  when  we  assert  that  their  kingdom  is  the 
tyranny  of  Antichrist,  they  immediately  reply,  that  it  is  that 
venerable  hierarchy,  which  has  been  so  often  commended  by 
great  and  holy  men.  As  though  the  holy  fathers,  when  they 
praised  the  ecclesiastical  hierarchy,  or  spiritual  government,  as 
it  had  been  delivered  to  them  by  the  hands  of  the  apostles, 
ever  dreamed  of  this  chaos  of  deformity  and  desolation,  where 
the  bishops  for  the  most  part  are  illiterate  asses,  unacquainted 
with  the  first  and  plainest  rudiments  of  the  faith,  or,  in  some 
instances,  are  children  just  out  of  leading-strings  ;  and  if  any  be 
more  learned,  —  which,  however,  is  a  rare  case,  —  they  consider  a 
bishopric  to  be  nothing  but  a  title  of  splendour  and  magnifi- 
cence ;  where  the  rectors  of  Churches  think  no  more  of  feeding 
the  flock,  than  a  shoemaker  does  of  ploughing ;  where  all 
things  are  confounded  with  a  dispersion  worse  than  that  of 
Babel,  so  that  there  can  no  longer  be  seen  any  clear  vestige  of 
the  administration  practised  in  the  time  of  the  fathers. 

XIV.  What  if  we  proceed  to  inquire  into  their  manners  ? 
"  Where  is  that  light  of  the  world,"  which  Christ  requires  ? 
where  that  '•  salt  of  the  earth  ?  "  (m)  where  that  sanctity,  which 
might  serve  as  a  perpetual  example  to  others  ?  There  is  no 
class  of  men  in  the  present  day  more  infamous  for  profusion, 
delicacy,  luxury,  and  profligacy  of  every  kind  ;  no  class  of 
men  contains  more  apt  or  expert  masters  of  every  species  of 
imposture,  fraud,  treachery,  and  perfidy  ;  nowhere  can  be  found 
equal  cunning  or  audacity  in  the  commission  of  crime.  I  say 
nothing  of  their  pride,  haughtiness,  rapacity,  and  cruelty ;  I 
say  nothing  of  the  abandoned  licentiousness  of  every  part  of 
their  lives ; — enormities  which  the  world  is  so  wearied  with 
bearing,  that  there  is  no  room  for  the  least  apprehension  lest  I 
should  be  charged  with  excessive  exaggeration. 

(m)  Matt.  V.  13,  14. 


296  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

assert,  which  it  is  not  in  their  power  to  deny  —  that  there  is 
scarcely  one  of  the  bishops,  and  not  one  in  a  hundred  of  the 
parochial  clergy,  who,  if  sentence  were  to  be  passed  upon  his 
conduct  according  to  the  ancient  canons,  would  not  be  excom- 
municated, or,  at  the  very  least,  deposed  from  his  ollice.  That 
ancient  discipline,  which  required  a  more  accurate  investiga- 
tion to  be  made  into  tlie  conduct  of  the  clergy,  has  so  long 
been  obsolete,  that  I  may  be  considered  as  making  an  incredi- 
ble assertion ;  but  such  is  the  fact.  Now,  let  all,  who  fight 
under  the  standards  and  auspices  of  the  Roman  see,  go  and 
boast  of  their  sacerdotal  order.  It  is  evident  that  the  order 
which  they  have  is  not  derived  from  Christ,  from  his  apostles, 
from  the  fathers,  or  from  the  ancient  Church. 

XV.  Now,  let  the  deacons  come  forward,  with  that  most 
sacred  distribution  which  they  have  of  the  property  of  the 
Church.  They  do  not  at  present,  however,  create  their  deacons 
for  any  such  purpose  ;  for  they  enjoin  them  nothing  but  to 
serve  at  the  altar,  to  say  or  chant  the  gospel,  and  do  I  know 
not  what  trifles.  Nothing  of  the  alms,  nothing  of  the  care  of  the 
poor,  nothing  of  the  whole  function  which  they  executed  in 
primitive  times.  I  speak  of  the  institution  itself.  For  if  we 
advert  to  the  fact,  it  is  now  become  no  office  at  all,  but  only  a 
step  towards  the  priesthood.  In  one  circumstance,  those  who 
act  the  part  of  a  deacon  at  the  mass,  exhibit  a  useless  and  frivo- 
lous resemblance  of  antiquity,  in  receiving  the  offerings  before 
the  consecration.  Now,  it  was  the  ancient  custom,  that  before 
the  communion  of  the  supper,  the  faithful  kissed  each  other, 
and  then  offered  their  alms  at  the  altar ;  thus  they  expressed 
their  charity,  first  by  a  sign,  and  then  by  active  beneficence. 
The  deacon,  who  was  steward  for  the  poor,  received  what  was 
given,  in  order  to  distribute  it.  Of  the  alms  given  at  present, 
no  more  reaches  the  poor  than  if  they  were  thrown  into  the  sea. 
This  false  appearance  of  deaconship,  therefore,  is  a  mockery  of 
the  Church.  It  contains  nothing  resembling  the  apostolic  in- 
stitution, or  the  ancient  usage.  Even  the  distribution  of  the 
property  they  have  turned  into  another  channel  ;  and  have 
ordered  it  in  such  a  way,  that  it  is  impossible  to  imagine  any 
thing  more  disorderly.  For  as  robbers,  after  having  murdered 
some  ill-fated  travellers,  divide  the  phnider  among  tliemselves, 
so  these  men,  after  having  extinguished  the  light  of  God's 
word,  and,  as  it  were,  cut  the  throat  of  the  Church,  hav^e  con- 
cluded that  whatever  had  been  dedicated  to  sacred  uses,  was 
abandoned  to  plunder  and  rapine.  They  have  therefore  made  a 
division  of  it,  and  every  one  has  seized  as  large  a  share  as  he 
could. 

XVI.  Here,  all  the  ancient  usages  which  we  have  described, 
have  not  only  been  disturbed,  but  entirely  expunged  and  abo- 


CHAP,    v.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  297 

lished.  The  principal  part  of  this  plunder  was  seized  by  the  bish- 
ops and  the  presbyters  of  cities,  who,  being  enriched  by  it,  were 
converted  into  canons.  That  the  partition  was  made  in  confu- 
sion is  evident  from  the  contentions  which  prevail  among  them, 
even  to  this  day,  about  their  respective  limits.  But,  however 
it  may  be  managed,  they  have  taken  care  that  not  a  penny  of 
all  the  property  of  the  Church  should  reach  the  poor,  who 
were  at  least  entitled  to  half  of  it.  For  the  canons  expressly 
allot  them  one  fourth  part,  and  assign  another  fourth  part  to  the 
bishops,  to  be  laid  out  in  hospitality  and  other  offices  of  charity. 
I  say  nothing  of  what  the  clergy  ought  to  do  with  their  portion, 
and  to  what  use  they  ought  to  apply  it.  The  residue,  which  is 
appropriated  to  the  reparation  of  temples,  edifices,  and  other  ex- 
penses, it  has  been  suificiently  shown,  ought  to  be  at  the  service 
of  the  poor  in  time  of  necessity.  If  they  had  a  single  spark  of  the 
fear  of  God  in  their  hearts,  could  they  bear  this  reflection  of 
conscience,  that  every  thing  they  eat,  and  drink,  and  wear,  is 
the  fruit  of  robbery,  and  even  of  sacrilege  ?  But  though  they  are 
little  affected  with  the  judgment  of  God,  they  should  at  least 
consider  that  those,  whom  they  wish  to  persuade  into  a  belief 
of  their  possession  of  such  an  excellent  and  well  regulated 
system  in  their  Church  as  they  are  accustomed  to  boast,  are 
men  endued  with  sense  and  reason.  Let  them  answer  me,  in  a 
word,  whether  deaconship  be  a  license  for  theft  and  robbery  ? 
If  they  deny  this,  they  will  also  be  obliged  to  confess,  that  they 
have  no  such  office  left  ;  seeing  that  among  them  the  whole 
administration  of  the  revenues  of  the  Church  has  been  openly 
perverted  into  a  system  of  sacrilegious  depredation. 

XVII.  But  here  they  advance  a  most  plausible  plea.  They 
allege  that  the  dignity  of  the  Church  is  becomingly  sustained 
by  this  magnificence.  And  such  is  the  impudence  of  some  of 
their  faction,  that  they  dare  to  boast  in  express  terms,  that  this 
princely  state  of  the  priesthood  constitutes  the  only  fulfilment 
of  those  predictions  in  which  the  ancient  prophets  describe  the 
splendour  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  It  is  not  in  vain,  they 
say,  that  God  has  made  the  following  promises  to  his  Church  : 
"  The  kings  of  Tarshish  and  of  the  isles  shall  bring  presents,' 
the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba  shall  offer  gifts.  Yea,  all  kings 
shall  fall  down  before  him."  (71)  "Awake,  awake  ;  put  on  thy 
strength,  0  Zion  ;  put  on  thy  beautiful  garments,  O  Jerusa- 
lem." (0)  "  All  they  from  Sheba  shall  come  ;  they  shall  bring 
gold  and  incense  ;  and  they  shall  show  forth  the  praises  of  the 
Lord.  All  the  flocks  of  Kedar  shall  be  gathered  together  unto 
thee."  (jp)  If  I  should  dwell  long  on  a  refutation  of  this  pre- 
sumption, I  fear  I  should  expose  myself  to  the  charge  of  folly. 

(re)  Psalm  Ixxii.  10,  11.  (0)  Isaiah  iii.  1.  (p)  Isaiah  Ix.  6,  7. 

VOL.  II.  38 


298  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

Therefore  I  am  not  inclined  to  spend  ray  words  in  vain.  But 
I  ask,  if  any  Jew  were  to  abuse  these  passages  in  the  same 
manner,  what  reply  would  they  make  to  him  ?  There  is  no 
doubt  but  they  would  reprove  his  stupidity,  in  transferring  to 
the  llesh  and  the  world  things  which  are  spiritually  spoken  of 
the  spiritual  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  For  we  know  that, 
under  the  image  of  earthly  things,  the  prophets  have  reja-e- 
sented  to  us  the  heavenly  glory  of  God,  which  ought  to  shine  in 
the  Ciuu'ch.  For  of  those  external  blessings  which  their  words 
express,  the  Church  never  had  less  abundance  than  in  the  days  of 
the  apostles  ;  and  yet  it  is  acknowledged  by  all  that  the  kingdom 
of  Christ,  then  flourished  in  its  greatest  vigour.  What,  then,  it 
will  be  asked,  is  the  meaning  of  these  passages?  I  reply,  that 
every  thing  precious,  high,  and  excellent,  ought  to  be  in  subjec- 
tion to  the  Lord.  In  regard  to  the  express  declaration,  that  kings 
shall  submit  their  sceptres  to  Christ,  cast  their  crowns  at  his  feet, 
and  consecrate  their  wealth  to  the  Church,  when  (they  will  say) 
was  it  more  truly  and  fully  exemplified,  than  when  Theodosius, 
casting  off  the  purple  robes,  and  relinquishing  the  ensigns  of 
imperial  majesty,  submitted  himself,  like  one  of  the  connnon 
people,  to  do  solemn  penance  before  God  and  the  Church  ?  than 
when  he  and  other  such  pious  princes  devoted  their  cares  and 
exertions  to  the  preservation  of  pure  doctrine  in  the  Church, 
and  to  the  support  and  protection  of  sound  teachers  ?  But 
how  far  the  priests  of  that  age  were  from  rioting  in  superfluous 
riches,  a  single  expression  of  the  Council  of  Aquileia,  at  which 
Ambrose  presided,  sufficiently  declares.  "  Poverty  is  honour- 
able in  the  priests  of  the  Lord."  It  is  true  that  the  bishops  at 
that  time  had  some  wealth,  which  they  might  have  employed 
to  display  the  honour  of  the  Church,  if  they  had  considered 
them  as  the  Church's  real  ornaments.  But  knowing  that  there 
was  nothing  more  inconsistent  with  the  office  of  pastors,  than 
to  display  and  to  pride  themselves  on  the  luxury  of  their  tables, 
the  splendour  of  their  apparel,  a  large  retinue,  and  magnificent 
palaces,  they  followed  and  maintained  the  humility  and  mo- 
desty, and  even  the  poverty  which  Christ  has  consecrated  in 
all  his  ministers. 

XVIII.  But  not  to  dwell  too  long  on  this  point,  let  us  again 
collect  into  a  brief  summary,  how  very  much  the  present  dis- 
pensation, or  rather  dissipation,  of  the  property  of  the  Church, 
differs  from  that  true  office  of  deacons,  which  the  word  of  God 
commends  to  us,  and  which  the  ancient  Church  observed. 
That  portion  M'hich  is  employed  in  the  ornaments  of  temples,  I 
assert,  is  grossly  misa])plicd,  if  it  be  not  regulated  by  that 
moderation  which  the  nature  of  sacred  things  requires,  and 
which  the  apostles  and  holy  fatheis  have  prescribed  both  by 
precept  and  by  examples.      But  what  is  there  seen  like  this,  in 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


299 


the  temples  at  the  present  day  ?  Whatever  is  conformable,  I 
do  not  say  to  that  primitive  frugality,  but  to  any  honourable 
mediocrity,  is  rejected;  Nothing  pleases,  but  what  savours  of 
the  profusion  and  corruption  of  the  present  times.  At  the  same 
time  they  are  so  far  from  feeling  any  just  concern  for  the  living 
temples,  that  they  would  suffer  thousands  of  the  poor  to  perish 
with  hunger,  rather  than  convert  the  smallest  chalice  or  silver 
pitcher  into  money,  to  relieve  their  wants.  And,  not  of  myself 
to  pronounce  any  thing  more  severe,  I  would  only  request  my 
jiious  readers  to  indulge  this  one  reflection.  If  it  could  happen 
that  Exuperius,  —  that  bishop  of  Toulouse  whom  we  have 
mentioned,  — if  Acacius,  if  Ambrose,  or  any  other  such,  —  should 
be  raised  from  the  dead,  what  would  they  say  ?  In  such 
extreme  necessity  of  the  poor,  they  surely  would  not  approve 
of  the  riches  of  the  Church  being  applied  to  another  use,  and 
that  an  unnecessary  one.  I  forbear  to  remark,  that  these  pur- 
poses for  which  they  are  employed,  even  if  there  were  no  poor, 
are  in  many  respects  injurious,  but  of  no  utility  whatever.  But 
I  will  not  appeal  to  the  authority  of  men.  The  property  has 
been  dedicated  to  Christ,  and  therefore  ought  to  be  dispensed 
according  to  his  will.  It  will  be  useless  for  them  to  allege,  that 
this  portion  has  been  employed  for  Christ,  which  they  have 
squandered  in  a  manner  inconsistent  with  his  command.  To 
confess  the  truth,  however,  there  is  not  much  of  the  ordinary 
revenue  of  the  Church  lost  in  these  expenses.  For  there  are  no 
bishoprics  so  opulent,  no  abbeys  so  rich,  in  short,  no  benefices 
so  numerous  or  ample,  as  to  satisfy  the  voraciousness  of  the 
priests.  Wishing  to  spare  themselves,  therefore,  they  induce 
the  people,  from  superstitious  motives,  to  take  what  ought  to  be 
bestowed  upon  the  poor,  and  apply  it  to  the  building  of 
temples,  the  erection  of  statues,  the  purchase  of  chalices  and 
shrines  for  relics,  and  the  provision  of  costly  vestments.  This 
is  the  gulf  which  swallows  up  all  the  daily  alms. 

XIX.  Of  the  revenue  which  they  derive  from  lands  and 
possessions,  what  can  I  say  more  than  I  have  already  said, 
and  which  is  evident  to  the  observation  of  all  men  ?  We  see 
with  what  fidelity  the  principal  portion  is  disposed  of  by  those 
who  are  called  bishops  and  abbots.  What  folly  is  it  to  seek 
here  for  any  ecclesiastical  order !  Was  it  reasonable  that  they, 
whose  life  ought  to  be  an  eminent  example  of  frugality,  mo- 
desty, temperance,  and  humility,  should  emulate  the  pomp  of 
princes,  in  the  number  of  their  attendants,  the  splendour  of 
their  palaces,  the  elegance  of  their  apparel,  and  the  luxury  of 
their  tables?  And  how  very  inconsistent  it  was  with  the  office 
of  those  whom  the  eternal  and  inviolable  decree  of  Godfoibids 
to  be  greedy  of  filthy  lucre,  (q)  and  commands  to  be  content 

(f)  Titus  i.  7. 


300  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

with  simple  fare,  not  only  to  lay  their  hands  upon  towns  and 
castles,  but  to  seize  on  the  largest  provinces,  and  even  to  as- 
sume the  reins  of  empire  !  If  they  despise  the  word  of  God, 
what  reply  will  they  make  to  those  ancient  decrees  of  councils, 
by  which  it  is  ordained  that  a  bishop  shall  have  a  small  house 
near  the  Church,  a  frugal  table,  and  humble  furniture  ?  What 
will  they  say  to  that  sentence  of  the  Council  of  Aquileia,  which 
declares  poverty  to  be  honourable  in  the  priests  of  the  Lord  ? 
For  the  direction  given  by  Jerome  to  Nepotian,  that  poor  persons 
and  strangers,  and  Christ  among  them,  should  be  familiar  guests 
at  his  table,  they  will  perhaps  reject  as  too  austere.  But  they 
will  be  ashamed  to  contradict  what  he  immediately  subjoins  — 
"  that  it  is  the  glory  of  a  bishop  to  provide  for  the  poor,  and 
the  disgrace  of  all  priests  to  seek  to  enrich  themselves."  Yet 
they  cannot  receive  this,  but  they  must  all  condemn  themselves 
to  ignominy.  But  it  is  not  necessary  to  pursue  them  with  any 
further  severity  at  present,  as  it  was  only  my  intention  to  show, 
that  the  legitimate  ofiice  of  deacon  has  long  been  entirely  abo- 
lished among  them,  to  prevent  their  continuing  to  pride  them- 
selves on  this  title,  for  the  purpose  of  recommending  their 
Church.     And  this  design,  I  think,  I  have  fully  accomplished. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE    PRIMACY    OF    THE    ROMAN    SEE. 

Hitherto  we  have  treated  of  those  ecclesiastical  orders  which 
existed  in  the  government  of  the  ancient  Church,  but  which 
afterwards,  in  process  of  time,  being  corrupted  and  gradually 
more  and  more  perverted,  now  in  the  Papal  Church  merely 
retain  their  names,  while  in  reality  they  are  nothing  but  masks. 
And  this  we  have  done,  that  by  the  comparison  the  pious 
reader  might  judge  what  sort  of  a  Church  the  Romanists  have, 
for  the  sake  of  which  they  represent  us  as  guilty  of  schism, 
because  wo  have  separated  from  it.  But  the  head  and  summit 
of  the  whole  establishment,  that  is,  the  primacy  of  the  Roman 
see,  by  which  they  endeavour  to  prove  that  the  Catholic  Church 
is  exclusively  theirs,  we  have  not  yet  touched  on  ;  because  it 
originated  neither  in  the  institution  of  Christ  nor  in  the  usage 
of  "the  ancient  Clnnch,  as  did  the  other  offices,  which  we  have 
shown  were  handed  down  from  antiquity,  but  since,  through  the 
corruption  of  the  times,  have  degenerated,  and  even  assumed 
altogether  a  new  form.      And  yet  they  endeavour  to  persuade 


CHAP.    VI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  301 

the  world,  that  the  principal  and  almost  only  bond  of  the  unity 
of  the  Church  is  adherence  to  the  see  of  Rome,  and  perseve- 
rance in  obedience  to  it.  This  is  the  foundation  on  which  they 
principally  rest,  when  they  wish  to  deny  us  all  claim  to  the 
Church,  and  to  arrogate  it  to  themselves  ;  that  they  retain  the 
head,  on  which  the  unity  of  the  Church  depends,  and  without 
which  it  must  be  torn  asunder  and  crumble  to  pieces.  For 
their  notion  is,  that  the  Church  is  like  a  mutilated  and  headless 
body,  unless  it  be  subject  to  the  Roman  see  as  its  head.  There- 
fore, when  they  dispute  respecting  their  hierarchy,  they  always 
commence  with  this  axiom,  that  the  Roman  pontiff,  as  the  vicar 
of  Christ,  who  is  Head  of  the  Church,  presides  over  the  universal 
Church  in  his  stead,  and  that  the  Chm'ch  cannot  be  well  con- 
stituted, unless  that  see  holds  the  primacy  above  all  others. 
Wherefore  it  is  necessary  to  discuss  this  subject  also,  that  nothing 
belonging  to  the  good  government  of  the  Church  maybe  omitted. 
II.  Let  the  question,  therefore,  be  stated  thus  :  Whether  it  be 
necessary  to  the  true  system  of  what  they  call  the  hierarchy  or 
government  of  the  Church,  that  one  see  should  have  the  preemi- 
nence above  all  the  rest  in  dignity  and  power,  so  as  to  be  the 
head  of  the  whole  body.  Now,  we  subject  the  Church  to  very 
unreasonable  laws,  if  we  impose  this  necessity  upon  it  without 
the  word  of  God.  Therefore,  if  our  adversaries  wish  to  gain 
their  cause,  it  is  necessary  for  them,  in  the  first  place,  to  show 
that  this  economy  was  instituted  by  Christ.  For  this  purpose 
they  allege  the  high-priesthood  ordained  in  the  law,  and  the 
supreme  jurisdiction  of  the  high-priest  which  God  appointed 
at  Jerusalem.  But  it  is  easy  to  give  an  answer  to  this,  or, 
indeed,  various  answers,  if  they  would  not  be  satisfied  with 
one.  In  the  first  place,  there  is  no  reason  for  extending  to  the 
whole  world  what  was  useful  in  a  single  nation  ;  on  the  contrary, 
the  case  of  a  single  nation  and  that  of  the  whole  world  are 
widely  different.  Because  the  Jews  were  surrounded  on  all 
sides  with  idolaters,  God,  in  order  to  prevent  their  being  dis- 
tracted by  a  variety  of  religions,  fixed  the  seat  of  his  worship  in 
the  centre  of  the  country,  and  there  he  set  over  them  one  prin- 
cipal priest,  to  whom  they  were  all  to  be  subject,  for  the  better 
preservation  of  unity  among  them.  Now,  when  the  true 
religion  has  been  diffused  over  the  whole  world,  who  does  not 
perceive  it  to  be  utterly  absurd  to  assign  the  government  of  the 
east  and  west  to  one  man  ?  It  is  just  as  if  it  were  contended, 
that  the  whole  world  ought  to  be  governed  by  one  magistrate, 
because  there  is  only  one  in  a  small  district.  But  there  is 
another  reason  why  this  ought  not  to  be  made  a  precedent  for 
imitation.  Every  one  knows  that  the  Jewish  high-priest  was 
A  type  of  Christ :  now  that  the  priesthood  has  been  transferred, 
that  right  must  also  be  transferred.     To  whom,  then,  is  it  trans- 


302  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

ferred  ?  Certainly  not  to  the  pope,  as  he  impudently  presumes 
to  boast,  when  he  assumes  this  title  to  himself;  but  to  Christ, 
who  exercises  that  office  alone  without  vicar  or  successor,  and 
resigns  the  honour  to  no  other.  For  this  priesthood,  which 
was  prefigured  in  the  law,  consists  not  only  in  preaching  or 
doctrine,  but  in  the  propitiation  of  God,  which  Christ  eftected 
in  his  death,  and  in  that  intercession  which  he  is  now  making 
with  the  Father. 

III.  There  is  no  reason,  therefore,  why  they  should  confine 
us  to  this  example,  as  if  it  were  a  law  perpetually  binding, 
whereas  we  see  it  was  only  of  temporary  duration.  From  the 
New  Testament  they  have  nothing  to  adduce  in  support  of  their 
opinion,  but  that  it  was  said  to  one,  "  Thou  art  Peter  ;  and 
upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  Church."  (r)  Again  :  "  Peter, 
lovest  thou  me?  Feed  my  sheep."  (s)  But  to  render  these 
proofs  substantial,  it  is  necessary  for  them  first  to  show  that  he 
who  is  commanded  to  feed  the  flock  of  Christ,  is  invested  with 
authority  over  all  Churches,  and  that  binding  and  loosing  are  no 
other  than  governing  the  whole  world.  But  as  Peter  had  re- 
ceived the  command  from  the  Lord  to  feed  the  Church,  so  he  ex- 
horts all  other  presbyters  to  do  the  same,  (t)  Hence  it  is  easy  to 
infer,  that  this  charge  of  Christ  conferred  nothing  peculiar  upon 
Peter  beyond  others,  or  that  Peter  communicated  equally  to 
others  the  right  which  he  had  received.  But,  not  to  dispute  to 
no  purpose,  we  have  in  another  place,  from  the  mouth  of  Christ 
himself,  a  clear  explanation  of  what  he  intends  by  binding  and 
loosing,  namely,  "  remitting  and  retaining  shis."  (y)  The  man- 
ner of  binding  and  loosing  is  shown  by  the  whole  tenor  of 
Scripture,  andparticularly  by  Paul,  when  he  says  that  the  minis- 
ters of  the  gospel  have  received  a  commission  to  reconcile  men 
to  God,  (w)  and  that  they  have  authority  to  inflict  punishment 
on  those  who  shall  reject  this  favour,  (.r) 

lY.  How  grossly  they  pervert  those  passages  which  make 
mention  of  binding  and  loosing,  I  have  hinted  before,  and  shall 
hereafter  have  to  state  more  at  large.  At  present  it  is  worth 
while  to  see  what  they  can  extract  from  that  celebrated  an- 
swer of  Christ  to  Peter.  He  promised  him  "  the  keys  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven."  He  said,  "Whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind 
on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven."  {ij)  If  we  can  agree  re- 
specting the  word  keys,  and  the  manner  of  binding,  all  dispute 
will  immediately  cease.  For  the  pope  himself  will  readily 
relinquish  the  charge  committed  to  the  apostles,  which,  being 
full  of  labour  and  trouble,  would  deprive  him  of  his  pleasures 
without  yielding  him  any  profit.     Smce  it  is  the   doctrine  of 

(r)  Matt.  xvi.  18.  (s)  John  xx\.  16.  (0  1  Peter  v.  2.         (v)  John  xx.  23. 

(ir)  2  Cor.  v.  18.  (z)  2  Cor.  x.  6.  (y)  Matt.  xvi.  19. 


CHAP.    VI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  303 

the  gospel  that  opens  heaven  to  us,  it  is  beautifully  expressed 
by  the  metaphorical  appellation  of  keys.  —  There  is  no  other 
way  in  which  men  are  hoiuid  and  loosed,  than  when  some  are 
reconciled  to  God  by  faith,  and  others  arc  more  firmly  bound 
by  their  unbelief.  If  the  pope  assumed  nothing  but  this  to 
himself,  I  am  persuaded  there  is  no  man  who  would  either 
envy  him  or  contend  with  him.  —  But  this  succession  being 
laborious,  and  by  no  means  lucrative,  and,  therefore,  not  at  all 
satisfactory  to  the  pope,  hence  arises  a  controversy  on  the 
meaning  of  Christ's  promise  to  Peter.  Therefore  I  infer  from 
the  subject  itself,  that  it  only  denotes  the  dignity  of  the  apos- 
tolic office,  which  cannot  be  separated  from  the  burden  of  it. 
For  if  the  definition  which  I  have  given  be  admitted, — and  it 
cannot  without  the  greatest  effrontery  be  rejected,  —  then  here  is 
nothing  given  to  Peter  that  was  not  also  common  to  his  col- 
leagues ;  because  otherwise  there  would  not  only  be  a  personal 
injury  done  to  them,  but  the  majesty  of  the  doctrine  would  be 
diminished.  This  our  adversaries  strenuously  oppose.  But 
what  does  it  avail  them  to  strike  upon  this  rock  ?  For  they 
can  never  prove,  but  that  as  the  preaching  of  the  same  gospel 
was  enjoined  upon  all  the  apostles,  so  they  were  all  equally 
armed  with  the  power  of  binding  and  loosing.  They  allege 
that  Christ,  when  he  promised  to  give  the  keys  to  Peter,  con- 
stituted him  head  of  the  universal  Church.  But  what  he  there 
promised  to  one,  he  in  another  passage  confers  upon  all  the 
rest  together,  and  delivers  it,  as  it  were,  into  their  hands,  (z) 
If  the  same  power,  which  had  been  promised  to  one,  was 
granted  to  all,  in  what  respect  is  he  superior  to  his  colleagues  ? 
His  preeminence,  they  say,  consists  in  this — that  he  receives 
separately  by  himself,  as  well  as  in  common  with  them,  that 
which  is  only  given  to  the  others  in  common.  What  if  I  reply, 
with  Cyprian  and  Augustine,  that  Christ  did  this,  not  to  prefer 
one  man  before  others,  but  to  display  the  unity  of  the  Church  ? 
For  this  is  the  language  of  Cyprian  :  "  That  in  the  person  of 
one  man  God  gave  the  keys  to  them  all,  to  signify  the  unity 
of  them  all  ;  that,  therefore,  the  rest  were,  the  same  as  Peter, 
endued  with  an  equal  participation  both  of  honour  and  of 
power ;  but  that  Christ  commences  with  one,  to  show  that  the 
Church  is  one."  Augustme  says,  ''If  there  had  not  been  in 
Peter  a  mysterious  representation  of  the  Church,  the  Lord 
would  not  have  said  to  him,  I  will  give  thee  the  keys  :  for  if 
this  was  said  to  Peter  alone,  the  Church  possesses  them  not ; 
but  if  the  Church  has  the  keys,  Peter,  when  he  received  them, 
must  have  represented  the  whole  Church."  And  in  another 
place  :  "  When  a  question  was  put  to  them  all,  Peter  alone  an- 
swers, Thou  art  the  Christ ;  and  to  him  Christ  says,  I  will  give 

(z)  Matt,  xviii.  18.     John  xx.  23. 


304  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

thee  the  keys,  as  if  the  power  of  bhiding  and  loosing  had  been 
conferred  upon  him  alone  ;  whereas  he  made  that  answer  on 
behalf  of  all,  and  received  this  power  in  common  with  all,  as 
sustaining  the  character  of  unity.  He  is  mentioned,  therefore, 
one  for  all.  because  there  is  unity  in  all." 

V.  But  this  declaration,  "  Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  Church,"  (a)  they  say,  is  no  where  to  be 
found  addressed  to  any  other.  As  if  in  this  passage  Christ 
affirmed  any  thing  respecting  Peter,  different  from  what  Paul, 
and  even  Peter  himself,  asserts,  respecting  all  Christians.  For 
Paul  makes  "Christ  the  chief  corner-stone,"  upon  which  they 
are  built  who  "grow  unto  a  holy  temple  in  the  Lord."  (6) 
And  Peter  enjoins  us  to  be  "as  lively  stones,"  who,  being 
founded  on  that  "  corner-stone,  elect  and  precious,"  (c)  are  by 
this  connection  at  once  united  to  our  God  and  to  each  other. 
This  belongs  to  Peter,  they  say,  above  the  rest,  because  it  is 
expressly  attributed  to  him  in  particular.  1  readily  allow 
Peter  the  honour  of  being  placed  among  the  first  in  the  struc- 
ture of  the  Church,  or,  if  they  insist  upon  it,  the  very  first  of 
all  the  faithful ;  but  I  will  not  permit  them  to  infer  from  this  that 
he  possessed  a  primacy  over  the  rest.  For  what  kind  of  rea- 
soning is  this  :  he  excels  the  rest  in  ardour  of  zeal,  in  doctrine, 
in  magnanimity  ;  therefore  he  possesses  authority  over  them  ? 
As  though  we  might  not  with  greater  plausibility  conclude 
that  Andrew  was  superior  to  Peter,  because  he  preceded  him 
in  time,  and  introduced  him  to  Christ ;  (d)  but  this  I  pass  over. 
I  am  willing  that  Peter  should  have  the  precedence,  but  there 
is  a  great  difference  between  the  honour  of  preceding  others, 
and  authority  over  them.  We  see  that  the  apostles  generally 
paid  this  deference  to  Peter,  that  he  used  to  speak  first  in  their 
assembly,  and  took  the  lead  in  proposing,  exhorting,  and  ad- 
monishing ;  but  we  read  not  a  word  of  his  power. 

VI.  We  are  not  yet,  however,  come  to  that  question  ;  T  only 
mean  at  present  to  show,  that  they  have  no  solid  argument,  when 
they  wish  to  erect  an  empire  over  the  universal  church  upon  no 
other  foundation  than  the  name  of  Peter.  For  those  antiquated 
fooleries  with  which  they  endeavoured  at  first  to  impose  on  the 
world,  are  not  worthy  of  a  relation,  much  less  of  a  refutation  — 
that  the  Church  was  founded  on  Peter,  because  it  is  said,  "  Upon 
this  rock  I  will  build  my  Church."  (e)  They  allege  in  their 
defence,  that  it  has  been  so  explained  by  some  of  the  fathers. 
But  when  this  is  contradicted  by  the  whole  tenor  of  Scripture, 
what  avails  it  to  set  up  their  authority  in  opposition  to  God  ? 
And  why  do  we  dispute  about  the  meaning  of  those  words,  as 
though  they  were  ambiguous  or  obscure  ?  whereas  nothing  can 

(a)  Matt.  xvi.  18.  (b)  Epli.  ii.  21,  22.  (r)  1  Peter  ii.  4,  5. 

(d)  John  i.  40—42.  (e)  Matt.  xvi.  IS. 


CHAP.  VI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  305 

be  expressed  with  greater  clearness  or  precision.  Peter,  in 
his  own  name  and  that  of  his  brethren,  had  confessed  that  Christ 
was  "the  Son  of  God."  (/)  Upon  this  rock  Christ  builds  his 
Church,  because  it  is  the  only  foundation,  as  Paul  says,  "  other  " 
than  which  "can  no  man  lay."  (g-)  Nor  do  I  reject  the  au- 
thority of  the  fathers  in  this  case,  from  a  want  of  testimonies 
in  their  writings  to  support  what  I  maintain,  if  I  were  inclined 
to  adduce  them.  But  as  I  have  observed,  I  am  unwilling  to 
be  unnecessarily  tedious  to  my  readers  in  arguing  so  clear  a 
subject ;  especially  as  it  has  been  long  ago  discussed  with 
sufficient  copiousness  and  care  by  other  writers  on  our  side  of 
the  question. 

VII.  Yet,  in  fact,  we  can  obtain  no  better  decision  of  this 
point  than  from  the  Scripture  itself,  if  we  compare  all  the  places 
where  it  shows  what  office  and  power  Peter  held  among  the 
apostles,  how  he  conducted  himself,  and  in  what  manner  he 
was  received  by  them.  On  an  examination  of  the  whole,  we 
shall  only  find  that  he  was  one  of  the  twelve,  equal  to  the  rest, 
their  companion,  not  their  master.  He  proposes  to  the  assembly 
indeed,  if  there  be  any  thing  to  be  done,  and  delivers  his  opin- 
ion on  what  is  necessary  to  be  done  ;  but  he  hears  the  observa- 
tions ot  others,  and  not  only  gives  them  the  opportunity  of  speak- 
ing their  sentiments,  but  leaves  them  to  decide,  and  when  they 
have  determined,  he  follows  and  obeys,  (h)  When  he  writes 
to  pastors,  he  does  not  command  them  with  authority  like  a 
superior ;  but  makes  them  his  colleagues,  and  exhorts  them 
with  a  courteousness  which  is  usual  among  equals,  (i)  When 
he  is  accused  for  having  associated  with  the  Gentiles,  though 
this  is  an  unjust  accusation,  yet  he  answers  it,  and  vindicates 
himself,  (k)  Commanded  by  his  colleagues  to  go  with  John 
to  Samaria,  he  refuses  not.  (l)  The  apostles,  by  sending  him, 
declared  that  they  did  not  consider  him  as  their  superior.  By 
his  compliance  and  undertaking  the  commission  intrusted  to 
him,  he  confessed  that  he  was  a  colleague  with  them,  but  had 
no  authority  over  them.  If  none  of  these  facts  had  remained 
upon  record,  yet  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  might  alone 
easily  remove  every  doubt ;  where  Paul  devotes  nearly  two 
whole  chapters  to  the  sole  purpose  of  showing  that  he  was 
equal  to  Peter  in  the  dignity  of  the  apostleship.  Hence  he 
relates  that  he  went  to  Peter,  not  to  profess  subjection  to  him, 
but  to  testify  to  all  the  harmony  of  their  doctrine ;  and  that 
Peter  required  no  such  thing  as  submission,  but  gave  him  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship,  that  they  might  labour  together  in 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  ;  that  no  less  grace  had  been  conferred 

(/)  Matt.  xvi.  16.  (/()  Acts  xv.  6—29.  (k)  Acts  xi.  2,  &c. 

(g)   1  Cor.  iii.  11.  (/)  1  Peter  v.  1.  (/)  Acts  viii.  14,  15. 

VOL.  II.  39 


306  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

upon  him  among  the  Gentiles,  than  upon  Peter  among  the 
Jews  ;  and  lastly,  that  when  Peter  acted  with  some  degree  of 
unfaithfulness,  he  was  reproved  by  him,  and  stood  corrected 
by  the  reproof,  (w)  All  these  things  fully  prove,  either  that 
there  was  an  equality  between  Paul  and  Peter,  or  at  least  that 
Peter  had  no  more  power  over  the  rest  than  they  had  over  him. 
And  this,  as  I  have  already  observed,  is  the  professed  object  of 
Paul  —  to  prevent  his  being  considered  as  inferior  in  his  apos- 
tolic character  to  Peter  or  John,  who  were  his  colleagues,  not 
his  masters. 

VIII.  But  though  I  grant  them  what  they  require  respecting 
Peter,  by  admitting  that  he  was  the  chief  of  the  apostles,  and 
superior  in  dignity  to  all  the  others,  yet  there  is  no  reason  why 
they  should  convert  a  particular  instance  into  a  universal  rule, 
and  make  what  was  done  but  once  a  perpetual  precedent ;  for 
the  cases  are  widely  ditierent.  There  was  one  chief  among 
the  apostles  ;  doubtless  because  they  were  few  in  number.  If 
there  be  one  president  over  twelve  men,  will  it  therefore  follow 
that  there  ought  to  be  but  one  president  over  a  hundred  thou- 
sand men  ?  That  twelve  should  have  one  among  them  to 
preside  over  the  rest,  is  no  wonder.  For  this  is  consistent 
with  nature,  and  the  common  sense  of  mankind  requires,  that 
in  every  assembly,  even  though  they  are  all  equal  in  power, 
yet  there  should  be  one  to  act  as  moderator,  by  whom  the 
others  should  be  regulated.  There  is  no  court,  council,  parlia- 
ment, or  assembly  of  any  description,  which  has  not  its  presi- 
dent or  chairman.  So  there  would  be  no  absurdity,  if  we 
acknowledged  that  the  apostles  gave  this  preeminence  to  Peter. 
But  that  which  obtains  among  a  small  company  is  not  imme- 
diately to  be  applied  to  the  whole  world,  to  the  government  of 
which  no  one  man  is  sufficient.  But  the  whole  economy  of 
nature,  they  say,  teaches  us,  that  there  ought  to  be  one  su- 
preme head  over  all.  And  in  proof  of  this  they  adduce  the 
example  of  cranes  and  bees,  which  always  choose  for  them- 
selves one  leader,  and  no  more.  I  admit  the  examples  which 
they  produce ;  but  do  bees  collect  together  from  all  parts  of 
the  world  to  choose  one  king  ?  Each  king  is  content  with  his 
own  hive.  So,  among  cranes,  every  tlock  has  its  own  leader. 
What  will  they  prove  from  this,  but  that  every  Church  ought 
to  have  its  own  bishop  ?  Next  they  call  us  to  consider  exam- 
ples from  civil  govermncnts.  They  quote  an  observation  from 
Homer,  that  it  is  not  good  to  have  many  governors,  with  simi- 
lar passages  of  other  profane  writers  in  commendation  of  monar- 
chy. The  answer  is  easy;  for  monarchy  is  not  praised  by 
Ulysses  in  Homer,  or  by  any  others,  from  an  opinion  that  one 

(m)  Gal.  i.  2. 


CHAP.    VI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  307 

king  ought  to  govern  the  whole  world.  Their  meaning  is, 
that  one  kingdom  does  not  admit  of  two  kings,  and  that  no 
prince  can  bear  a  partner  in  his  throne. 

IX.  Bat  supposing  it  to  be,  as  they  contend,  good  and 
useful  that  the  whole  world  should  be  comprehended  in  one 
monarchy,  which,  however,  is  a  monstrous  absurdity ;  but  if 
this  were  admitted,  I  should  not,  therefore,  grant  the  same  system 
to  be  applicable  to  the  government  of  the  Church.  For  the 
Church  has  Christ  for  its  sole  Head,  under  whose  sovereignty  we 
are  all  united  together,  according  to  that  order  and  form  of  gov- 
ernment which  he  himself  has  prescribed.  They  offer  a  gross 
insult  to  Christ,  therefore,  when  they  assign  the  preeminence 
over  the  universal  Church  to  one  man,  under  the  pretence 
that  it  may  not  be  destitute  of  a  head.  For  ''  Christ  is  the 
head ;  from  whom  the  whole  body,  fitly  joined  together,  and 
compacted  by  that  which  every  joint  supplieth,  according  to 
the  effectual  working  in  the  measure  of  every  part,  maketh 
increase  of  the  body.  "  (w)  We  see  how  he  places  all  men, 
without  exception,  in  the  body,  reserving  to  Christ  alone  the 
honour  and  name  of  head.  We  see  how  he  assigns  to  all 
the  members  respectively  a  certain  measure,  and  a  determi- 
nate and  limited  function ;  so  that  the  perfection  of  grace,  as 
well  as  the  supreme  power  of  government,  resides  in  Christ 
alone.  I  am  aware  of  their  usual  cavil  in  evasion  of  this 
argument  —  that  Christ  is  properly  styled  the  sole  Head,  be- 
cause he  alone  governs  by  his  own  authority  and  in  his  own 
name,  but  that  this  is  no  reason  why  there  may  not  be  under 
him  another  7ninisterial  head,  as  their  phrase  is,  to  act  as  his 
vicegerent  on  earth.  But  they  gain  nothing  by  this  cavil, 
except  they  first  prove  that  this  ministry  was  ordained  by 
Christ.  For  the  apostle  teaches,  that  all  the  subordinate  minis- 
tration is  distributed  among  the  members,  but  that  the  power 
proceeds  from  that  one  heavenly  Head,  (o)  Or,  if  they  wish 
me  to  speak  in  plainer  terms,  since  the  Scripture  declares 
Christ  to  be  the  Head,  and  ascribes  this  honour  to  him  alone, 
it  ought  not  to  be  transferred  to  any  other,  except  to  one 
whom  Christ  himself  has  appointed  his  representative.  But 
such  an  appointment  is  not  only  nowhere  to  be  found,  but 
may  be  abundantly  refuted  by  various  passages. 

X.  Paul  gives  us  a  lively  description  of  the  church  on 
various  occasions,  but  without  making  any  mention  of  its 
having  one  head  upon  earth.  On  the  contrary,  from  the  de- 
scription which  he  gives,  we  may  rather  infer  that  such  a 
notion  is  foreign  from  the  institution  of  Christ.  Christ,  at 
his  ascension,  withdrew  from  us  his  visible  presence;    never- 

(ji)  Eph.  iv.  15,  16.  (o)  Eph.  i.  22 ;  iv.  15 ;  v.  23.     Col.  i.  18  :  ii.  10. 


308  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    ir. 

theless  ''he  ascended  that  he  might  fill  all  thhigs."  ( p)  He 
is  still,  therefore,  present,  and  will  always  continue  present 
with  the  Church.  With  a  view  to  show  us  the  manner  in 
which  he  manifests  himself,  Paul  calls  our  attention  to  the 
offices  which  he  employs.  There  is  "one  Lord,"  he  says,  "  in 
you  all.  Bat  unto  every  one  of  us  is  given  grace  according 
to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ.  And  he  gave  some, 
apostles ;  and  some,  evangelists ;  and  some,  pastors  and  teach- 
ers." (q)  Why  does  he  not  say,  that  he  has  appointed  one 
to  preside  over  all  as  his  vicegerent  ?  For  his  subject  abso- 
lutely required  it,  and  it  ought  by  no  means  to  have  been 
omitted,  if  it  had  been  true.  "Christ,"  he  says,  "  is  present 
Avith  us."  How?  "By  the  ministry  of  men  whom  he  has 
appointed  to  the  government  of  the  Church."  Why  not 
rather,  "  By  the  ministerial  head,  to  whom  he  has  delegated 
his  authority  ?  "  He  mentions  a  unity;  but  it  is  in  God,  and 
in  the  faith  of  Christ.  He  attributes  nothing  to  men  but  a  com- 
mon ministry,  and  to  every  individual  his  particular  share.  In 
that  commendation  of  unity,  after  having  said,  "  There  is  one 
body,  one  Spirit,  one  hope  of  your  calling,  one  Lord,  one  faith, 
one  baptism,"  (r)  why  has  he  not  likewise  immediately  added, 
"one  supreme  pontiti'  to  preserve  the  Church  in  unity  ?  "  For 
if  it  had  been  true,  nothing  could  have  been  more  proper. 
Let  that  passage  be  duly  considered.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
he  intends  there  a  representation  of  the  sacred  and  spiritual 
government  of  the  Church,  which  has  since  received  the  name 
of  hierarchy.  Monarchy  among  ministers,  or  the  government 
of  one  over  all  the  rest,  he  not  only  does  not  mention,  but 
indicates  that  there  is  no  such  thing.  There  is  no  doubt  also 
that  he  meant  to  express  the  nature  of  the  union,  by  which  the 
faithful  are  connected  with  Christ  their  Head.  Now,  he  not 
only  makes  no  mention  of  any  ministerial  head,  but  attri- 
butes to  every  one  of  the  members  a  particular  operation,  ac- 
cording to  the  measure  of  grace  distributed  to  each.  Nor  is 
there  any  foundation  for  their  far-fetched  argument  from  a 
comparison  of  the  heavenly  and  earthly  hierarchy  ;  for,  in  judg- 
ing of  the  former,  it  is  not  safe  to  go  beyond  the  discoveries 
of  the  Scripture,  and  in  constituting  the  latter,  it  is  not  right 
to  follow  any  other  model  than  that  which  the  Lord  himself 
has  delineated  in  his  word. 

XI.  Now,  though  I  should  make  them  another  concession, 
which  they  will  never  obtain  from  judicious  persons,  that  the 
primacy  of  the  Church  was  established  in  Peter,  and  to  be 
continued  by  a  perpetual  succession,  how  will  they  prove  that 
ts  seat  was  fixed  at  Rome,  so  that  whoever  is  bishop  of  that 

(p)  Eph.  iv.  10.  ((/)  Eph.  iv.  5—7, 11.  (r)  Eph.  iv.  4,  5. 

V 


CHAP.    VI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  309 

city  must  preside  over  the  whole  world  ?  By  what  right  do 
they  restrict  to  one  place  this  dignity,  which  was  conferred 
without  the  mention  of  any  place  ?  Peter,  they  say,  lived 
and  died  at  Rome.  What  shall  we  say  of  Christ  himself? 
Was  it  not  at  Jerusalem  that  he  exercised  the  office  of  a  bishop 
while  he  lived,  and  fulfilled  the  priestly  office  by  his  death? 
The  Prince  of  pastors,  the  supreme  Bishop,  the  Head  of  the 
Church,  could  not  obtain  this  honour  for  the  place  where  he 
lived  and  died  ;  how  then  could  Peter,  who  was  far  inferior  to 
him  ?  Are  not  these  follies  worse  than  puerile  ?  Christ  gave 
the  honour  of  primacy  to  Peter  ;  Peter  settled  at  Rome  ;  there- 
fore he  fixed  the  seat  of  the  primacy  in  that  city.  For  the 
same  reason  the  ancient  Israelites  ought  to  have  fixed  the  seat 
of  their  primacy  in  the  desert,  because  it  was  there  that  Moses, 
their  chief  teacher,  and  the  prince  of  their  prophets,  exercised 
his  ministry,  and  died. 

XII.  Let  us  see  how  wretchedly  they  reason.  Peter,  they 
say,  had  the  preeminence  among  the  apostles.  Therefore, 
the  Church  in  which  he  settled  ought  to  have  this  privilege. 
But  where  was  he  first  stationed  ?  They  reply,  at  Antioch. 
Then  I  infer  that  the  Church  of  Antioch  is  justly  entitled  to 
the  primacy.  They  confess  that  it  was  originally  the  first, 
but  allege  that  Peter,  on  his  removal  from  it,  transferred  the 
honour  which  was  attached  to  him  to  Rome.  Foi  there  is  an 
epistle  of  Pope  Marcellus  to  the  presbyters  of  Antiocli,  in  which 
he  says,  "  The  see  of  Peter  was  at  first  among  you,  but  at  the 
command  of  the  Lord  was  afterwards  removed  to  this  city." 
So  the  Church  of  Antioch,  which  was  originally  the  first,  has 
given  place  to  the  see  of  Rome.  But  I  ask.  By  what  oracle 
did  that  wise  pope  know  that  the  Lord  had  commanded  this  ? 
For  if  this  cause  is  to  be  decided  on  the  footing  of  right,  it  is 
necessary  for  them  to  answer,  whether  this  privilege  be  per- 
sonal, or  real,  or  mixed.  It  must  be  one  of  these.  If  they 
affirm  it  to  be  personal,  then  it  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
place.  If  they  allege  it  to  be  real,  then  when  it  has  once 
been  given  to  a  place,  it  cannot  be  taken  away  from  it  by 
the  death  or  removal  of  the  person.  It  remains,  therefore, 
for  them  to  declare  it  to  be  mixed  ;  and  then  it  will  not 
be  sufficiently  simple  to  consider  the  place,  unless  there  be  an 
agreement  also  with  respect  to  the  person.  Let  them  choose 
which  they  will,  I  shall  immediately  conclude,  and  will  easily 
prove,  that  the  assumption  of  the  primacy  by  the  see  of  Rome 
is  without  any  foundation. 

XIII.  Let  us  suppose  the  case,  however,  that  the  primacy 
was,  as  they  pretend,  transferred  from  Antioch  to  Rome.  Why 
did  not  Antioch  retain  the  second  place  ?  For,  if  Rome  has 
the  preeminence  of  all  other  sees,  because  Peter  presided  there 


310  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

till  the  close  of  his  life,  to  what  city  shall  the  second  place 
be  assigned,  but  to  that  which  was  his  first  see  ?  How  came 
Alexandria,  then,  to  have  the  precedence  of  Antioch  ?  Is  it 
reasonable  that  the  Church  of  a  mere  disciple  should  be  supe- 
rior to  the  see  of  Peter  ?  If  honour  be  due  to  every  Church 
according  to  the  dignity  of  its  founder,  what  shall  we  say 
of  the  other  Churches  ?  Paul  mentions  three  apostles,  "  who 
seemed  to  be  pillars,  James,  Peter,  and  John."  (s)  If  the 
first  place  be  given  to  the  see  of  Rome,  in  honour  of  Peter, 
are  not  the  second  and  third  places  due  to  Ephesus  and  Jeru- 
salem, the  sees  of  John  and  James  ?  But  among  the  patri- 
archates, Jerusalem  had  the  last  place  ;  Ephesus  could  not  be 
allowed  even  the  farthest  corner.  Other  Churches  also,  as  well 
those  which  were  founded  by  Paul,  as  those  over  which  the 
other  apostles  presided,  were  left  without  any  distinction.  The 
see  of  Mark,  who  was  only  one  of  the  disciples,  obtained  the 
honour.  Either  let  them  confess  that  this  was  a  preposterous 
arrangement,  or  let  them  concede  to  us,  that  it  is  not  a  perpetu- 
al rule,  that  every  Church  should  be  entitled  to  the  degree  of 
honour  which  was  enjoyed  by  its  founder. 

XIV.  All  that  they  say  of  the  settlement  of  Peter  in  the 
Church  of  Rome  appears  to  me  of  very  questionable  authority. 
The  statement  of  Eusebius,  that  he  presided  there  twenty- 
five  years,  may  be  refuted  without  any  difficulty.  For  it 
appears,  from  the  first  and  second  chapter  to  the  Galatians,  that 
about  twenty  years  after  the  death  of  Christ,  he  was  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  that  from  thence  he  went  to  Antioch,  where  he  re- 
mained for  some  time,  but  it  is  not  certain  how  long.  Gregory 
says  seven  years,  and  Eusebius  twenty-five.  But  from  the 
death  of  Christ  to  the  end  of  the  reign  of  Nero,  under  whom 
they  affirm  Peter  to  have  been  slain,  there  were  only  thirty-seven 
years.  For  our  Lord  suffered  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  the 
reign  of  Tiberius.  If  we  deduct  twenty  years,  during  which, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  Peter  dwelt  at  Jerusalem, 
there  will  remain  only  seventeen  years,  which  must  now  be 
divided  between  those  two  bishoprics.  If  he  continued  long 
at  Antioch,  he  could  not  have  resided  at  Rome,  except  for  a 
very  short  time.  This  point  is  susceptible  of  still  clearer  proof. 
Paul  wrote  his  Epistle  to  the  Romans  on  a  journey  when  he 
was  going  to  Jerusalem,  (t)  where  he  was  seized,  and  from 
whence  lie  was  sent  to  Rome.  It  is  probable,  therefore,  that 
this  Epistle  was  written  four  years  before  his  arrival  at  Rome. 
Yet  it  contains  no  mention  of  Peter ;  which  ought  on  no  ac 
count  to  have  been  omitted,  if  he  had  presided  over  that  Church. 
And  in  the  conclusion,  where  he  recites  a  long  catalogue  of 

(*■)  Gal.  ii.  9.  (0  Rom.  xv.  2o. 


CHAP.  VI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  311 

pious  persons  to  whom  he  sends  his  sahitations,  where,  in  short, 
he  enumerates  all  that  were  known  to  him,  he  still  says  not  a 
M^ord  of  Peter,  (v)  It  is  unnecessary  to  use  any  long  or  laboured 
arguments  with  persons  of  sound  judgment ;  for  the  case  itself, 
and  the  whole  argument  of  the  Epistle  proclaims,  that  if  Peter 
had  been  at  Rome,  he  ought  not  to  have  been  omitted. 

XV.  Paul  was  afterwards  brought  as  a  prisoner  to  Rome. 
Luke  says  that  he  was  received  by  the  brethren,  but  says 
nothing  of  Peter,  (lo)  From  that  city  Paul  wrote  to  several 
Churches.  In  some  of  these  epistles  he  introduces  salutations, 
in  the  names  of  certain  brethren  who  were  with  him  ;  but  they 
contain  not  a  single  word  implying  that  Peter  was  there  at  that 
time.  Who  will  think  it  credible  that,  if  he  had  been  there, 
Paul  could  have  passed  him  over  in  total  silence  ?  Moreover, 
in  his  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  after  having  said  that  he  had 
no  one  who  discovered  such  sincere  concern  respecting  the 
work  of  the  Lord  as  Timothy,  he  complains  that  "  all  seek 
their  own."(.2:)  And  to  Timothy  himself  he  makes  yet  a 
heavier  complaint :  "  At  my  first  answer  no  man  stood  with 
me,  but  all  men  forsook  me."  (ij)  Where  was  Peter  then  ? 
For  if  they  say  that  he  was  at  Rome,  how  deep  is  the  igno- 
miny which  Paul  fixes  upon  him,  that  he  was  a  deserter  of  the 
gospel  ?  For  he  is  speaking  of  the  faithful,  because  he  adds 
his  prayer,  "  that  it  may  not  be  laid  to  their  charge."  How 
long,  then,  and  at  what  time,  did  Peter  hold  that  see  ?  It  will 
be  said,  it  is  the  uniform  opinion  of  ancient  writers,  that  he 
governed  that  Church  till  his  death.  But  those  writers  them- 
selves are  not  agreed  who  was  his  successor.  Some  say  it  was 
Linus;  and  others,  Clement.  They  likewise  relate  many  ab- 
surd and  fabulous  stories  respecting  the  disputation  held  between 
him  and  Simon  Magus.  And  Augustine,  when  treating  of 
superstitions,  acknowledges  that  the  custom,  which  obtained  at 
Rome,  of  not  fasting  on  the  day  on  which  Peter  gained  the 
victory  over  Simon  Magus,  arose  from  an  opinion  entertained 
without  any  sufficient  authority.  In  the  last  place,  the  trans- 
actions of  that  age  are  so  perplexed  by  a  variety  of  representa- 
tions, that  we  must  not  give  implicit  credit  to  every  thing  that 
is  recorded.  Yet,  in  consequence  of  this  agreement  of  the 
ancient  writers,  I  will  not  dispute  his  having  died  at  Rome  ; 
but  that  he  was  bishop  there,  and  especially  for  any  considera- 
ble time,  is  what  I  cannot  be  persuaded  to  believe.  Nor  am  I 
anxious  respecting  this  point,  because  Paul  testifies  that  the 
apostleship  of  Peter  particularly  belonged  to  the  Jews,  and  that 
his  own  was  directed  to  us.  To  add  our  confirmation,  there- 
fore, to   the  compact  which  they  established  between  them- 

(r)    Rom.  xvi.  (x)  Phil.  ii.  20,  21. 

,  {w)  Acts  xxviii.  15.  {y)  2  Tim.  iv.  16. 


312  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

selves,  or  rather  to  admit  the  validity  of  the  ordinance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  it  becomes  us  rather  to  look  up  to  the  apostleship 
of  Paul  than  to  that  of  Peter.  For  their  different  provinces 
were  allotted  to  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  sent  Peter  to 
the  Jews,  and  Paul  to  us.  Tlie  Romanists,  therefore,  may  seek 
for  their  primacy  elsewhere,  but  not  in  the  word  of  God,  which 
affords  not  the  least  foundation  for  it. 

XVI,  Let  us  now  proceed  to  show,  that  our  adversaries 
have  no  more  reason  for  boasting  of  the  authority  of  the  an- 
cient Church  than  of  the  testimony  of  the  word  of  God.  For 
when  they  bring  forward  this  principle,  that  the  unity  of  the 
Church  cannot  be  preserved,  unless  it  have  one  supreme  head 
upon  earth,  to  whom  all  the  members  should  be  subject,  and 
that,  therefore,  the  Lord  gave  the  primacy  to  Peter,  and  after- 
wards by  right  of  succession,  to  the  see  of  Rome,  that  it  might 
remain  there  to  the  end  of  time,  —  they  also  assert  that  this  has 
been  the  usage  from  the  beginning.  Now,  as  they  grossly 
pervert  various  testimonies,  I  would  first  make  this  preliminary 
remark.  I  do  not  deny  that  the  ancient  writers  uniformly 
give  great  honour  to  the  Roman  Church,  and  speak  of  it  in 
respectful  terms.  This  I  consider  as  arising  principally  from 
three  causes.  In  the  first  place,  that  opinion  which,  I  know 
not  how,  had  been  received,  that  it  had  been  founded  and  set- 
tled by  the  ministry  of  Peter,  operated  very  powerfully  to  gain 
it  credit  and  authority,  and,  therefore,  among  the  Western 
churches  it  was  called  the  Apostolic  See.  In  the  second  place, 
because  it  was  the  capital  of  the  empire ;  and  on  this  account 
it  is  probable  that  it  contained  men  superior  in  learning  and 
prudence,  skill  and  experience,  to  those  of  any  other  place  ; 
due  regard  was  paid  to  this  circumstance,  that  the  glory  of  the 
city  and  other  far  more  excellent  gifts  of  God  might  not  appear 
to  be  undervalued.  In  the  third  place,  while  the  Eastern  and 
Greek  Churches,  and  even  those  in  Africa,  were  agitated  by 
numerous  dissensions  of  opinion  among  themselves,  the  Church 
of  Rome  was  more  peaceable  and  less  disturbed.  Hence  it 
happened,  that  pious  and  holy  bishops,  on  being  expelled  from 
their  sees,  frequently  resorted  thither,  as  to  an  asylum  or  port 
of  safety.  For  as  the  people  of  Europe  have  less  subtlety  and 
activity  of  mind  than  the  inhabitants  of  Asia  and  Africa,  so 
they  are  not  so  volatile  or  desirous  of  novelty.  It  considerably 
increased  the  authority  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  therefore,  that 
in  those  uncertain  times  it  was  not  so  much  .agitated  as  the 
other  Churches,  and  was  more  tenacious  of  the  doctrine 
which  it  had  once  received  than  all  the  rest,  as  we  shall  pre- 
sently show  more  at  large.  On  account  of  these  three  causes, 
I  say,  it  was  held  in  more  than  common  respect,  and  received 
many  honourable  testimonies  from  ancient  writers.  , 


CHAP.    VI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  313 

XVIT.  But  when  our  adversaries  wish  to  make  this  a  reason 
for  ascribing  to  that  Church  the  primacy  aud  sovereign  power 
over  otiier  Cliurclies,  they  run,  as  1  have  ah-eady  observed, 
into  a  gross  error.  To  make  this  the  more  evident,  I  will  first 
briefly  show  what  the  ancient  writers  thought  respecting  this 
unity,  on  which  our  opponents  so  urgently  insist.  Jerome, 
writing  to  Nepotian,  after  having  enumerated  many  examples 
of  unity,  at  length  descends  to  the  hierarchy  of  the  Church. 
''  Every  Church,"  he  says,  "  has  its  distinct  bishop,  archpresby- 
ter,  and  archdeacon,  and  all  the  order  of  the  Church  depends  upon 
its  governors."  This  is  the  language  of  a  Roman  priest,  re- 
commending unity  in  the  order  of  the  Church.  Why  does  he 
not  mention  that  all  Churches  are  connected  together  under  one 
head,  as  by  a  common  bond  ?  Nothing  would  have  been 
more  in  favour  of  his  argument ;  nor  can  it  be  pretended  that 
he  omitted  it  for  want  of  recollection ;  he  would  most  readily 
have  mentioned  it,  if  the  fact  had  permitted  him.  It  is  be- 
yond all  doubt,  therefore,  that  he  saw  this  to  be  the  true  kind 
of  unity,  which  is  most  excellently  described  by  Cyprian  in 
the  following  passage :  "  There  is  only  one  bishopric,  of  which 
every  bishop  holds  an  integral  part ;  and  there  is  but  one 
Church,  which  is  widely  extended  into  a  multitude  by  the  off- 
spring of  its  fertility.  As  the  sun  has  many  rays,  but  only  one 
light ;  as  a  tree  has  many  branches,  but  only  one  trunk,  fixed 
on  a  firm  root ;  and  as  many  rivers  issue  from  one  spring,  and 
notwithstanding  the  number  of  the  streams  in  which  its  over- 
flowing abundance  is  diffused,  yet  the  unity  of  the  source 
remains  the  same;  —  so  also  the  Church,  illuminated  with  the 
light  of  the  Lord,  extends  its  rays  over  the  whole  earth,  yet  it 
is  one  and  the  same  light  which  is  universally  diffused,  nor  is 
the  unity  of  the  body  destroyed.  It  stretches  its  branches,  it 
pours  out  its  ample  streams,  all  over  the  world ;  yet  there  is 
but  one  root,  and  one  source."  Again  :  "  The  spouse  of  Christ 
cannot  be  corrupted  ;  she  acknowledges  one  Master,  and  pre- 
serves her  fidelity  to  him  inviolate."  We  see  how  he  attri- 
butes the  universal  bishopric,  which  comprehends  the  whole 
Church,  to  Christ  alone,  and  says  that  integral  portions  of  it 
are  confided  to  all  those  who  discharge  the  episcopal  office 
under  this  head.  Where  is  the  primacy  of  the  see  of  Rome, 
if  the  universal  bishopric  be  vested  in  Christ  alone,  and  every 
bishop  hold  an  integral  portion  of  it  ?  My  object,  in  these 
quotations,  has  been,  to  convince  the  reader,  by  the  way,  that 
this  principle,  which  the  Romanists  assume  as  an  admitted  and 
indubitable  maxim,  namely,  that  the  unity  of  the  Church  re- 
quires the  supremacy  of  some  earthly  head,  was  altogether 
unknown  to  the  ancients. 
VOL.  II.  40 


314  INSTITUTES     OF    THE  [dOOK:    IV. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  RISE  AND  PROGRESS  OF  THE  PAPAL  POWER  TO  ITS  PRESENT 
EMINENCE,  ATTENDED  WITH  THE  LOSS  OF  LIBERTY  TO 
THE    CHURCH,    AND    THE    RUIN    OF    ALL    MODERATION, 

In  support  of  the  antiquity  of  the  primacy  of  the  see  of  Rome, 
there  is  nothing  to  be  found  anterior  to  the  decree  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  Nice,  by  which  the  bishop  of  Rome  is  allotted  the  first 
place  among  the  patriarchs,  and  is  directed  to  superintend  the 
neighbouring  Churches.  When  the  council  makes  a  distinction 
between  him  and  the  other  patriarchs,  so  as  to  assign  to  all  their 
respective  limits,  it  clearly  does  not  constitute  him  the  head  of 
them  all,  but  only  makes  him  one  of  the  principal.  Vitus  and 
Vincentius  attended  the  council  on  the  behalf  of  Julius,  who 
at  that  time  presided  over  the  Church  of  Rome.  They  were 
seated  in  the  fourth  place.  If  Julius  had  been  acknowledged 
as  the  head  of  the  Church,  would  his  representatives  have  been 
degraded  to  the  fourth  seat  ?  Would  Athanasius  have  presided 
in  a  general  council,  where  the  form  of  the  hierarchical  system 
ought  most  particularly  to  have  been  observed  ?  In  the  council 
of  Ephesus,  it  appears  that  Celestine,  who  was  then  bishop  of 
Rome,  made  use  of  a  disingenuous  artifice  to  secure  the  dignity 
of  his  see.  For  when  he  sent  his  legates  thither,  he  requested 
Cyril,  patriarch  of  Alexandria,  who  was  otherwise  to  preside,  to 
act  on  his  behalf.  For  what  purpose  could  this  request  be 
made,  but  that  his  name  might,  at  any  rate,  occupy  the  first 
place  ?  For  his  legates  sat  in  a  lower  station,  were  asked  their 
sentiments  among  others,  and  subscribed  in  their  order ;  at  the 
same  time  the  patriarch  of  Alexandria  united  Celestine's  name 
with  his  own.  What  shall  I  say  of  the  second  Council  of 
Ephesus,  where,  though  the  legates  of  Leo  were  present,  yet 
Dioscorus,  patriarch  of  Alexandria,  presided  as  in  his  own  right  ? 
They  will  object,  that  this  was  not  an  orthodox  council,  be- 
cause it  condemned  Flavianus,  a  holy  man,  bishop  of  Constan- 
tinople, and  acquitted  Eutyches,  and  sanctioned  his  heresy. 
But  when  the  council  was  assembled,  and  the  bishops  took 
their  respective  seats,  it  is  certain  that  the  legates  of  the  Roman 
Church  were  present  among  the  others,  as  in  a  holy  and  legitimate 
council.  Yet  they  contended  not  for  the  first  place,  but  yielded 
it  to  another,  which  they  would  not  have  done  if  they  had 
considered  it  as  belongiug  to  them.  For  the  bishops  of  Rome 
have  never  been  ashamed  of  raising  the  greatest  contentions  for 
their  dignity,  and  they  have  not  hesitated,  on  this  account  alone, 
to  harass  and  agitate  the  Church  with  various  and  pernicious 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  315 

controversies.  But  because  Leo  saw  that  it  would  be  too  pre- 
sumptuous a  demand  to  require  the  first  place  for  his  legates, 
therefore  he  waived  it. 

II.  Next  follows  the  Council  of  Chalcedon,  in  which,  by  the 
permission  of  the^emperor,  the  legates  of  the  Roman  Church 
occupied  the  first  place.  But  Leo  himself  confessed  that  this  was 
an  extraordinary  privilege.  For  when  he  requested  it  from 
Marcian  the  emperor,  and  Pulcheria  the  empress,  he  did  not 
pretend  it  to  be  his  right,  but  only  alleged,  in  support  of  his 
claim,  that  the  Eastern  bishops  who  presided  in  the  Council  of 
Ephesus  had  thrown  every  thing  into  confusion,  and  abused 
their  power.  Since  it  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  have  a  dis- 
creet moderator,  and  it  was  improbable  that  those  who  had  once 
been  so  unsteady  and  disorderly  would  be  fit  for  the  office,  he 
requested  that,  on  account  of  the  misconduct  and  incompetence 
of  the  others,  the  task  of  presiding  should  be  transferred  to  him. 
That  which  is  sought  as  a  special  privilege  and  an  exception  to 
a  common  custom,  certainly  does  not  arise  from  a  general  rule. 
Where  the  only  pretext  is,  that  it  was  necessary  to  have  a  new 
president,  because  the  former  ones  had  violated  their  duty,  it  is 
evident  that  this  had  not  been  the  case  before,  and  it  ought  not  to 
be  per])ctual,  but  was  merely  done  in  the  contemplation  of 
present  danger.  The  bishop  of  Rome,  therefore,  had  the  first 
place  ij)  the  Council  of  Chalcedon,  not  because  it  was  the  right 
of  his  see,  but  because  the  council  was  in  want  of  a  discreet 
and  suitable  president,  in  consequence  of  those  to  whom  that 
honour  belonged  having  excluded  themselves  from  it  by  their 
own  intemperance  and  violence.  And  what  I  say  was  proved, 
in  fact,  by  Leo's  successor.  For  when  he  sent  his  legates  to 
the  fifth  Council  of  Constantinople,  which  was  held  a  considera- 
ble time  after,  he  contended  not  for  the  first  seat,  but  without 
any  difficulty  sufiered  it  to  be  taken  by  Menna,  patriarch  of 
Constantinople.  So  in  the  Coimcil  of  Carthage,  at  which  Au- 
gustine was  present,  the  place  of  president  was  filled  by  Aurelius, 
archbishop  of  that  city,  and  not  by  the  legates  of  the  Roman 
see,  though  the  express  object  of  their  attendance  was  to  support 
the  authority  of  the  Roman  pontifi'.  And,  moreover,  there  was 
a  general  council  held  in  Italy,  at  which  the  bishop  of  Rome  was 
not  present.  This  was  the  Council  of  Aquileia,  at  which  Am- 
brose presided,  who  was  then  in  high  credit  with  the  emperor. 
There  was  no  mention  made  of  the  bishop  of  Rome.  We  see, 
therefore,  that  the  dignity  of  Ambrose  caused  the  see  of  Milan  at 
that  time  to  have  the  precedence  above  that  of  Rome. 

III.  With  respect  to  the  title  of  primacy,  and  other  titles  of 
pride,  of  which  the  pope  now  strangely  boasts,  it  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  judge  when  and  in  what  manner  they  were  introduced. 
Cyprian,  bishop  of  Carthage,  makes  frequent  mention  of  Cor- 


316  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK  IV. 

nelius,  who  was  bishop  of  Rome.  He  distmguishes  him  by 
no  other  appellation  than  that  of  brother,  or  fellow  bishop, 
or  colleague.  But  when  he  writes  to  Stephen,  the  successor 
of  CorneHus,  he  not  only  treats  him  as  equal  to  himself  and 
others,  but  even  addresses  him  with  considerable  severity, 
charging  him  at  one  time  with  arrogance,  and  at  another  vi^-ith 
ignorance.  Since  the  time  of  Cyprian,  we  know  what  was 
the  decision  of  the  whole  African  Church  on  this  subject.  For 
the  Council  of  Carthage  prohibited  that  any  one  should  be 
called  "  the  prince  of  priests,"  or  "  the  first  bishop,"  but  only 
"  the  bishop  of  the  first  see."  But  any  one  who  examines  the 
more  ancient  records,  will  find  that  at  that  time  the  bishop  of 
Rome  was  content  withtlie  common  appellation  of  brother.  It 
is  certain  that  as  long  as  the  Church  retained  its  true  and  un- 
corrupted  form,  all  those  names  of  pride,  which  in  succeeding 
times  have  been  insolently  usurped  by  the  Roman  see,  were 
altogether  unknown :  nothing  was  heard  of  a  supreme  pontiff 
or  a  sole  head  of  the  Church  upon  earth.  And  if  the  bishop 
of  Rome  had  been  presumptuous  enough  to  make  any  such 
assumption,  there  were  judicious  men  who  would  immediately 
have  repressed  his  folly.  Jerome,  being  a  Roman  presbyter, 
was  not  reluctant  to  assert  the  dignity  of  his  Church  as  far  as 
matter  of  fact  and  the  state  of  the  times  admitted  ;  yet  we  see 
how  he  also  reduces  it  to  an  equality  with  others.  "  If  it  be  a 
question  of  authority,"  he  says,  "  the  world  is  greater  than  a 
city.  Why  do  you  allege  to  me  the  custom  of  a  single  city  ? 
Why  do  you  set  up  a  few  instances,  which  have  given  rise  to 
pride,  against  the  laws  of  the  Church  ?  Wherever  there  is  a 
bishop,  whether  at  Rome,  at  Eugubium,  at  Constantinople,  or 
at  Rhegium,  he  is  of  the  same  dignity  and  of  the  same  priest- 
hood. The  power  of  riches,  or  the  abasement  of  poverty,  makes 
no  bishop  superior  or  inferior  to  another." 

IV.  Respecting  the  title  of  imiversal  bishop,  the  first  con- 
tention arose  in  the  time  of  Gregory,  and  was  occasioned  by 
the  ambition  of  John,  bishop  of  Constantinople.  For  he  want- 
ed to  make  himself  universal  bishop  —  an  attempt  which  had 
never  been  made  by  any  one  before.  In  that  controversy 
Gregory  does  not  plead  against  this  as  the  assumption  of  a 
right  which  belonged  to  himself,  but  resolutely  protests  against 
it  altogether,  as  a  profane  and  sacrilegious  application,  and  even 
as  the  forerunner  of  Antichrist.  He  says,  "  If  he  who  is  called 
universal  falls,  the  foundation  of  the  whole  Church  sinks  at 
once."  In  another  place  :  "  It  is  a  most  melancholy  thing  to 
hear  with  any  patience,  that  our  brother  and  companion  in  the 
episcopal  office  should  look  down  with  contempt  on  all  others, 
and  be  called  sole  bishop.  But  what  does  this  pride  of  his 
indicate,  but  that  the  times  of  Antichrist  are  already  at  hand? 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  317 

For  indeed  he  imitates  him,  who,  despising  the  society  of  an- 
gels, endeavoured  to  usurp  supreme  power  to  himself."  In 
another  place,  writing  to  Eulogius,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  and 
Anastasius,  bishop  of  Antioch,  he  says,  "None  of  my  prede- 
cessors would  ever  use  this  profane  word.  For  if  one  patriarch 
be  called  universal^  the  name  of  patriarch  is  taken  away  from 
all  the  rest.  But  far  be  it  from  any  Christian  heart  to  wish  to 
arrogate  to  himself  any  thing  that  would  in  the  least  degree 
diminish  the  honour  of  his  brethren.  To  consent  to  that  exe- 
crable term  is  no  other  than  to  destroy  the  faith.  Our  obliga- 
tion to  preserve  the  unity  of  the  faith  is  one  thing,  and  to 
repress  the  haughtiness  of  pride  is  another.  But  I  confidently 
assert,  that  whoever  calls  himself  universal  bishop,  or  desires 
to  be  so  called,  in  such  aggrandizement  is  the  precursor  of  An- 
tichrist, because  he  proudly  sets  up  himself  above  all  others." 
Again,  to  Anastasius,  bishop  of  Antioch :  "I  have  said  that 
the  bishop  of  Constantinople  can  have  no  peace  with  us,  unless 
he  would  correct  the  haughtiness  of  that  superstitious  and 
proud  title  which  has  been  invented  by  the  first  apostate ;  and 
to  say  nothing  of  the  injury  done  to  your  dignity,  if  one  bishop 
be  called  wiivei'sal,  Avhen  he  falls,  the  whole  Church  sinks  at 
once."  But  his  assertion  that  this  honour  was  otfered  to  Leo 
in  the  Council  of  Chalcedon  has  not  the  least  appearance  of 
truth.  For  there  is  not  a  word  of  this  in  the  acts  of  that 
council.  And  Leo  himself,  who  in  many  of  his  epistles  cen- 
sures the  decree  passed  there  in  favour  of  the  see  of  Constanti- 
nople, would  certainly  not  have  passed  over  this  argument, 
which  would  have  been  the  most  plausible  of  all,  if  that  honour 
had  really  been  offered  to  him,  and  he  had  refused  it ;  and, 
having  otherwise  an  immoderate  thirst  for  honour,  he  would 
not  readily  have  omitted  a  circumstance  so  much  to  his  praise. 
Gregory  was  mistaken,  therefore,  in  supposing  that  title  to 
have  been  given  to  the  see  of  Rome  by  the  Council  of  Chalce- 
don. I  forbear  to  remark  how  ridiculous  il  is  for  him  to 
assert  that  the  holy  council  conferred  such  a  t  tie,  which  he  at 
the  same  time  declares  was  profane,  execrable,  abominable, 
proud,  and  sacrilegious,  and  even  invented  by  the  devil,  and 
published  by  the  herald  of  Antichrist.  And  yet  he  adds  that 
his  predecessor  refused  it,  lest,  by  the  dignity  given  to  one 
individual,  all  other  bishops  should  be  deprived  of  the  honou-r 
due  to  them.  In  another  place  he  says,  "  No  one  has  ever 
wished  to  be  called  by  such  a  name ;  no  one  has  arrogated  to 
himself  this  presumptuous  title  ;  lest,  by  assuming  to  himself 
the  exclusive  dignity  of  supreme  bishop,  he  might  seem  to 
deny  the  episcopal  honour  to  all  his  brethren." 

V.    I  come  now  to  the  jurisdiction  which  the  Roman  pontiff 
asserts  that  he  indisputably  holds  over  all  churches.     I  know 


318  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

what  violent  contentions  there  were  in  ancient  times  on  this 
subject.  For  there  has  never  been  a  period  when  the  Roman 
see  did  not  aspire  to  some  authority  over  other  Churches.  And 
it  will  not  be  unsuitable  to  the  present  occasion  to  investigate 
the  means  by  which  it  gradually  rose  to  some  power.  I  am 
not  yet  speaking  of  that  unbounded  empire  which  it  has  more 
recently  usurped  :  that  I  shall  defer  to  its  proper  place.  But 
here  it  will  be  necessary  to  point  out  in  a  few  \vords  in  what 
manner  and  by  what  methods  it  formerly  exalted  itself,  so  as 
to  assume  any  jurisdiction  over  other  Churches.  When  the 
Eastern  Churches  were  disturbed  and  divided  by  the  factions 
of  the  Arians,  in  the  reign  of  Constantius  and  Constans,  sons 
of  Constantino  the  Great,  and  Athanasius,  the  principal  defend- 
er of  the  orthodox  faith,  was  driven  from  his  see,  that  calamity 
constrained  him  to  go  to  Rome,  in  order  that,  by  the  authority 
of  the  Roman  see,  he  might  in  some  degree  repress  the  rage 
of  his  enemies,  and  confirm  the  faithful,  who  were  in  extreme 
distress.  He  was  honourably  received  by  Julius,  then  bishop 
of  Rome,  and  prevailed  on  the  bishops  of  the  West  to  under- 
take the  defence  of  his  cause.  Thus  the  pious  in  the  Eastern 
Churches,  finding  themselves  in  great  want  of  foreign  aid,  and 
seeing  that  their  principal  succour  was  to  be  obtained  from 
the  Church  of  Rome,  readily  ascribed  to  it  all  the  authority 
that  they  possibly  could.  But  all  this  amounted  to  nothing 
more  than  that  communion  with  it  was  held  in  high  estima- 
tion, and  it  was  accounted  ignominious  to  be  excommunicated 
from  it.  This  dignity  was  afterwards  considerably  augmented 
by  men  of  wicked  and  abandoned  lives ;  for  to  escape  the 
punishments  which  they  deserved,  they  resorted  thither  as  to  a 
common  asylum.  Therefore,  if  a  priest  was  condemned  by 
his  bishop,  or  a  bishop  by  the  synod  of  his  province,  they  im- 
mediately appealed  to  Rome.  And  the  bishops  of  Rome 
received  such  appeals  with  culpable  eagerness,  considering  it 
as  a  kind  of  extraordinary  power  to  interfere  in  the  concerns 
of  distant  Churches.  Thus  when  Eutyches  was  condemned 
by  Flavianus,  patriarch  of  Constantinople,  he  complained  to 
Leo  that  he  had  been  treated  with  injustice.  Leo,  without 
any  delay,  but  with  equal  temerity  and  expedition,  undertook 
the  patronage  of  a  bad  cause,  issued  bitter  invectives  against 
Flavianus,  as  if  he  had  condemned  an  innocent  man  without 
hearing  his  defence,  and  by  this  ambitious  conduct  he  for  some 
time  afforded  considerable  support  to  the  impiety  of  Eutyches. 
It  appears  that  similar  circumstances  frequently  happened  in 
Africa.  For  as  soon  as  any  wicked  man  was  convicted  before 
the  ordinary  tribunal,  he  flew  to  Rome,  and  brought  various 
false  accusations  against  his  superiors  ;  and  the  see  of  Rome 
w^as  always  ready  to  interpose.     This  presumption  constrained 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  319 

the  African  bishops  to  pass  a  decree  that  no  one  should  appeal 
beyond  the  sea  on  pain  of  excommunication. 

VI.  But  however  this  might  be,  let  us  examine  what  juris- 
diction or  power  the  Roman  see  then  possessed.  Now,  ecclesias- 
tical power  consists  in  these  four  things  —  the  ordination  of 
bishops,  the  calling  of  councils,  the  hearing  of  appeals,  or  juris- 
diction, and  corrective  admonitions,  or  censures.  AH  the  ancient 
councils  command  bishops  to  be  ordained  by  their  own  metro- 
politans ;  and  they  never  direct  the  bishop  of  Rome  to  be  called 
to  this  office  except  in  his  own  province.  By  degrees,  however, 
a  custom  was  introduced  for  all  the  bishops  of  Italy  to  go  to 
Rome  to  be  consecrated,  except  the  metropolitans,  who  did  not 
suffer  themselves  to  be  subjected  to  this  bondage.  But  when 
any  metropolitan  was  to  be  ordained,  the  bishop  of  Rome  sent 
one  of  his  priests  to  assist  at  the  ceremony,  but  not  to  preside. 
There  is  an  example  of  this  in  an  epistle  of  Gregory,  respecting 
the  consecration  of  Constantius,  archbishop  of  Milan,  after  the 
death  of  Laurentius.  I  do  not  suppose,  however,  that  this  was 
a  very  ancient  practice.  It  is  probable  that  at  first  they  sent 
legates  to  each  other,  from  a  principle  of  respect  and  atfection, 
to  witness  the  ordination,  and  testify  their  mutual  communion  ; 
and  that  what  was  originally  voluntary,  was  afterwards  consi- 
dered as  necessary.  However  this  maybe,  it  is  evident  that  in 
ancient  times  the  bishop  of  Rome  did  not  possess  the  power  of 
consecrating  bishops,  except  in  his  own  province,  that  is,  in  the 
Churches  dependent  upon  his  see ;  as  is  declared  by  one  of  the 
canons  of  the  Council  of  Nice.  Consecration  was  followed  by 
the  sending  of  a  synodical  epistle  ;  and  in  this  the  bishop  of 
Rome  had  no  superiority  over  others.  It  was  the  custom  of 
the  patriarchs,  immediately  after  their  consecration,  to  make  a 
solemn  declaration  of  their  faith  in  a  written  communication  to 
their  brethren,  professing  their  adherence  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
holy  and  orthodox  councils.  Thus,  by  making  a  confession 
of  their  faith,  they  mutually  approved  themselves  to  each  other. 
If  the  bishop  of  Rome  had  received  such  a  confession  from 
others,  and  not  given  it  to  other  bishops  in  his  turn,  this  would 
have  been  an  instance  of  acknowledged  superiority  ;  but,  as  he 
was  under  the  same  obligation  to  give  it  as  to  require  it,  and 
was  subject  to  the  common  law,  it  was  certainly  a  token  of 
equality,  and  not  of  dominion.  We  have  examples  of  this  in 
the  epistles  of  Gregory  to  Anastasius  and  Cyriacus  of  Constan- 
tinople, and  to  all  the  patriarchs  together. 

VII.  Next  follow  admonitions  cv  censures,  which,  as  the 
bishops  of  Rome  formerly  employed  them  towards  others,  they 
also  received  from  others  in  their  turn.  Irenseus,  bishop  of 
Lyons,  sharply  reproved  Victor,  bishop  of  Rome,  for  having 
raised  a  pernicious  dissension  in  the  Church  on  subjects  of  no 


320  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

importance.  Victor  submitted  to  the  reproof  without  any  oppo- 
sition. It  was  a  liberty  at  that  time  commonly  used  by  the  holy 
bishops  to  exercise  the  privilege  of  brethren  towards  the  bishop 
of  Rome,  by  admonishing  and  reproving  him  whenever  he 
committed  any  fault.  He,  in  like  manner,  when  occasion  re- 
quired, admonished  others  of  their  duty,  and  reproved  them  for 
their  faults.  For  Cyprian,  when  he  exhorts  Stephen,  bishop  of 
Rome,  to  admonish  the  bishops  of  France,  argues  not  from  any 
superior  authority,  but  from  the  common  rights  which  priests 
enjoy  among  each  other.  If  Stephen  had  then  possessed  any 
authority  over  France,  would  not  Cyprian  have  said,  You 
should  chastise  them,  because  they  are  subject  to  you  ?  But 
he  expresses  himself  in  a  very  diflerent  manner.  "  This  fra- 
ternal union,"  says  he,  "  by  which  we  are  connected  together, 
requires  us  to  administer  to  each  other  mutual  admonition." 
And  we  see  with  what  severity  of  language,  though  otherwise 
a  man  of  a  mild  disposition,  he  censures  even  Stephen  himself, 
when  he  considered  him  assuming  too  much  consequence.  In 
this  respect,  also,  there  is  yet  no  appearance  of  the  bishop  of  Rome 
having  been  invested  with  any  jurisdiction  over  those  who  were 
not  of  his  province. 

VIII.  With  respect  to  the  calling  of  councils,  it  was  the  duty 
of  every  metropolitan,  at  stated  seasons,  to  summon  a  provincial 
synod.  There  the  bishop  of  Rome  had  no  authority.  But  a 
universal  council  could  only  be  called  by  the  emperor.  For  if 
any  one  of  the  bishops  had  attempted  this,  not  only  he  would 
not  have  been  obeyed  by  those  who  were  out  of  his  province, 
but  such  an  attempt  would  have  led  to  immediate  confusion. 
Therefore  the  emperor  sent  a  summons  to  attend  to  all  of  them 
alike.  Socrates,  indeed,  in  his  Ecclesiastical  History,  states 
that  Julius,  bishop  of  Rome,  expostulated  with  the  Eastern 
bishops,  for  not  having  invited  him  to  the  Council  of  Antioch ; 
whereas  the  canons  had  forbidden  that  any  thing  should  be 
decreed  without  the  knowledge  of  the  bishop  of  Rome.  But 
who  does  not  see  that  this  is  to  be  understood  of  those  decrees 
which  bind  the  universal  Church  ?  Now,  it  is  no  wonder  if 
there  was  so  much  respect  paid  to  the  antiquity  and  eminence 
of  the  city,  and  to  the  dignity  of  the  see,  as  to  determine  that 
no  general  decree  respecting  religion  should  be  passed  in  the 
absence  of  the  bishop  of  Rome,  unless  he  refused  to  be  present. 
But  what  is  this  towards  dominion  over  the  whole  Church  ? 
For  we  do  not  deny  that  the  bishop  of  Rome  was  one  of  the 
principal,  but  we  will  not  admit,  what  the  Romanists  now 
contend,  that  he  had  the  authority  over  all. 

IX.  There  remains  the  fourth  kind  of  ecclesiastical  power, 
which  consists  in  appeals.  It  is  evident  that  he  possesses 
supreme  authority,  to  whose  tribunal  appeals  are  made.     Many 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  321 

often  appealed  to  the  bisliop  of  Rome  ;  and  he  also  attempted 
to  assume  the  cognizance  of  causes;  but  he  always  became  an 
object  of  derision  whenever  he  exceeded  his  proper  limits.  I 
shall  say  nothing  of  the  East,  or  of  Greece  ;  but  it  appears  that 
the  bishops  of  France  strenuously  resisted  him,  when  he  dis- 
covered an  inclination  to  usurp  authority  over  them.  In  Africa, 
this  subject  occasioned  a  long  controversy.  For  when  the 
Council  of  Milevum,  at  which  Augustine  was  present,  had  de- 
nounced excommunication  against  all  who  should  appeal  beyond 
the  sea,  the  bishop  of  Rome  endeavoured  to  get  this  decree 
rescinded.  He  sent  legates  to  state  that  this  privilege  had  been 
given  to  him  by  the  Council  of  Nice.  The  legates  produced 
certain  acts  which  they  alleged  to  be  the  acts  of  the  Council  of 
Nice,  and  which  they  had  brought  from  the  archives  of  their 
Church.  They  were  resisted  by  the  Africans,  who  denied  that 
the  bishop  of  Rome  ought  to  be  credited  in  his  own  cause. 
They  therefore  determined  to  send  to  Constantinople,  and  other 
cities  of  Greece,  to  obtain  copies  liable  to  less  suspicion.  It 
was  found  that  these  copies  contained  no  such  passages  as  the 
Roman  legates  had  pretended.  So  the  decree  was  confirmed, 
which  had  taken  the  supreme  cognizance  of  appeals  from  the 
bishop  of  Rome.  This  transaction  discovered  the  scandalous 
mipudence  of  the  Roman  pontiff.  For  when  he  had  fraudu- 
lently substituted  the  council  of  Sardis  for  that  of  Nice,  he  Avas 
disgracefully  detected  in  a  manifest  falsehood.  But  still  greater 
wickedness  and  effrontery  were  betrayed  by  those  who  added 
to  the  acts  of  the  council  a  forged  epistle,  in  which  a  bishop  of 
Carthage  condemns  the  arrogance  of  his  predecessor,  Aurelius, 
for  having  dared  to  withdraw  himself  from  obedience  to  the 
apostolic  see,  presents  the  submission  of  himself  and  his  Church, 
and  humbly  supplicates  for  pardon.  These  are  the  glorious 
monuments  of  antiquity  upon  which  the  majesty  of  the  Roman 
see  is  founded ;  while,  under  the  pretext  of  antiquity,  they 
advance  such  puerile  falsehoods,  as  require  not  the  least  pene- 
tration to  detect.  "Aurelius,"  says  this  famous  epistle,  "elated 
with  diabolical  audacity  and  obstinacy,  was  a  rebel  against 
Christ  and  St.  Peter,  and  therefore  deserved  to  be  anathema- 
tized." But  what  said  Augustine  ?  What  said  all  the  fathers 
who  were  present  at  the  Council  of  Milevum  ?  But  what 
necessity  is  there  for  spending  many  words  to  refute  that  stupid 
fabrication,  which  even  the  Romanists  themselves,  if  they  have 
any  modesty  left,  cannot  look  at  without  being  exceedingly 
ashamed  ?  So  Gratian,  the  compiler  of  the  decretal,  —  whether 
from  wickedness  or  ignorance  I  know  not,  —  after  having  recited 
that  canon,  that  those  who  appealed  beyond  the  sea  should  be 
excommunicated,  adds  this  exception,  unless  they  appeal  to  the 
see  of  Rome.     What  can  be  done  with  such  men,  who  are  so 

VOL.    II.  41 


322  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

destitute  of  common  sense  as  to  make  that  one  case  an  exception 
to  a  law,  to  guard  against  which  every  one  sees  that  the  law  was 
made  ?  For  the  council,  in  condemning  appeals  beyond  the 
sea,  only  prohibited  any  one  from  appealing  to  Rome  ;  and  this 
admirable  expositor  excepts  Rome  from  the  general  prohibition  ! 

X.  But  to  put  an  end  at  once  to  this  question,  a  single  trans- 
action, related  by  Angustine,  will  be  sufficient  to  show  what 
kind  of  jurisdiction  was  anciently  possessed  by  the  bishop  of 
Rome.  Donatns,  bishop  of  Casse  Nigrae,  had  accused  Ca-cili- 
anns,  bishop  of  Carthage.  The  accused  was  condemned  with- 
out a  hearing  ;  for,  knowing  that  the  bishops  had  conspired 
against  him,  he  would  not  appear.  The  matter  was  then 
brought  before  the  Emperor  Constantino.  With  a  view  to  have 
the  cause  decided  by  an  ecclesiastical  judgment,  he  referred  the 
cognizance  of  it  to  Melchiades,  bishop  of  Rome,  with  whom 
he  associated  some  other  bishops  from  Italy,  France,  and  Spain. 
If  it  was  part  of  the  ordinary  jurisdiction  of  the  see  of  Rome  to 
hear  an  appeal  in  an  ecclesiastical  cause,  why  did  Melchiades 
suffer  any  colleagues  to  be  appointed  with  him  at  the  pleasure 
of  the  Emperor  ?  and,  moreover,  why  did  he  himself  undertake 
the  business  rather  at  the  command  of  the  Emperor  than  from 
his  own  authority  ?  But  let  us  hear  what  took  place  after- 
wards. Cracilianus  was  victorious.  Donatus  of  Casas  Nigrae 
was  convicted  of  calumny.  He  appealed.  Constantino  re- 
ferred the  appeal  to  the  bishop  of  Aries.  He  sat  in  judgment 
on  the  decision  of  the  bishop  of  Rome.  If  the  Roman  see  pos- 
sessed the  supreme  jurisdiction,  subject  to  no  appeal,  how  did 
Melchiades  submit  to  such  an  insult,  as  for  the  bishop  of  Aries 
to  be  preferred  before  him  ?  And  who  was  the  Emperor  that 
did  this  ?  It  was  Constantino  the  Great,  of  whom  they  boast 
that  he  not  only  devoted  all  his  attention,  but  employed  almost 
all  the  power  of  his  empire,  to  exalt  the  dignity  of  their  see.  We 
see,  then,  how  very  far  the  bishop  of  Rome  was  at  that  time 
from  that  supreme  dominion  which  he  pretends  to  have  been 
given  him  by  Christ  over  all  Churches,  and  Avhich  he  falsely 
boasts  of  having  exercised  in  all  ages  with  the  consent  of  the 
whole  world. 

XI.  I  know  what  numerous  epistles,  and  rescripts,  and 
edicts,  there  are,  in  which  the  pontiffs  have  confidently  ad- 
vanced the  most  extravagant  claims  respecting  this  power. 
But  it  is  also  known  to  every  person,  possessed  of  the  least 
sense  or  learning,  that  most  things  contained  in.  them  are  so  ex- 
tremely absurd,  that  it  is  easy  to  discover  at  the  first  glance 
from  what  source  they  have  proceeded.  For  what  man  of 
sound  judgment,  and  in  his  sober  senses,  can  suppose  that 
Anacletus  was  the  author  of  that  curious  interpretation,  which 
Gratian  quotes  under  his  name  —  that  Cephas  means  a  head  ? 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  323 

There  are  many  such  fooleries  collected  together  by  Gratian 
without  any  judgment,  which  the  Romanists  in  the  present 
day  employ  against  us  in  defence  of  their  see  ;  and  such  phan- 
toms with  which  they  used  to  delude  the  ignorant  in  the  dark- 
est times,  they  still  persist  in  bringing  forward  amidst  all  the 
light  of  the  present  age.  But  I  have  no  intention  to  devote 
much  labour  to  the  refutation  of  such  things,  which  manifestly 
refute  themselves  by  their  extreme  absurdity.  I  confess  that 
there  are  also  genuine  epistles  of  the  ancient  pontitfs,  in  which 
they  extol  the  majesty  of  their  see  by  the  most  magnificent 
titles.  Such  are  some  epistles  of  Leo  ;  who,  though  he  was  a 
man  of  learning  and  eloquence,  had  likewise  an  immoderate 
thirst  for  glory  and  dominion ;  but  whether  the  Churches  at 
that  time  gave  credit  to  his  testimony  when  he  thus  exalted 
himself,  is  a  subject  of  inquiry.  Now,  it  appears  that  many 
were  offended  at  his  ambition,  and  resisted  his  claims.  In  one 
epistle  he  deputes  the  bishop  of  Thessalonica  to  act  as  his  re- 
presentative in  Greece  and  other  adjacent  countries  ;  in  another 
he  delegates  the  bishop  of  Aries,  or  some  other  bishop,  to  be 
his  vicar  in  France.  So  he  appoints  Hormisdas,  bishop  of 
Seville,  his  vicar  in  Spain.  But  in  all  cases  he  mentions,  by 
way  of  exception,  that  he  makes  such  appointments  on  condi- 
tion that  they  shall  in  no  respect  infringe  the  ancient  privileges 
of  the  metropolitans.  But  Leo  himself  declares  this  to  be  one 
of  their  privileges,  that  if  any  difficulty  should  arise,  the  metro- 
politan was  to  be  consulted  in  the  first  place.  These  delega- 
tions, therefore,  were  accompanied  with  this  condition  —  that 
there  was  to  be  no  interference  with  any  bishop  in  his  ordinary 
jurisdiction,  with  any  metropolitan  in  hearing  appeals,  or  with 
any  provincial  synod  in  the  regulation  of  the  Churches.  Now, 
what  was  this  but  to  abstain  from  all  jurisdiction,  and  only  to 
interpose  for  the  settlement  of  disputes,  as  far  as  was  consistent 
with  the  law  and  nature  of  ecclesiastical  communion  ? 

XIL  In  the  time  of  Gregory,  this  ancient  custom  had  already 
undergone  a  considerable  change.  For  when  the  empire  was 
convulsed  and  torn  asunder,  when  France  and  Spain  were 
atHicted  with  repeated  and  numerous  wars  and  distresses,  Illy- 
ricuni  laid  waste,  Italy  harassed,  and  Africa  almost  ruined 
with  incessant  calamities,  —  in  order  to  preserve  the  unity  of  the 
faith  amidst  such  a  violent  convulsion  of  civil  affairs,  or  at  least 
to  prevent  its  total  destruction,  all  the  bishops  round  about  con- 
nected themselves  more  closely  with  the  bishop  of  Rome.  The 
consequence  was,  that  the  power  as  well  as  the  dignity  of  that 
see  was  greatly  increased.  I  am  not  much  concerned,  how- 
ever, respecting  the  methods  by  which  this  was  effected.  It  is 
at  least  evident,  that  it  was  greater  at  that  period  than  in  the 
Dreceding  ages.     And  even  then  it  was  very  far  from  an  un- 


324  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

limitfid  dominion,  for  one  man  to  govern  all  others  according 
to  his  own  pleasure.  But  the  see  of  Rome  was  held  in  such 
reverence,  that  its  authority  would  repress  and  correct  the  re- 
fractory and  obstinate,  who  could  not  be  confined  to  their  duty 
by  the  other  bishops.  For  Gregory  embraces  every  opportu- 
nity of  protesting,  that  he  as  faithfully  maintained  the  rights  of 
others,  as  he  required  them  to  maintain  his.  "Nor  under  the 
influence  of  ambition,"  says  he,  "do  I  withhold  from  any  one 
that  which  is  his  right ;  but  I  desire  to  honour  my  brethren  in 
all  things."  —  There  is  not  a  sentence  in  his  writings  which 
contains  a  prouder  boast  of  the  majesty  of  his  primacy  than  the 
following  :  "  I  know  no  bishop  who  is  not  subject  to  the  apos- 
tolic see,  when  he  is  found  in  fault."  But  he  immediately 
adds,  '•'  Where  there  is  no  fault  to  require  subjection,  all  are 
equal  by  right  of  humility."  He  attributes  to  himself  the  au- 
thority to  correct  those  who  have  transgressed  ;  if  all  do  their 
duty,  he  places  himself  on  an  eeiuality  with  them.  But  he  as- 
sumed this  authority  to  himself,  and  they  who  were  willing 
consented  to  it,  while  others,  who  disapproved  of  it,  were  at 
liberty  to  oppose  it  with  impunity  ;  and  this,  it  is  notorious, 
was  the  conduct  of  the  majority.  Besides,  it  is  to  be  remarked, 
that  he  is  there  speaking  of  the  primate  of  Constantinople,  who 
had  been  condemned  by  a  provincial  synod,  and  had  disregard- 
ed the  united  judgment  of  the  assembly.  His  colleagues  com- 
plained to  the  emperor  of  his  obstinacy.  The  emperor  ap- 
pointed Gregory  to  decide  the  cause.  We  see,  then,  that  he 
made  no  attempt  to  interfere  with  the  ordinary  jurisdiction ; 
and  that  the  very  thing  which  he  does  for  the  assistance  of 
others,  he  does  only  at  the  command  of  the  emperor. 

XHI.  This,  therefore,  was  all  the  power  which  was  then 
possessed  by  the  bishop  of  Rome,  —  to  oppose  rebellious  and 
refractory  persons,  in  cases  which  required  some  extraordinary 
remedy,  and  that  in  order  to  assist,  not  to  hinder,  other  bishops. 
Therefore  he  assumes  to  himself  no  more  power  over  others 
than  he  grants  to  all  others  over  himself,  when  he  professes 
that  he  is  ready  to  be  rcjjroved  by  all,  and  to  be  corrected  by 
all.  So  in  another  epistle  he  commands  the  bishop  of  Aquileia 
to  come  to  Rome  to  plead  his  cause  in  a  controversy  which 
had  arisen  between  him  and  his  neighbours,  respecting  an  article 
of  faith;  nevertheless  he  gives  this  command,  not  from  his 
own  authority,  but  in  consequence  of  the  mandate  of  the  em- 
peror. Nor  does  he  announce  himself  as  the  sole  judge,  but 
promises  to  assemble  a  synod  to  judge  of  the  whole  affair. 
But  though  there  was  still  such  moderation,  that  the  power 
of  the  Roman  see  had  its  certain  limits,  which  it  was  not  per- 
mitted to  exceed,  and  the  bishop  of  Rome  himself  no  more 
presided  over  others  than  he  was  subject  to  them,  yet  it  ap- 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RKLICION.  325 

pears  how  very  displeasing  this  situation  was  to  Gregory.  For 
he  frequently  complains,  that  under  the  name  of  being  a  bishop, 
he  was  forced  back  to  the  world,  and  that  he  was  more  in- 
volved in  secular  cares  than  ever  he  had  been  while  he  was  a 
layman  ;  so  that  in  that  honour  he  was  oppressed  with  the 
tumult  of  worldly  business.  In  another  passage  he  says, 
"  Such  a  vast  burden  of  occupations  presses  me  down,  that  my 
mind  is  incapacitated  for  any  elevation  towards  things  above. 
I  am  tossed  about  with  numerous  causes,  like  so  many  waves ; 
and  after  my  former  seasons  of  retirement  and  tranquillity,  I  am 
disquieted  with  the  tempests  of  a  tumultuous  life ;  so  that  I 
may  truly  say,  I  am  come  into  the  depth  of  the  sea,  and  the 
tempest  has  drowned  me."  Judge,  then,  what  he  would  have 
said,  if  he  had  fallen  upon  these  times.  If  he  did  not  fulfil  the 
office  of  a  pastor,  yet  he  was  employed  in  it.  He  refrained, 
from  all  interference  in  the  civil  government,  and  acknow- 
ledged himself  to  be  subject  to  the  emperor  in  common  with 
others.  He  never  intruded  into  the  care  of  other  Churches, 
except  when  he  was  constrained  by  necessity.  And  yet  he 
considered  himself  to  be  in  a  labyrinth,  because  he  could  not 
wholly  devote  himself  to  the  exclusive  duties  of  a  bishop. 

XIV.  The  bishop  of  Constantinople,  as  we  have  already 
stated,  was  at  that  time  engaged  in  a  contest  with  the  bishop 
of  Rome,  respecting  the  primacy.  For  after  the  seat  of  the 
empire  was  fixed  at  Constantinople,  the  majesty  of  the  govern- 
ment seemed  to  require  that  Church  to  be  the  next  in  dignity  to 
the  Church  of  Rome.  And  indeed  at  the  beginning  nothing 
contributed  more  to  establish  the  primacy  in  the  Church  of  Rome 
than  the  circumstance  of  that  city  being  then  the  capital  of  the 
empire.  Gratian  recites  a  rescript  under  the  name  of  Pope  Lu- 
cinus,  in  which  he  says  that  the  distinction  of  cities  appointed 
to  be  the  residence  of  metropolitans  and  primates,  was  regulated 
by  no  other  rule  than  the  nature  of  the  civil  government  previ- 
ously established  in  them.  There  is  another  similar  rescript, 
also,  under  the  name  of  Pope  Clement,  in  which  he  says,  that 
patriarchs  had  been  appointed  in  those  cities  which  had  anciently 
been  the  stations  of  arch-flaraens.  This  statement,  though  er- 
roneous, approaches  to  the  truth.  For  it  is  certain,  that  in 
order  to  make  as  little  change  as  possible,  the  provinces  were 
divided  according  to  the  existing  state  of  things,  and  that 
prin;iates  and  metropolitans  were  placed  in  those  cities  which 
had  precedence  of  the  rest  in  dignity  and  power.  Therefore, 
in  the  Council  of  Turin,  it  was  decreed,  that  those  which  were 
the  chief  cities  of  the  respective  provinces  in  the  civil  govern- 
ment, should  be  the  principal  sees  of  bishops ;  and  that  if  the 
honour  of  the  civil  government  should  happen  to  be  transferred 
from  one  city  to  another,  the  seat  of  the  metropolitan  should  be 


326  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

removed  to  the  same  place.  But  Innocent,  the  Roman  pontiff, 
seeing  the  ancient  dignity  of  his  city  beginning  to  dechne,  after 
the  translation  of  the  seat  of  the  empire  to  Cojistantinople,  and 
trembling  for  the  honour  of  his  see,  enacted  a  contrary  law  ; 
in  which  he  denies  the  necessity  of  a  change  of  the  ecclesias- 
tical capitals,  in  consequence  of  a  change  of  the  imperial  capi- 
tals. But  the  authority  of  a  council  ought  to  be  preferred  to  the 
sentence  of  an  individual,  and  we  may  justly  suspect  Innocent 
himself  in  his  own  cause.  He  proves  by  his  decree,  however, 
that  the  original  regulation  had  been  for  the  seats  of  metropo- 
litans to  be  disposed  according  to  the  civil  rank  of  the  respec- 
tive cities. 

XV.  According  to  this  ancient  ordinance,  it  was  decreed  in 
the  first  Council  of  Constantinople,  that  the  bishop  of  that  city 
should  have  the  next  rank  and  dignity  to  the  bishop  of  Rome, 
because  that  was  a  new  Rome.  But  when  a  similar  decree  was 
passed  long  after  in  the  Council  of  Chalcedon,  Leo  strenuousiy 
opposed  it.  And  he  not  only  took  the  liberty  of  pouring 
contempt  on  what  had  been  decided  by  upwards  of  six  hundred 
bishops,  but  likewise  heavily  reproached  them  with  having 
taken  from  other  sees  the  honoiu-  which  they  had  ventured  to 
confer  on  the  Church  of  Constantinople.  Now,  what  could 
incite  him  to  disturb  the  world  for  so  insignificant  a  cause,  but 
mere  ambition  ?  He  says,  that  what  had  once  been  determined 
by  the  Council  of  Nice,  ought  to  have  been  maintained  inviola- 
ble. As  if  the  Christian  faith  were  endangered  by  the  prefer- 
ence of  one  Church  to  another,  or  as  if  the  patriarchates  had  been 
distributed  by  the  Council  of  Nice  with  any  other  view  than 
the  preservation  of  external  order.  Now,  we  know  that  external 
order  admits,  and  even  requires,  various  changes,  according  to 
the  various  circumstances  of  different  periods.  It  is  a  futile  pre- 
tence, therefore,  of  Leo,  that  the  honour,  which  the  authority 
of  the  Nicene  council  had  given  to  the  see  of  Alexandria,  ought 
not  to  be  conferred  on  that  of  Constantinople.  For  common 
sense  dictates,  that  this  was  such  a  decree  as  might  be  abolished 
according  to  the  state  of  the  times.  And  besides,  the  repeal 
met  with  no  opposition  from  the  bishops  of  the  East,  who 
were  most  interested  in  the  matter.  Proterius,  who  had  been 
appointed  bishop  of  Alexandria  instead  of  Dioscorus,  was  present  ; 
as  were  other  patriarchs,  whose  dignity  was  lessened  by  this 
measure.  It  was  for  them  to  oppose  it,  and  not  Leo,  who  re- 
tained his  original  station  unaltered.  AVhen  they  all  suflered  it 
to  pass  without  any  objection,  and  even  assented  to  it,  and 
the  bishop  of  Rome  was  the  only  one  who  resisted  it,  it  is 
easy  to  judge  by  what  motive  he  was  influenced.  He  foresaw, 
what  actually  came  to  pass  not  long  after,  that  as  the  glory  of 
Rome  was  declining,  Constantinople  Avould  not  be  content  with 


CHAP.    VII.l  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  327 

the  second  place,  but  would  contend  for  the  primacy.  Yet  all 
his  clamour  was  unavailing  ;  the  decree  of  the  council  was 
confirmed.  Therefore  his  successors,  seeing  themselves  van- 
quished, peaceably  refrained  from  such  obstinacy  ;  for  they  de- 
creed that  he  should  be  accounted  the  second  patriarch. 

XVI.  But  a  little  while  after,  John,  who  presided  over  the 
Church  of  Constantinople  while  Gregory  was  bishopofRome,  had 
the  arrogance  to  assume  the  title  of  universal  patriarch.  Gregory, 
not  afraid  of  defending  his  see  in  a  good  cause,  resolutely 
opposed  this  assumption.  And  certainly  it  betrayed  intolera- 
ble pride  and  folly  in  John  to  wish  to  make  the  limits  of  his 
bishopric  the  same  with  those  of  the  empire.  Now,  Gregory  did 
not  claim  to  himself  what  he  denied  to  another  ;  but  execrated 
the  title,  by  whomsoever  it  might  be  usurped,  as  wicked  and 
impious.  In  one  of  his  epistles  he  expresses  his  displeasure 
with  Eulogius,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  for  having  complimented 
him  with  such  a  title.  *'  Behold,"  says  he,  "  in  the  preface 
of  the  epistle  which  you  have  directed  to  myself,  who  have  for- 
bidden it,  you  have  taken  care  to  introduce  that  appellation  of 
pride,  by  calling  me  universal  pope.  Which  I  entreat  that  your 
holiness  will  not  do  any  more  ;  because  all  that  you  give  to 
another  beyond  what  is  reasonable,  is  deducted  from  yourself. 
I  consider  nothing  an  honour  to  me,  by  which  I  see  the  honour 
of  my  brethren  diminished.  For  my  honour  is  the  honour  of 
the  universal  Church,  and  the  perfect  vigour  of  my  brethren. 
If  your  holiness  calls  me  universal  pope,  this  is  denying  that 
you  have  any  share  in  that  which  is  wholly  attributed  to  me." 
Gregory's  was  a  good  and  honourable  cause  ;  but  John,  being 
supported  by  the  favour  of  Mauritius  the  emperor,  could  not 
be  diverted  from  his  purpose  ;  and  Cyriacus,  his  successor,  was 
equally  inflexible. 

XVII.  At  length  Phocas,  who  ascended  the  throne  after  the 
murder  of  Mauritius,  being  more  favourable  to  the  Romans,  — for 
what  reason  I  know  not,  unless  because  he  had  been  crowned 
dt  Rome  without  any  difficulty,  —  granted  to  Boniface  the  Third 
what  Gregory  had  never  demanded, — that  Rome  should  be 
the  head  of  all  Churches.  Thus  the  controversy  was  decided. 
Yet  this  grant  of  the  emperor  could  not  have  been  so  much 
to  the  advantage  of  the  see  of  Rome,  if  it  had  not  been  fol- 
lowed by  other  things.  For  Greece  and  all  Asia  soon  after  sepa- 
rated from  its  communion.  France  reverenced  it  only  so  far  as 
not  to  carry  its  obedience  beyond  its  inclinations ;  nor  was  it 
reduced  to  entire  subjection,  till  Pepin  had  usurped  the  crown. 
For  after  Zachary,  the  Roman  pontiff,  had  assisted  Pepin  in  the 
commission  of  treason  and  robbery,  in  deposing  his  lawful 
sovereign,  and  taking  possession  of  the  throne,  he  was  rewarded 
by  having  the  see  of  Rome  invested  with  jurisdiction  over  the 


328  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Gallican  Churches.  As  robbers  are  accustomed  to  divide  their 
common  booty,  so  those  worthy  persons  concerted  together,  that 
Pepin  should  have  the  temporal  and  civil  sovereignty  after  the 
deposition  of  the  rightful  monarch,  and  that  Zachary  should 
be  made  the  head  over  all  bishops,  and  enjoy  the  spiritual  power. 
At  first  this  was  feeble,  as  is  generally  the  case  with  new  estab- 
lishments ;  but  it  was  afterwards  confirmed  by  the  authority  of 
Charlemagne,  and  almost  from  a  similar  cause  ;  for  he  also  was 
indebted  to  the  Roman  pontiff,  for  his  exertions  in  raising  him  to 
the  dignity  of  emperor.  Now,  though  it  is  probable  that  the 
Churches,  before  that  time,  had  in  general  been  greatly  disfigured, 
it  is  evident  that  in  France  and  Germany  the  ancient  form  of 
the  Church  was  then  entirely  obliterated.  The  archives  of 
the  parliament  of  Paris  still  contain  brief  registers  of  those  times, 
which,  in  relating  ecclesiastical  events,  make  frequent  mention 
of  the  treaties  both  of  Pepin  and  Charlemagne  with  the  Roman 
pontiff;  from  which  it  may  be  concluded  that  an  alteration 
was  then  made  in  the  ancient  state  of  the  Church. 

XVIII.  From  that  time,  as  things  daily  became  worse  and 
worse,  the  tyranny  of  the  Roman  see  was  gradually  established 
and  increased,  and  that  partly  through  the  ignorance,  and  partly 
through  the  indolence,  of  the  bishops.  For  while  the  Roman 
pontiff  was  usurping  every  thing  to  himself,  and  proceeding 
from  one  assumption  to  another,  without  any  limits,  in  defiance 
of  law  and  justice,  the  bishops  did  not  exert  themselves  with 
the  zeal  which  became  them  to  repress  his  cupidity,  and  where 
there  was  no  want  of  inclination,  they  were  destitute  of  real 
learning  and  knowledge,  so  that  they  were  not  at  all  equal  to  such 
an  important  undertaking.  We  see,  therefore,  what  a  horrible 
profanation  of  every  thing  sacred,  and  what  a  total  disorganization 
of  the  Church  there  was  at  Rome  in  the  days  of  Bernard.  He 
complains  that  the  ^ambitious,  the  avaricious,  the  simoniacal, 
the  sacrilegious,  the  adulterous,  the  incestuous,  and  all  who 
were  chargeable  with  the  most  atrocious  crimes,  from  every 
part  of  the  world,  resorted  to  Rome,  in  order  to  procure  or  to 
retain  ecclesiastical  honours  by  the  apostolical  authority  ;  and 
that  fraud,  circumvention,  and  violence,  were  generally  practised. 
He  says,  that  the  judicial  process  which  was  then  pursued 
was  execrable,  and  not  only  unbecoming  of  the  Church,  but 
disgracefnl  to  any  civil  court.  He  exclaims,  that  the  Church 
is  full  of  ambitious  men,  and  that  there  is  not  one  who  is  any 
more  afraid  of  perpetrating  the  most  flagitious  crimes,  than 
robbers  in  their  den  when  they  are  distributing  the  plunder 
which  they  have  seized  on  the  highway.  "  Few,"  he  says, 
"  regard  the  mouth  of  the  legislator  ;  they  all  look  at  his  hands, 
and  that  not  without  cause,  for  those  hands  transact  all  that  is 
done  by  the  pope.     What  a  business  it  is,  that  they  are  bought 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  S29 

with  the  spoils  of  the  Church,  wno  say  to  you,  Well  done,  well 
done !  The  life  of  the  poor  is  sown  in  the  streets  of  the  rich ; 
silver  glitters  in  the  mire  ;  people  run  to  it  from  all  parts ;  it  is 
borne  away,  not  by  the  poorest,  but  by  the  strongest,  or  perhaps 
by  him  who  runs  fastest.  This  custom,  or  rather  this  mortal 
corruption,  commenced  not  with  you  ;  I  wish  it  may  end  with 
you.  In  these  circumstances  you,  a  pastor,  are  proceeding, 
covered  with  abundant  and  costly  attire.  If  I  might  dare  to 
use  the  expression,  these  are  rather  the  pastors  of  devils  than 
of  sheep.  Did  Peter  act  in  this  manner  ?  Was  Paul  guilty  of 
such  trifling  ?  Your  court  has  been  accustomed  to  receive 
men  good,  more  than  to  make  them  so.  For  the  wicked  are 
not  improved  in  it,  but  the  good  are  corrupted."  The  abuses 
of  appeals  which  he  relates,  no  pious  person  can  read  without 
the  greatest  horror.  At  length,  respecting  the  insatiable  cu- 
pidity of  the  see  of  Rome  in  the  usurpation  of  jurisdiction,  he 
conchides  in  the  following  manner  :  "  I  speak  the  murmur  and 
common  complaint  of  the  Churches.  They  exclaim  that  they 
are  divided  and  dismembered.  There  are  few  or  none  of  them 
who  do  not  either  bewail  or  dread  this  plague.  Do  you  inquire 
what  plague  ?  Abbots  are  torn  away  from  their  bishops,  bishops 
from  their  archbishops.  It  is  wonderful  if  this  can  be  excused. 
By  such  conduct  you  prove  that  you  have  a  plenitude  of 
power,  but  not  of  justice.  You  act  thus  because  you  can,  but 
the  question  is  whether  you  ought.  You  are  appointed  to 
preserve  to  all  their  respective  honour  and  rank,  and  not 
to  envy  them."  These  few  passages  I  have  thought  proper  to 
recite,  out  of  a  great  many,  partly  that  the  readers  may  see  how 
sadly  the  Church  had  then  declined,  and  partly  that  they  may 
know  into  what  sorrow  and  lamentation  all  good  men  were 
plunged  by  this  calamity. 

XIX.  But  though  we  should  grant  to  the  Roman  pontiff  in 
the  present  day  the  same  eminence  and  extent  of  jurisdiction 
which  this  see  possessed  in  the  middle  ages,  as  in  the  times  of 
Leo  and  Gregory,  what  is  that  to  the  Papacy  in  its  present 
state  ?  I  am  not  yet  referring  to  the  temporal  and  secular 
power,  which  we  shall  afterwards  examine  in  its  proper  place  ; 
l3Ut  the  spiritual  government  itself  of  which  they  boast,  what 
resemblance  has  it  to  the  conditibn  of  those  times  ?  For  the 
Romanists  designate  the  pope  no  otherwise  than  as  the  supreme 
head  of  the  Church  on  earth,  and  universal  bishop  of  the  whole 
world.  And  the  pontiffs  themselves,  when  they  speak  of  their 
authority,  pronounce  with  great  superciliousness,  that  they 
have  the  power  to  command,  and  that  to  others  is  only  left  the 
necessity  to  obey ;  that  all  their  decrees  are  to  be  received  as 
if  they  were  confirmed  by  the  voice  of  St.  Peter ;  that  for 
want  of  their  presence,  provincial  synods  have  no  authority  • 
VOL.  II.  42 


330  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

that  they  have  the  power  to  ordain  priests  and  deacons  for  all 
the  Churches,  and  to  summon  to  their  see  those  who  have  been 
elsewhere  ordained.  In  the  Decretal  of  Gratian  there  are  in- 
numerable pretensions  of  this  kind,  which  I  forbear  to  recite, 
lest  1  should  be  too  tedious  to  my  readers.  But  the  sum  of 
them  all  comes  to  this ;  that  the  Roman  pontiff  alone  has  the 
supreme  cognizance  of  all  ecclesiastical  causes,  whether  in 
judging  and  determining  doctrines,  in  enacting  laws,  in  regu- 
lating discipline,  or  in  exercising  jurisdiction.  It  would  also 
be  tedious  and  superfluous  to  enumerate  the  privileges  which 
they  assume  to  themselves  in  reservations,  as  they  call  them. 
But  what  is  the  most  intolerable  of  all,  they  leave  no  judgment 
on  earth  to  curb  or  restrain  their  cupidity,  if  they  abuse  such 
unlimited  power.  "  It  cannot  be  lawful,"  they  say,  "  for  any 
one  to  reject  the  judgment  of  this  see,  on  account  of  the  pri- 
macy of  the  Roman  Church."  Again  :  "  The  judge  shall  not  be 
judged,  either  by  the  emperor  or  by  kings,  or  by  all  the  clergy, 
or  by  the  people."  This  is  arrogance  beyond  all  bounds,  for  one 
man  to  constitute  himself  judge  of  all,  and  to  refuse  to  submit  to 
the  judgment  of  any.  But  what  if  he  exercise  tyranny  over  the 
people  of  God,  if  he  divide  and  desolate  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
if  he  disturb  and  overturn  the  whole  Church,  if  he  pervert  the 
pastoral  oflice  into  a  system  of  robbery  ?  Even  though  he 
should  go  to  the  greatest  extremes  of  profligacy  and  mischief, 
he  denies  that  he  is  at  all  accountable  for  his  conduct.  For 
these  are  the  very  words  of  the  pontifis :  "  God  has  been 
pleased  to  decide  the  causes  of  other  men  by  the  judgment  of 
men,  but  the  prelate  of  this  see  he  has,  without  all  question, 
reserved  to  his  own  judgment."  Again,  "  The  actions  of  our 
subjects  are  judged  by  us  ;  but  ours  by  God  alone." 

XX.  And  that  such  edicts  might  have  the  more  weight, 
they  have  falsely  substituted  the  names  of  ancient  pontiffs,  as 
if  things  had  been  so  regulated  from  the  beginning ;  whereas 
it  is  very  certain,  that  every  thing,  which  attributes  to  the 
Roman  pontilf  more  than  we  have  stated  to  have  been  given 
him  by  the  ancient  councils,  is  a  novel  and  recent  fabrication. 
They  have  even  gone  to  sucli  a  pitch  of  impudence  as  to  pub- 
lish a  rescript,  under  the  name  of  Anastasius,  patriarch  of  Con- 
stantinople, which  declares  that  it  had  been  ordained  by  the 
ancient  canons,  that  nothiug  should  be  done  even  in  the  re- 
motest provinces,  without  being  first  reported  to  the  Roman 
see.  Beside  the  notorious  falsehood  of  this,  \yhat  man  Avill 
think  it  credible,  that  such  a  eulogium  of  the  Roman  see 
proceeded  from  the  adversary  and  rival  of  its  honour  and  dig- 
nity? But  it  was  necessary  that  these  Antichrists  should  be 
carried  to  such  an  extreme  of  madness  and  blindness,  that  their 
iliicpiity  may  be  evident  to  all  men  of  sound  understanding, 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  331 

who  only  choose  to  open  their  eyes.  But  tlie  Decretal  Epis- 
tles, complied  by  Gregory  the  Ninth,  as  well  as  the  Constitu- 
tions of  Clement  the  Fifth,  and  the  Decrees  of  Martin,  still 
more  openly  and  expressly  betray,  in  every  page,  the  inhuman 
ferocity  and  tyranny  of  barbarous  kings.  But  these  are  the 
oracles  from  which  the  Romanists  wish  their  Papacy  to  be 
appreciated.  Hence  proceeded  those  famous  axioms,  which  at 
the  present  day  are  universally  received  by  them  as  oracles  : 
That  the  pope  cannot  err;  that  the  pope  is  superior  to  all 
councils ;  that  the  pope  is  the  universal  bishop  of  all  Churches, 
and  supreme  head  of  the  Church  upon  earth.  I  pass  over  the 
far  greater  absurdities,  which  foolish  canonists  maintain  in 
their  schools ;  which,  however,  the  Roman  theologians  not 
only  assent  to,  but  even  applaud,  in  order  to  flatter  their  idol. 

XXI.  I  shall  not  treat  them  with  all  the  severity  which 
they  deserve.  To  this  consummate  insolence,  another  person 
would  oppose  the  declaration  of  Cyprian  among  the  bishops  at 
the  Council  of  Carthage,  of  which  he  was  president :  "  No  one  of 
us  calls  himself  bishop  of  bishops,  or,  by  tyrannical  fear,  constrains 
his  colleagues  to  the  necessity  of  obeying  him."  He  would 
object  what  was  decreed  at  Carthage  some  time  after,  "  That 
no  one  should  be  caWed  prince  of  priests,  or  first  bishop.'^  He 
would  collect  many  testimonies  from  histories,  many  canons 
of  councils,  and  various  passages  from  the  writings  of  the  fa- 
thers, by  which  the  Roman  pontiff  would  be  reduced  to  the 
rank  of  other  bishops.  I  pass  over  these  things,  however,  that 
I  may  not  appear  to  lay  too  much  stress  upon  them.  But  let 
the  most  able  advocates  of  the  Roman  see  answer  me,  with 
what  face  they  can  dare  to  defend  the  title  of  universal  bishop, 
which  they  find  to  have  been  so  often  anathematized  by  Gregory. 
If  the  testimony  of  Gregory  be  entitled  to  any  credit,  they  can- 
not make  their  pontiff  universal  bishop  without  thereby  declar- 
ing him  to  be  Antichrist.  Nor  was  the  title  of  head  any  more 
in  use  at  that  time ;  for  in  one  of  his  epistles  he  says,  "  Peter 
is  the  principal  member  in  the  body ;  John,  Andrew,  and 
James,  were  heads  of  particular  people.  Yet  they  are  all 
members  of  the  Church  under  one  head.  Even  the  saints 
before  the  law,  the  saints  under  the  law,  the  saints  under  grace, 
are  all  placed  among  the  members,  and  no  one  ever  wished 
himself  to  be  called  universal."  The  arrogant  pretensions  of 
the  pontiff  to  the  power  of  commanding  are  very  inconsistent 
with  an  observation  made  by  Gregory  in  another  passage.  For 
when  Eulogius,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  had  represented  himself 
as  commanded  by  him,  he  replies  in  the  following  manner  :  — • 
"  I  beseech  you,  let  me  not  hear  the  word  command  mentioned 
again;  for  I  know  what  I  am,  and  what  you  are.  In  station, 
you  are  my  brethren  ;  in  holiness,  you  are  my  fathers.     There- 


332  INSTn  [JTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

fore  I  gave  no  command,  but  intended  to  suggest  to  you  such 
things  as  appeared  to  be  useful."  By  extending  his  jurisdic- 
tion, as  he  does,  without  any  limits,  the  pope  does  a  grievous 
and  atrocious  injury,  not  only  to  other  bishops,  but  to  all  other 
Churches,  which  he  distracts  and  divides  by  such  conduct,  in 
order  to  establish  his  own  see  upon  their  ruins.  But  when  he 
exempts  himself  from  all  the  judgments  of  others,  and  deter- 
mines to  reign  in  such  a  tyrannical  manner  as  to  have  no  law 
but  his  own  pleasure,  this  is  certainly  so  unbecoming,  and 
foreign  from  the  order  of  the  Church,  that  it  is  altogether  intoler- 
able, and  incapable  of  any  defence.  For  it  is  utterly  repugnant, 
not  only  to  every  sentiment  of  piety,  but  even  of  humanity. 
XXII.  But  that  I  may  not  be  obliged  to  pursue  and  discuss 
every  particular  point,  I  again  appeal  to  those  of  my  contempo- 
raries, who  would  be  considered  as  the  most  able  and  faithful 
advocates  of  the  Roman  see,  whether  they  are  not  ashamed  to 
defend  the  present  state  of  the  Papacy,  which  is  evidently  a 
hundred  times  more  corrupt  than  it  was  in  the  times  of  Gregory 
and  Bernard,  but  which  even  then  so  exceedingly  displeased 
those  holy  men.  Gregory  every  where  complains,  that  he  was 
excessively  distracted  with  occupations  unsuitable  to  his  office  ; 
that  under  the  name  of  being  a  bishop,  he  was  carried  back  to  the 
world  ;  that  he  was  involved  in  secular  cares,  to  a  greater  extent 
than  he  could  remember  to  have  been  while  he  was  a  layman  ; 
that  he  was  oppressed  with  the  tumult  of  worldly  business,  so 
that  his  mind  was  incapacitated  for  any  elevation  towards  things 
above  ;  that  he  was  tossed  about  with  numerous  causes  like  so 
many  waves,  and  disquieted  with  the  tempests  of  a  tumultuous 
life,  so  that  he  might  justly  say,  "  I  am  come  into  the  depth  of 
the  sea."  Amidst  these  worldly  avocations,  however,  he  could 
still  instruct  the  people  by  public  preaching,  give  private  ad- 
monition and  reproof  to  those  who  required  it,  regulate  his 
Church,  give  advice  to  his  colleagues,  and  exhort  them  to  their 
duty  ;  beside  these  things,  he  had  some  time  left  for  writing ; 
yet  he  deplores  his  calamity,  in  being  plunged  into  the  depth 
of  the  sea.  If  the  administration  of  that  age  was  a  sea,  what 
must  be  said  of  the  Papacy  in  its  present  state  ?  For  what 
resemblance  is  there  between  them  ?  Here  we  find  no  sermons 
preached,  no  attention  to  discipline,  no  concern  for  the  Churches, 
no  spiritual  function  performed  ;  in  a  word,  nothing  but  the 
world.  Yet  this  labyrinth  is  praised,  as  though  nothing  could 
be  found  better  constituted,  or  better  administered.  What 
complaints  are  poured  out  by  Bernard,  what  lamentations  does 
he  utter,  when  he  beholds  the  vices  of  his  times  ?  What  would 
he  say,  then,  if  he  could  behold  this  our  iron,  or,  if  possible,  worse 
than  iron  age  ?  What  impudence  is  it,  not  only  pertinaciously 
to  defend  as  sacred  and  Divine  what  all  the  holy  fathers  have 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  333 

reprobated  with  one  voice,  but  also  to  abuse  their  testimony  in 
vindication  of  the  Papacy,  which  it  is  evident  was  utterly  un- 
known to  them !  In  the  time  of  Bernard,  however,  I  confess 
the  corruption  was  so  great  that  there  was  no  great  difference 
between  that  age  and  the  present :  but  those  who  adduce  any 
plea  for  the  existing  state  of  things  from  the  time  of  Leo,  Gregory, 
and  others  in  that  middle  period,  must  be  destitute  of  all  shame. 
This  conduct  resembles  that  of  any  one,  who,  to  vindicate  the 
monarchy  of  the  Roman  emperors,  should  commend  the  ancient 
state  of  the  Roman  government  ;  which  would  be  no  other 
than  borrowing  the  praises  of  liberty  to  adorn  a  system  of 
tyranny. 

XXIII.  Lastly,  though  all  these  things  were  conceded  to 
them,  they  would  be  called  to  a  new  controversy,  when  we 
deny  that  there  exists  at  Rome  a  Church  in  which  such  pri- 
vileges can  reside,  or  a  bishop  capable  of  exercising  these 
dignified  prerogatives.  Supposing,  therefore,  all  these  things 
to  be  true,  Avhich,  however,  we  have  already  refuted,  —  that,  by 
the  voice  of  Christ,  Peter  had  been  constituted  head  of  the 
universal  Church ;  that  the  honour  vested  in  him  he  had 
committed  to  the  Roman  see ;  that  this  had  been  established 
by  the  authority  of  the  ancient  Church,  and  confirmed  by  long 
usage  ;  that  all  men,  with  one  consent,  had  invariably  acknow- 
ledged the  supreme  power  of  the  Roman  pontiff ;  that  he  had  been 
the  judge  in  all  causes  and  of  all  men,  and  had  been  subject  to 
the  judgment  of  none  ;  —  though  they  should  have  all  these 
concessions,  and  any  more  that  they  wished,  yet  I  reply  in  one 
word,  that  none  of  them  would  be  of  any  avail,  unless  there 
be  at  Rome  a  Church  and  a  bishop.  They  must  of  necessity 
allow,  that  Rome  cannot  be  the  mother  of  Churches,  unless  it 
be  itself  a  Church,  and  that  he  cannot  be  the  prince  of  bishops, 
who  is  not  a  bishop  himself  Do  they  wish,  then,  to  make  Rome 
the  apostolic  see  ?  Let  them  show  me  a  true  and  legitimate 
apostleship.  Do  they  wish  to  have  the  supreme  pontiff?  Let 
them  show  me  a  bishop.  But  where  will  they  show  us  any 
form  or  appearance  of  a  Church  ?  They  mention  it,  indeed,  and 
have  it  frequently  in  their  mouths.  But  the  Church  is  known 
by  certain  marks,  and  a  bishopric  is  a  name  of  ofiice.  I  am  not 
now  speaking  of  the  people,  but  of  the  government  itself,  which 
ought  always  to  appear  in  the  Church.  Where  is  the  ministry, 
such  as  Christ's  institution  requires  ?  Let  us  remember  what 
has  already  been  said  of  the  office  of  presbyters  and  bishops. 
If  we  bring  the  ofiice  of  cardinals  to  that  rule,  we  shall  confess 
that  they  have  no  resemblance  to  presbyters.  And  I  should 
wish  to  know  what  resemblance  the  pontiff  himself  bears  to  a 
bishop.  The  first  duty  of  the  episcopal  office  is  to  instruct  the 
people  from  the  word  of  God  ;  the  second  duty,  closely  connect- 


334  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

ed  with  the  first,  is  to  administer  the  sacraments  ;  the  third  is 
to  admonish,  exhort,  and  reprove  those  Avho  offend,  and  to 
regulate  the  people  by  holy  discipline.  Which  of  these  duties 
does  he  perform  ?  Which  of  them  does  he  even  pretend  to 
perform  ?  Let  them  tell  me,  then,  upon  what  principle  they 
require  him  to  be  considered  as  a  bishop,  who  never,  even  in 
appearance,  with  his  little  finger  touches  the  least  portion  of 
the  duty, 

XXIV.    The  case  of  a  bishop  is  different  from  that  of  a  king, 
who   still  retains  the  honour  and  title  of  a  king,  though  he 
execute  none  of  the    royal   functions.     But   in   judging  of  a 
bishop,  regard  is  to  be  paid  to  the  commission  of  Christ,  which 
ought  always  to  continue  in  force  in  the  Church.     Let  the  Roman- 
ists, therefore,  furnish  me  with  a  solution  of  this  difficulty.     I  deny 
that  their  pontiff  is  the  chief  of  bishops,  because  he  is  not  a 
bishop  himself.     Now,  they  must  prove  this  second  member  of 
my  position  to  be  false,  if  they  will  obtain  the  victory  in  the  first. 
But  what  must  be  the  conclusion,  if  he  not  only  has  no  charac- 
teristic of  a  bishop,  but  every  thing  contrary  to  it  ?     But  here 
where  shall  I  begin  ?  with  his  doctrine,  or  his  conduct  ?     What 
shall  I  say  ?    What  shall  I  omit  ?     Where  shall  I  stop  ?     I  will 
make  this  assertion  —  that  as  the  world  is  at  present  filled  with 
so  many  corrupt  and  impious  doctrines,  loaded  with  such  various 
kinds  of  superstitions,  blinded  with  such  numerous  errors,  and 
immerged  in  such  profound  idolatry,  —  there  is  not  one  of  these 
evils  which  has  not  originated  from  the  see  of  Rome,  or  at  least 
been  confirmed  by  it.     Nor  is  there  any  other  cause  for  the 
violent  rage  of  the  pontiffs  against  the  revived  doctrine  of  the 
gospel,  and  for  their  exertion  of  all  their  power  to  crush  it,  and 
their  instigation  of  all  kings  and  princes  to  persecute  it,  but  that 
they  see  that  their  whole  kingdom  will  decline  and  fall  to  the 
ground,  where  the  primitive  gospel  of  Christ  shall  be  received. 
Leo  was  cruel ;  Clement   was  sanguinary  ;  Paul  is  ferocious. 
But  it  is  not  so  much  that  nature  has  impelled  them  to  impugn  the 
truth,  as  that  this  was  the  only  way  to  defend  their  power.     As 
they  cannot  be    safe,  therefore,  without  ruining   Christ,  they 
labour  in  this  cause  as  if  it  were  in  the  defence  of  their  religion, 
their  habitations,  their  lives.     What,  then,  shall   we   consider 
that  as  the  apostolic  see,  where  we  behold  nothing  but  a  horrible 
apostasy  ?     Shall  he  be  regarded  as  the  vicar  of  Christ,  who,  by 
his  furious  exertions  in  persecuting  the  gospel,  unequivocally 
declares  himself  to  be  Antichrist  ?     Shall  he  be  deemed  Peter's 
successor,  who  rages  with  fire  and  sword  to  demolish  all  that 
Peter  built?     Shall  we  acknowledge  him  to  be  head  of  the 
Church,  who,  after  severing  the  Church  from  Christ,  its  only 
true  Head,  divides  and  tears  it  in  pieces  ?     Though  it  be  ad- 
mitted that  Rome  was  once  the  mother  of  all  Churches,  yet 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  335 

from  the  time  when  it  began  to  be  the  seat  of  Antichrist,  it  has 
ceased  to  be  what  it  was  before. 

XXV.  Some  persons  think  ns  too  severe  and  censorious, 
when  we  call  the  Roman  pontiff  Antichrist.  But  those  who 
are  of  this  opinion  do  not  consider  that  they  bring  the  same 
charge  of  presumption  against  Paul  himself,  after  whom  we 
speak,  and  whose  language  we  adopt.  And  lest  any  one  should 
object,  that  we  improperly  pervert  to  the  Roman  pontiff  those 
words  of  Paul,  which  belong  to  a  different  subject,  I  shall  briefly 
show  that  they  are  not  capable  of  any  other  interpretation  than 
that  which  applies  them  to  the  Papacy.  Paul  says,  that  Anti- 
christ "  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God."  (z)  In  another  place, 
also,  the  Holy  Spirit,  describing  his  image  in  the  person  of 
Antiochus,  declares  that  his  kingdom  will  consist  in  "speaking 
great  words,"  or  blasphemies,  "  against  the  Most  High."  (a) 
Hence  we  conclude,  that  it  is  rather  a  tyranny  over  the  souls  of 
men,  than  over  their  bodies,  which  is  erected  in  opposition  to 
the  spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ.  And  in  the  next  place,  that 
this  tyranny  is  one  which  does  not  abolish  the  name  of  Christ 
or  of  his  Church,  but  rather  abuses  the  authority  of  Christ,  and 
conceals  itself  under  the  character  of  the  Church,  as  under  a 
mask.  Now,  though  all  the  heresies  and  schisms  which  have 
existed  from  the  beginning  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist, 
yet  when  Paul  predicts  an  approaching  apostasy,  he  signifies 
by  this  description  that  that  seat  of  abomination  shall  then  be 
erected,  when  a  universal  defection  shall  have  seized  the  Church, 
notwithstanding  many  members,  dispersed  in  different  places, 
persevere  in  the  unity  of  the  faith.  But  when  he  adds,  that  even 
in  his  days  "  the  mystery  of  iniquity  "  did  "  already  work  "  (b) 
in  secret  what  it  was  afterwards  to  effect  in  a  more  public 
manner,  he  gives  us  to  understand  that  this  calamity  was  neither 
to  be  introduced  by  one  man,  nor  to  terminate  with  one  man. 
Now,  when  he  designates  Antichrist  by  this  character,  —  that  he 
would  rob  God  of  his  honour  in  order  to  assume  it  to  himself,  — 
this  is  the  principal  indication  which  we  ought  to  follow  in  our 
inquiries  after  Antichrist,  especially  where  such  pride  proceeds 
to  a  public  desolation  of  the  Church.  As  it  is  evident  therefore 
that  the  Roman  pontiff  has  impudently  transferred  to  himself 
some  of  the  peculiar  and  exclusive  prerogatives  of  God  and 
Christ,  it  cannot  be  doubted  that  he  is  the  captain  and  leader 
of  this  impious  and  abominable  kingdom. 

XXVI.  Now,  let  the  Romanists  go  and  object  antiquity 
against  us ;  as  if,  in  such  a  subversion  of  every  thing,  the 
honour  of  the  see  could  remain,  where  no  see  exists.  Euse- 
bius  relates  that  God,  in  order  to  make  way  for  his  vengeance, 

(z)  2  Thess.  ii.  4  (a)  Dan.  vii.  25.  (i)  2  Thess.  ii.  7. 


336  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

remov^ed  the  Church  from  Jerusalem  to  Pella.  What  we  are 
informed  did  happen  once,  may  liave  happened  oftener.  There- 
fore to  attach  the  honour  of  the  primacy  to  any  particular  yilace, 
so  that  he  who  is  in  fact  the  most  inveterate  enemy  of  Christ, 
the  greatest  adversary  of  the  gospel,  the  desolater  and  destroyer 
of  the  Church,  the  most  cruel  murderer  and  butcher  of  all  the 
saints,  must  nevertheless  be  accounted  the  vicar  of  Christ,  the 
successor  of  Peter,  the  chief  prelate  of  the  Church,  merely  be- 
cause he  occupies  what  was  anciently  the  first  see,  is  a  thing 
extremely  ridiculous  and  absurd.  I  forbear  to  remark  the  im- 
mense difference  between  the  pope's  chancery,  and  a  well  re- 
gulated administration  of  the  Church ;  though  this  one  thing 
is  sufficient  to  remove  every  difiiculty  on  this  subject.  For  no 
man  in  his  sound  senses  will  include  the  episcopal  office  in  lead 
and  in  bulls,  much  less  in  that  school  of  frauds  and  chicaneries,  in 
which  the  pope's  spiritual  government  consists.  It  has  justly 
been  remarked,  therefore,  that  the  Roman  Church  which  is 
boasted  of,  has  long  ago  been  converted  into  a  secular  court, 
which  is  all  that  is  now  to  be  seen  at  Rome.  Nor  am  I  here 
accusing  the  vices  of  individuals,  but  proving  that  the  Papacy 
itself  is  diametrically  opposite  to  the  legitimate  order  of  the 
Church. 

XXVII.  But  if  we  proceed  to  persons,  it  is  well  known 
what  kind  of  men  we  shall  find  sustaining  the  character  of 
vicars  of  Christ.  Julius,  and  Leo,  and  Clement,  and  Paul, 
will  be  pillars  of  the  Christian  faith,  and  the  principal  oracles 
of  religion,  who  never  knew  any  thing  of  Christ,  except  what 
they  had  learned  in  the  school  of  Lucian.  But  why  do  I  enu- 
merate three  or  four  pontiffs,  as  though  it  were  doubtful  what 
kind  of  religion  the  pontiffs  and  the  whole  college  of  cardinals 
have  professed  long  ago,  and  profess  in  the  present  day  ?  For 
of  the  secret  theology  which  prevails  among  them,  the  first 
article  is,  that  there  is  no  God ;  the  second,  that  all  that  is 
written  and  preached  concerning  Jesus  Christ  is  falsehood 
and  imposture  ;  the  third,  that  the  doctrine  of  a  future  life, 
and  that  of  the  final  resurrection,  are  mere  fables.  This  opin- 
ion, I  confess,  is  not  entertained  by  all,  and  is  expressed  by 
few  of  them ;  yet  it  long  ago  began  to  be  the  ordinary  religion 
of  the  pontiffs.  Thougli  this  is  notorious  to  all  who  are  ac- 
quainted with  Rome,  yet  the  Pi-oman  theologians  persist  in 
boasting  that  the  possibility  of  error  in  the  pope  has  been  pre- 
vented by  the  privilege  of  Christ,  because  he  said  to  Peter, 
"I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  (c)  What 
can  they  gain  by  such  impudent  mockery,  except  it  be  to  con- 
vince  the   whole  world  of   their  having  arrived  at   such    an 

(f)  Luke  xxii.  32. 


CHAP.    VII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGIOX.  337 

extreme   of  presumption,  that  they  neither  fear  God  nor  re- 
gard men  ? 

XXVIII.  But  let  us  suppose  the  impiety  of  those  pontifls, 
whom  I  have  mentioned,  to  be  concealed,  because  they  have 
not  pubUshed  it  by  sermons  or  by  writings,  but  only  betrayed 
it  in  their  chambers  and  at  their  tables,  or  at  least  within  the 
walls  of  their  palaces.  But  if  they  wish  to  establish  this  privi- 
lege to  which  they  pretend,  they  must  expunge  from  the 
number  of  the  pontiffs  John  the  Twenty-second,  who  publicly 
maintained  that  souls  are  mortal,  and  tiiat  they  perish  together 
with  the  bodies  till  the  day  of  resurrection.  And  to  show 
that  the  whole  see,  with  its  principal  pillars,  was  then  entirely 
overturned,  not  one  of  the  cardinals  resisted  this  capital  error; 
but  the  university  of  Paris  urged  the  king  of  France  to  compel 
the  pope  to  a  retraction.  The  king  interdicted  his  subjects 
from  all  communion  with  him,  unless  he  should  speedily  re- 
pent ;  and  he  caused  this  to  be  proclaimed,  in  the  usual  manner, 
by  a  herald.  Compelled  by  necessity,  the  pontiff  abjured  his 
error.  This  example  renders  it  unnecessary  for  me  to  dispute 
any  longer  against  the  assertion  of  our  adversaries,  that  the  see 
of  Rome  and  its  pontiffs  cannot  err  respecting  the  faith,  because 
Christ  said  to  Peter,  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith 
fail  not."  John  certainly  fell  from  the  true  faith  in  so  dis- 
graceful a  manner,  that  he  might  furnish  to  posterity  a  signal 
proof,  that  those  who  succeed  Peter  in  his  bishopric  are  not  all 
Peters.  The  argument  itself,  however,  is  too  puerile  to  need 
any  answer.  For  if  they  are  determined  to  apply  to  Peter's 
successors  every  thing  that  was  said  to  Peter,  it  will  follow 
that  they  are  all  Satans,  because  the  Lord  also  said  to  Peter, 
"  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan  ;  thou  art  an  offence  unto  me."  {d) 
It  will  be  as  easy  for  us  to  retort  this  passage  against  them,  as 
it  is  for  them  to  object  the  other  against  us. 

XXIX.  But  it  affords  me  no  pleasure  to  contend  with  them 
in  such  fooleries,  and  therefore  I  return  from  the  digression. 
To  confine  Christ,  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  Church,  to  one 
particular  place,  so  that  whoever  presides  there,  even  though 
he  be  a  devil,  must,  nevertheless,  be  deemed  the  vicar  of  Christ, 
and  the  head  of  the  Church,  because  that  place  was  formerly 
the  see  of  Peter,  I  maintahi  to  be  not  only  impious  and  dis- 
honourable to  Christ,  but  altogether  absurd  and  repugnant  to 
common  sense.  The  Roman  pontiffs  for  a  long  time  have 
either  been  totally  indifferent  to  religion,  or  have  shown  them- 
selves its  greatest  enemies.  They  are  no  more  made  the  vicars 
of  Christ,  therefore,  by  the  see  which  they  occupy,  than  an 
idol  is  to  be  taken  for  God.  because  it  is  placed  in  his  temple. 

(d)  Matt.  xvi.  2.3. 

VOL.  II,  43 


338  IXSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Now,  if  a  judgment  is  to  be  formed  on  their  conduct,  let  the 
pontiffs  answer  for  themselv^es  in  what  ];ait  of  it  they  can  at 
all  be  recognized  as  bishops.  In  the  first  place,  the  mode  of 
life  generally  pursued  at  Rome,  not  only  without  any  o))posi- 
tion  from  them,  but  with  their  connivance,  and  even  tacit  ap- 
probation, is  altogether  disgraceful  to  bishops,  whose  duty  it 
is  to  restrain  the  licentiousness  of  the  people  by  a  rigid  dis- 
cipline. I  will  not,  however,  be  so  severe  against  them  as 
to  charge  them  with  the  faults  of  other  persons.  But  while 
both  themselves  and  their  families,  with  almost  the  whole 
college  of  cardinals,  and  the  whole  host  of  their  clergy,  are  so 
abandoned  to  all  kinds  of  debauchery,  impurity,  and  obscenity, 
and  to  every  species  of  enormity  and  crime,  that  they  resemble 
monsters  rather  than  men,  they  prove  themselves  to  have  no 
just  claim  to  the  character  of  bishops.  They  need  not  be 
afraid,  however,  that  I  shall  proceed  to  a  further  disclosure  of 
their  turpitude.  For  it  is  un})leasant  to  meddle  Avith  such 
abominable  pollution,  and  it  is  necessary  to  spare  chaste  ears. 
Besides,  I  conceive,  I  have  more  than  sufficiently  proved  Avhat 
I  intended,  that  even  if  Rome  had  anciently  been  the  head 
of  all  Churches,  yet  at  the  present  day  she  is  not  worthy  of 
being  accounted  one  of  the  smallest  toes  of  the  Church's  feet. 

XXX.  With  respect  to  the  cardmals,  as  they  are  called,  I 
know  not  how  it  has  come  to  pass  that  they  have  so  suddenly 
risen  to  such  high  dignity.  In  the  time  of  Gregory,  this  title 
was  exclusively  applied  to  bishops  ;  for  whenever  he  mentions 
cardinals,  he  speaks  of  them  not  only  as  belonging  to  the  Church 
of  Rome,  but  to  any  other  Churches  ;  so  that,  in  short,  a  cardinal 
priest  is  no  other  than  a  bishop.  I  find  no  such  title  at  all  in 
the  writers  of  any  preceding  age ;  and  at  that  time,  I  observe, 
they  were  far  inferior  to  bishops,  to  whom  they  are  now  so 
far  superior.  This  passage  of  Augustine  is  well  known  : 
"  Though,  according  to  the  titles  of  honour  which  have  long 
been  used  in  the  Church,  a  bishop  is  superior  to  a  presbyter, 
yet  Augustine  is  in  many  things  inferior  to  Jerome."  He 
clearly  makes  not  the  least  distinction  between  a  presbyter  of 
the  Roman  Church  and  those  of  other  Churches,  but  places 
them  all  alike  below  the  bishops.  And  this  order  was  so  long 
observed,  that  in  the  Council  of  Carthage,  when  two  legates 
attended  from  the  Roman  see,  one  a  bishop,  the  other  a  pres- 
byter, the  presbyter  was  obliged  to  take  the  lowest  seat.  But 
not  to  go  too  far  into  antiquity  for  examples,  we  have  the  acts 
of  a  council  held  under  Gregory  at  Rome,  at  which  the  pres- 
byters sat  in  the  lowest  place,  and  subscribed  separately ;  and 
the  deacons  were  not  allowed  to  subscribe  at  all.  And,  indeed, 
the  priests  had  no  other  office  at  that  time,  than  to  attend  and 
assist  the  bishop  in  the  ministry  of  the  word  and  the  adniinis- 


CHAP.    VIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  339 

tratioii  of  the  sacraments.  Now,  their  condition  is  so  changed, 
that  they  are  become  the  cousins  of  kings  and  emperors.  And 
there  is  no  doubt  but  they  rose  by  degrees,  together  with  their 
head,  till  they  reached  their  present  high  dignity.  This  also 
I  have  thought  proper  to  suggest  by  the  way  in  a  few  words, 
that  the  reader  may  more  fully  understand,  that  the  Roman  see, 
in  its  present  circumstances,  is  widely  ditferent  from  its  ancient 
state,  under  the  pretext  of  which  it  is  now  maintained  and  de- 
fended. But  whatever  they  may  have  been  in  former  times, 
since  they  have  now  no  true  and  legitimate  office  in  the  Church, 
and  only  retain  a  mere  name  and  nseless  mask  of  one,  and  since 
every  thing  belonging  to  them  is  quite  contrary  to  it,  it  was 
necessary  that  what  Gregory  often  forebodes  should  actually 
befall  them  :  "  I  say  it  with  tears,  I  denounce  it  with  groans, 
that  since  the  sacerdotal  order  is  fallen  within,  it  will  not  long 
be  able  to  stand  without."  Or  rather  it  was  necessary  that 
what  Malachi  declares  of  similar  characters  should  be  fulfilled 
in  them  :  "  Ye  are  departed  out  of  the  way ;  ye  have  caused 
many  to  stumble  at  the  law  ;  ye  have  corrupted  the  covenant 
of  Levi,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  Therefore  ha/e  I  also  made 
you  contemptible  and  base  before  all  the  people."  (e)  I  now 
leave  it  to  all  pious  persons  to  consider  the  nature  of  the  lofty 
fabric  of  the  Roman  hierarchy,  to  which  the  Papists,  with  ne- 
farious impudence,  and  without  any  hesitation,  sacrifice  even 
the  word  of  God  itself,  which  ought  to  have  been  held  venera- 
ble and  sacred  by  heaven  and  earth,  by  men  and  angels 


CHAPTER    VIIL 

THE  POWER  OF  THE  CHURCH  RESPECTING  ARTICLES  OF  FAITH, 
AND  ITS  LICENTIOUS  PERVERSION,  UNDER  THE  PAPACr,  TO 
THE    CORRUPTION    OF    ALL    PURITY    OF    DOCTRINE 

The  next  subject  is  the  power  of  the  Church,  Avhich  is  to 
be  considered  as  residing,  partly  in  the  respective  bishops,  partly 
in  councils,  and  those  either  provincial  or  general.  I  speak 
only  of  the  spiritual  power  which  belongs  to  the  Church.  Now, 
it  consists  either  in  doctrine,  in  legislation,  or  jurisdiction.  The 
subject  of  doctrine  contains  two  parts  —  the  authority  to  establish 
doctrines,  and  the  explication  of  them.  Before  we  enter  on  the 
Darticular  discussion  of  each  of  these  points,  we  would  apprize 

(fi)  Mai.  ii.  8,  9. 


340  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

the  pious  readers,  that  whatever  is  asserted  respecting  the  power 
of  the  Church,  they  should  be  mindful  to  refer  to  the  end  for 
which  Paul  declares  it  to  have  been  given,  namely,  "  to  edifi- 
cation, and  not  to  destruction  ;  "  (/)  and  all  who  make  a  legiti- 
mate use  of  it,  consider  themselves  as  nothing  more  than 
"  servants  of  Christ,"  (g)  and  the  people's  "  servants  for  Jesus' 
sake."  (/i)  Now,  the  only  way  to  edify  the  Church  is,  for  the 
ministers  themselves  to  study  to  preserve  to  Jesus  Christ  his 
rightful  authority,  which  can  no  longer  be  secure  than  while 
he  is  left  in  possession  of  what  he  has  received  from  the  Father, 
that  is,  to  be  the  sole  Master  in  the  Church,  (i)  For  of  liim 
alone,  and  of  no  other,  is  it  said,  "  Hear  ye  him."  (k)  The 
power  of  the  Church,  therefore,  is  not  to  be  depreciated,  yet  it 
must  be  circumscribed  by  certain  limits,  that  it  may  not  be 
extended  in  every  direction,  according  to  the  caprice  of  men. 
It  will,  therefore,  be  highly  useful  to  observe  how  it  is  described 
by  the  prophets  and  apostles.  For  if  we  simply  grant  to  men 
the  power  which  they  may  be  pleased  to  assume,  it  must  be 
obvious  to  every  one,  what  a  door  will  be  opened  for  tyranny, 
which  ought  never  to  be  seen  in  the  Church  of  Christ. 

II.  Here,  therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  remember,  that  what- 
ever authority  and  dignity  is  attributed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
the  Scripture,  either  to  the  priests  and  prophets  under  the  law, 
or  to  the  apostles  and  their  successors,  it  is  all  given,  not  in  a 
strict  sense  to  the  persons  themselves,  but  to  the  ministry  over 
which  they  were  appointed,  or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  to  the 
word,  the  ministration  of  which  was  committed  to  them.  For 
if  we  examine  them  all  in  succession,  we  shall  not  find  that 
they  were  invested  with  any  authority  to  teach  or  to  answer 
inquiries,  but  in  the  name  and  word  of  the  Lord.  For  when 
they  were  called  to  their  office,  it  was  at  the  same  time  en- 
joined that  they  should  bring  forward  nothing  of  themsetves, 
but  should  speak  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.  Nor  did  he 
send  them  forth  in  public  to  address  the  people,  before  he  had 
instructed  them  what  they  should  say,  that  they  might  speak 
nothing  beside  his  word.  Moses  himself,  the  prince  of  all  the 
prophets,  was  to  be  heard  above  all  others ;  but  he  was  first  fur- 
nished with  his  commission,  that  he  might  not  be  able  to  an- 
nounce any  thing  except  from  the  Lord.  Therefore  the  people, 
when  they  received  his  doctrine,  were  said  to  "  believe  the 
Lord  and  his  servant  Moses."  (I)  The  authority  of  the  priests 
also,  that  it  might  not  fall  into  contempt,  was  confirmed  by  the 
severest  punishments,  (m)  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Lord 
shows  on  what  condition  they  were  to  be  heard,  when  he  says, 


(/)  2  Cor.  X.  8 ;  xiii.  10.       (>r)  Pliil.  i.  1.        (/,)  2  Cor.  iv.  .">.        (i)  Matt,  xxiii.  8 
(Ar)  Matt.  xvii.  5.  (/)  Exod.  xiv.  31.  (w)  Deut.  xvii.  8— 12. 


CHAP.    VIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  341 

"  My  covenant  was  with  Levi.  The  law  of  truth  was  in  his 
mouth."  And  just  afterwards,  "  The  priest's  lips  should  keep 
knowledge,  and  they  should  seek  the  law  at  his  mouth  ;  for 
he  is  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  hosts."  (n)  Therefore,  if 
a  priest  would  be  heard,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  prove 
himself  the  messenger  of  God,  by  faithfully  conmiunicating 
the  commands  which  he  had  received  from  his  master ;  and 
where  attoition  to  the  priests  is  enjoined,  it  is  expressly  stated, 
that  "  they  shall  teach  the  sentence  of  the  law  "  (o)  of  God. 

in.  The  power  of  the  prophets  is  fully  and  beautifully  de- 
scribed in  Ezekiel.  "  Son  of  man,"  says  the  Lord,  "  I  have 
made  thee  a  watchman  unto  the  house  of  Israel ;  therefore 
hear  the  word  at  my  mouth,  and  give  them  warning  from 
me."  (p)  When  he  is  commanded  to  hear  from  the  mouth  of 
the  Lord,  is  he  not  prohibited  to  invent  any  thing  of  himself? 
And  what  is  it  to  give  warning  from  the  Lord,  but,  to  speak  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  be  able  to  declare  with  confidence  that 
the  message  he  has  brought  is  not  his  own,  but  the  Lord's  ? 
The  Lord  expresses  the  same  thing  in  other  words  in  the  pro- 
phecy of  Jeremiah  :  "  The  prophet  that  hath  a  dream,  let  him 
tell  a  dream  ;  and  he  that  hath  my  word,  let  him  speak  my  word 
faithfully."  (^)  He  clearly  delivers  a  law  for  them  all;  its 
import  is,  that  he  permits  no  one  to  teach  more  than  he  has 
been  commanded ;  and  he  afterwards  gives  the  appellation  of 
"chaff"  to  every  thing  that  has  not  proceeded  from  himself 
alone.  Not  one  of  the  prophets  opened  his  mouth,  therefore, 
without  having  first  received  the  words  from  the  Lord.  Hence 
their  frequent  use  of  these  expressions:  "The  word  of  the 
Lord,"  "The  burden  of  the  Lord,"  "Thus  saith  the  Lord," 
"  The  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken ;  "  and  this  was  highly 
necessary  ;  for  Isaiah  exclaimed,  "  I  am  a  man  of  unclean 
lips  ;  "  (?')  and  Jeremiah  said,  "  Behold,  I  cannot  speak,  for  I  am 
a  child."  (s)  What  could  proceed  from  the  pollution  of  the 
one,  and  the  folly  of  the  other,  but  impure  and  foolish  speeches, 
if  they  had  spoken  their  own  words  ?  But  their  lips  were  holy 
and  pure,  when  they  began  to  be  the  organs  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Wh.le  the  prophets  were  bound  by  this  law  to  deliver  nothing 
but  what  they  had  received,  they  were  likewise  adorned  with 
eminent  power  and  splendid  titles.  For  when  the  Lord  de- 
clares, "  See,  I  have  this  day  set  thee  over  the  nations,  and 
over  the  kingdoms,  to  root  out,  and  to  pull  down,  and  to  de- 
stroy, and  to  throw  down,  and  to  build,  and  to  plant,"  he  at 
the  same  time  assigns  the  reason  —  "Behold,  I  have  put  my 
words  in  thy  mouth."  (t) 

(n)  Mai.  ii.  4— 7.         (o)  Deut  xvii.  11.         (p)  Ezck.  iii.  17.         (v)  Jer.  xxiii.  2a 
(r)  Isaiah  vi.  5.  (s)  Jer.  i.  6.  (/)  Jer.  i.  9,  10. 


342  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

IV.  If  we  advert  to  the  apostles,  they  are  certainly  honoured 
with  many  extraordinary  characters.  It  is  said  that  they  are 
"  the  light  of  the  world,"  and  "  the  salt  of  the  earth  ;  "  (v)  that 
"he  that  heareth  "  them  "heareth  Christ ;  "  (w)  that  "whatso- 
ever "  they  "  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  and 
whatsoever  "  they  "  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed  in  hea- 
ven." (x)  But  their  very  name  shows  what  degree  of  liberty 
they  were  allowed  in  their  office  ;  that  if  they  were  apostles,  they 
were  not  to  declaim  according  to  their  own  pleasure,  but  to  de- 
liver with  strict  fidelity  the  commands  of  him  who  had  sent  them. 
And  the  language  of  Christ  is  sufficiently  clear,  in  which  he  has 
defined  their  message  by  the  following  commission  :  "Go  ye, 
and  teach  all  nations  whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you."  (y) 
He  had  even  received  and  imposed  on  himself  the  same  law, 
in  order  that  no  one  might  refuse  to  submit  to  it.  "  My  doc- 
trine," says  he,  "is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me."  (z)  He 
who  was  always  the  eternal  and  only  counsellor  of  the  Father, 
and  was  constituted  by  the  Father  the  Lord  and  Master  of  all, 
yet  because  he  sustained  the  office  of  a  teacher,  prescribed,  by 
his  own  example,  the  rule  which  all  ministers  ought  to  follow 
in  their  teaching.  The  power  of  the  Church,  therefore,  is  not 
unlimited,  but  subject  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and,  as  it  were, 
included  in  it. 

V.  But  whereas  it  has  been  a  principle  received  in  the 
Church  from  the  beginning,  and  ought  to  be  admitted  in  the 
present  day,  that  the  servants  of  God  should  teach  nothing 
which  they  have  not  learned  from  him,  yet  they  have  had  dif- 
ferent modes  of  receiving  instruction  from  him,  according  to  the 
variety  of  different  periods ;  and  the  present  mode  differs  from 
those  which  have  preceded  it.  In  the  first  place,  if  the  asser- 
tion of  Christ  be  true,  that  "  no  man  knoM^eth  the  Father 
except  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal 
him,"  (a)  it  must  always  have  been  necessary  for  those  who 
would  arrive  at  the  knowledge  of  God,  to  be  directed  by  that 
eternal  wisdom.  For  how  could  they  have  comprehended  the 
mysteries  of  God,  or  how  could  they  have  declared  them, 
except  by  the  teaching  of  him,  to  whom  alone  the  secrets  of 
the  Father  are  intimately  known  ?  The  saints  in  former  ages, 
therefore,  had  no  other  knowledge  of  God  than  what  they 
obtained  by  beholding  him  in  the  Son.  as  in  a  mirror.  By  this 
observation  I  mean  that  God  never  manifested  himself  to  man 
in  any  other  way  than  by  his  Son,  his  only  wisdom,  light,  and 
truth.  From  this  fountain  Adam,  Noah,  Abraham,  Isaac,  Ja- 
cob, and  others,  drew  all  the  knowledge  which  they  possessed 

(r)  Matt.  V.  13,  14.  (x)  Matt,  xviii.  18.  (:)  John  vii.  16. 

(m>;  Luke  X.  16.  {y)  Matt,  xxviii.  1^  20.  (a)  Matt.  xi.  27. 


CHAP.    VIII.]  CHRISTIAlSr    RELIGION.  343 

of  heavenly  doctrine  ;  from  this  fountain  the  prophets  them- 
selves drew  all  the  celestial  oracles  which  they  spoke  and 
wrote.  But  this  wisdom  has  not  always  manifested  itself  in 
the  same  way.  With  the  patriarchs  God  employed  secret 
revelations  ;  for  the  confirmation  of  which,  however,  he  at  the 
same  time  added  such  signs  that  they  could  not  entertain  the 
least  doubt  that  it  was  God  who  spake  to  them.  What  the 
patriarchs  had  received,  they  transmitted  from  hand  to  hand  to 
their  posterity:  for  the  Lord  had  committed  it  to  them  on  the 
express  condition  that  they  should  so  propagate  it.  Succeed- 
ing generations,  from  the  testimony  of  God  in  their  hearts, 
knew  that  what  they  heard  was  from  heaven,  and  not  from 
the  earth. 

VI.  But  when  it  pleased  God  to  raise  up  a  more  visible  form 
of  a  church,  it  was  his  will  that  his  word  should  be  committed 
to  writing,  in  order  that  the  priests  might  derive  from  it  what- 
ever they  would  communicate  to  the  people,  and  that  all  the 
doctrine  which  should  be  delivered  might  be  examined  by  that 
rule.  Therefore,  after  the  promulgation  of  the  law,  when  the 
priests  were  commanded  to  teach  "out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord,"  the  meaning  is,  that  they  should  teach  nothing  extrane- 
ous, or  different  from  that  system  of  doctrine  which  the  Lord 
had  comprised  in  the  law ;  it  was  not  lawful  for  them  to  add  to 
it  or  to  diminish  from  it.  Afterwards  followed  the  prophets, 
by  whom  God  published  new  oracles,  which  were  to  be  added 
to  the  law ;  yet  they  were  not  so  new  but  that  they  proceeded 
from  the  law,  and  bore  a  relation  to  it.  For  in  regard  to  doc- 
trine, the  prophets  were  merely  interpreters  of  the  law,  and 
added  nothing  to  it  except  prophecies  of  things  to  come.  Ex- 
cept these,  they  brought  forward  nothing  but  pure  explication 
of  the  law.  But  because  it  pleased  God  that  there  should  be  a 
more  evident  and  copious  doctrine,  for  the  better  satisfaction  of 
weak  consciences,  he  directed  the  prophecies  also  to  be  com- 
mitted to  writing,  and  to  be  accounted  a  part  of  his  word.  To 
these  likewise  were  added  the  histories,  which  were  the  pro- 
ductions of  the  prophets,  but  composed  under  the  dictation 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  class  the  Psalms  with  the  prophecies, 
because  what  we  attribute  to  the  prophecies  is  common  to  the 
Psalms.  That  whole  body  of  Scripture,  therefore,  consisting 
of  the  Law,  the  Prophets,  the  Psalms,  and  the  Histories,  was 
the  word  of  God  to  the  ancient  Church ;  and  to  this  stand- 
ard the  priests  and  teachers,  even  to  the  coming  of  Christ, 
were  bound  to  conform  their  doctrine  ;  nor  was  it  lawful  for 
them  to  deviate  either  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left,  because 
their  office  was  wholly  confined  within  these  limits,  that  they 
should  answer  the  people  from  the  mouth  of  God.  And  this 
may  be    inferred  from   that   remarkable    passage  of  Malachi, 


344  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

where  he  commands  the  Jews  to  remember  the  law,  and  to  be 
attentive  to  it,  even  till  the  publication  of  the  gospel,  (b)  For  in 
that  injunction  he  drives  them  ofT  from  all  adventitious  doctrines, 
and  prohibits  even  the  smallest  deviation  from  the  path  which 
Moses  had  faithfully  showed  them.  And  it  is  for  this  reason 
that  David  so  magnifies  the  excellence  of  the  law.  and  recounts 
so  many  of  its  praises  ;  to  prevent  the  Jews  from  desiring  any 
addition  to  it,  since  it  contained  every  thing  necessary  for  them 
to  know, 

VII.  But  when,  at  length,  the  Wisdom  of  God  was  manifested 
in  the  flesh,  it  openly  declared  to  us  all  that  the  human  mind  is 
capable  of  comprehending,  or  ought  to  think,  concerning  the 
heavenly  Father.  Now,  therefore,  since  Christ,  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  has  shone  upon  us,  we  enjoy  the  full  splendour 
of  Divine  truth,  resembling  the  brightness  of  noonday,  whereas 
the  light  enjoyed  before  was  a  kind  of  twilight.  For  certainly 
the  apostle  intended  to  state  no  unimportant  fact  when  he  said, 
that  "  God,  who,  at  sundry  times,  and  in  divers  manners,  spake 
in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these 
last  days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son  ;  "  (c)  for  he  here  suggests, 
and  even  plainly  declares,  that  God  will  not  in  future,  as  in 
ages  past,  speak  from  time  to  time  by  one  and  another,  that  he 
will  not  add  prophecies  to  prophecies,  or  revelations  to  revela- 
tions, but  that  he  has  completed  all  the  branches  of  instruction 
in  his  Son,  so  that  this  is  the  last  and  eternal  testimony 
that  we  shall  have  from  him  :  for  which  reason  this  whole 
period  of  the  New  Testament,  from  the  appearance  of  Christ 
to  us  in  the  first  promulgation  of  his  gospel,  even  to  the  day 
of  judgment,  is  designated  as  "  the  last  time,"  "the  last  times," 
"the  last  days;"  in  order  that,  being  content  with  the  perfec- 
tion of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  we  may  learn  neither  to  invent 
any  thing  new  or  beyond  it  ourselves,  nor  to  receive  any  such 
thing  from  the  invention  of  others.  It  is  not  without  cause, 
therefore,  that  the  Father  has  given  us  his  Son  by  a  peculiar 
privilege,  and  appointed  him  to  be  our  teacher,  commanding 
attention  to  be  paid  to  him,  and  not  to  any  mere  man.  He  has 
recommended  his  tuition  to  us  in  few  words, when  he  says,  "  Hear 
ye  him  ;  "  (d)  but  there  is  more  weight  and  energy  in  them  than 
is  commonly  imagined ;  for  they  call  us  away  from  all  the  in- 
structions of  men,  and  ])lace  us  before  him  alone  ;  they  com- 
mand us  to  learn  from  him  alone  all  the  doctrine  of  salvation, 
to  depend  upon  him,  to  adhere  to  him,  in  short,  as  the  words 
express,  to  listen  solely  to  his  voice.  And,  indeed,  what  ought 
now  to  be  either  expected  or  desired  from  man,  when  the 
Word  of  Life  himself  has  familiarly  presented  himself  before 

(ft)  Mai.  iv.  4.  (f)  Hcb.  i.  J,  2.  (</)  Matt.  .wii.  5. 


CHAP.     VIII. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  345 

US  ?  It  is  rather  necessary  that  the  mouths  of  all  men  should 
be  shut,  since  he  has  once  spoken,  in  whom  it  has  pleased  the 
heavenly  Father  that  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  know- 
ledge should  be  hidden,  (e)  and  has  spoken  in  a  manner  becom- 
ing the  wisdom  of  God,  in  which  there  is  no  imperfection,  and 
the  Messiah,  who  was  expected  to  reveal  all  things  ;  (/)  that 
is,  has  spoken  in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave  nothing  to  be  said 
by  others  after  him. 

VIII.  Let  us  lay  down  this,  then,  as  an  undoubted  axiom, 
that  nothing  ought  to  be  admitted  in  the  Church  as  the  word 
of  God,  but  what  is  contained  first  in  the  law  and  the  prophets, 
and  secondly  in  the  writings  of  the  apostles,  and  that  there  is 
no  other  method  of  teaching  aright  in  the  Church  than  accord- 
ing to  the  direction  and  standard  of  that  word.  Hence  we 
conclude,  also,  that  the  apostles  were  allowed  no  more  discre- 
tion than  the  prophets  before  them — namely,  to  expound  the 
ancient  Scripture,  and  to  show  that  the  things  delivered  in  it 
were  accomplished  in  Christ ;  but  this  they  were  only  to  do 
from  the  Lord,  that  is  to  say,  under  the  guidance  and  dictation 
of  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  For  Christ  limited  their  mission  by 
this  condition,  when  he  ordered  them  to  go  and  teach,  not  the 
fabrications  of  their  own  presumption,  but  whatsoever  he  had 
commanded  them,  (g)  And  nothing  could  be  more  explicit 
than  what  he  said  on  another  occasion:  "Be  not  ye  called 
Rabbi ;  for  one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ."  (h)  To  fix  this 
more  deeply  in  their  minds,  he  repeats  it  twice  in  the  same 
place.  And  because  their  weakness  was  such  that  they  were 
unable  to  comprehend  the  things  which  they  had  heard  and 
learned  from  the  lips  of  their  Master,  the  Spirit  of  truth  was 
promised  to  them,  to  lead  them  into  the  true  understanding  of 
all  things,  (i)  For  that  restriction  is  to  be  attentively  remarked, 
which  assigns  to  the  Holy  Spirit  the  office  of  suggesting  to 
their  minds  all  that  Christ  had  before  taught  them  with  his 
mouth. 

IX.  Therefore  Peter,  who  had  been  fully  taught  by  his 
Master  how  far  his  office  extended,  represents  nothing  as  left 
for  himself  or  others,  but  to  dispense  the  doctrine  committed 
to  them  by  God.  "  If  any  man  speak,"  says  he,  "  let  him 
speak  as  the  oracles  of  God ;"(/:)  that  is,  not  with  hesitation 
or  uncertainty,  like  persons  conscious  of  no  sufficient  authority, 
but  with  the  noble  confidence  which  becomes  a  servant  of 
God  furnished  with  his  certain  commission.  What  is  this  but 
rejecting  all  the  inventions  of  the  human  mind,  from  whatever 
head  they  may  proceed,  in  order  that  the  pure  word  of  God 

(e)    Col.  i.  19  ;  ii.  3.         (sr)  Matt,  xxviii.  10,  20.  (/)  John  xiv.  26;  xvi.  13. 

(/)  John  iv.  2'i.  (h)  Matt,  xxiii.  8,  10.  (/.)  1  Peter  iv.  11. 

VOL.  II.  44 


346  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    IV. 


may  be  taught  and  learned  in  the  Church  of  believers  ?  What 
is  this  but  removing  all  the  decrees,  or  rather  inventions  of 
men,  whatever  be  their  station,  that  the  ordinances  of  God 
alone  may  be  observed  ?  These  are  the  spiritual  "  weapons, 
mighty  through  God  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong-holds,"  by 
which  the  faithful  soldi(?rs  of  God  "cast  down  imaginations, 
and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself  against  the  \-nowledge 
of  God,  and  bring  into  captivity  every  thought  to  the  obedience 
of  Christ."  (^)  This  is  the  extent  of  the  power  with  which 
the  pastors  of  the  Church,  by  whatever  name  they  may  be 
distinguished,  ought  to  be  invested;  —  that  by  the  word  of 
God  they  may  venture  to  do  all  things  with  confidence  ;  may 
constrain  all  the  strength,  glory,  wisdom,  and  pride  of  the 
world  to  obey  and  submit  to  his  majesty  ;  supported  by  his 
power,  may  govern  all  mankind,  from  the  highest  to  the  low- 
est ;  may  build  up  the  house  of  Christ,  and  subvert  the  house 
of  Satan  ;  may  feed  the  sheep,  and  drive  away  the  wolves  ; 
may  instruct  and  exhort  the  docile  ;  may  reprove,  rebuke,  and 
restrain  the  rebellious  and  obstinate  ;  may  bind  and  loose  ;  may 
discharge  their  lightnings  and  thunders,  if  necessary  ;  but  all 
in  the  word  of  God.  Between  the  apostles  and  their  success- 
ors, however,  there  is,  as  I  have  stated,  this  diiference  —  that 
the  apostles  were  the  certain  and  authentic  amanuenses  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  therefore  their  writings  are  to  be  received  as 
the  oracles  of  God ;  but  succeeding  ministers  have  no  other 
office  than  to  teach  what  is  revealed  and  recorded  in  the  sa- 
cred Scriptures.  We  conclude,  then,  that  it  is  not  now  left  to 
faithful  ministers  to  frame  any  new  doctrine,  but  that  it  be- 
hoves them  simply  to  adhere  to  the  doctrine  to  which  God  has 
made  all  subject,  without  any  exception.  In  making  this 
observation,  my  design  is  to  show,  not  only  what  is  lawful  to 
individuals,  but  also  to  the  universal  Church.  With  respect 
to  particular  persons,  Paul  had  certainly  been  appointed  by  tiie 
liOrd  an  apostle  to  the  Corinthians  ;  yet  he  denies  that  he  had 
any  dominion  over  their  faith,  (m)  Who  can  now  dare  to 
arrogate  to  himself  a  dominion  which  Paul  testifies  did  not 
belong  to  him  ?  If  he  had  sanctioned  such  a  license  of  teach- 
ing, that  whatever  the  pastor  delivered,  he  might  require,  as  a 
matter  of  right,  that  the  same  should  be  implicitly  believed,  he 
would  never  have  recommended  to  the  same  Corinthians  such  a 
regulation  as  this  :  "  Let  the  prophets  speak  two  or  three,  and 
let  the  other  judge.  If  any  thing  be  revealed  to  another  that 
sitteth  by,  let  the  first  hold  his  peace."  (?i)  For  here  he  ex- 
empted none,  but  made  the  authority  of  every  one  subject  to 
the  control  of  the  word  of  God.     But  the  case  of  the  universal 

(0  2  Cor.  X.  4,  5.  (m)  2  Cor.  i.  24.  («)  1  Cor.  xiv.  29,  30. 


CHAP.  VIII 


]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  347 


Church,  it  will  be  said,  is  different.  I  reply  —  Paul  has  ob- 
viated this  objection  in  another  place,  when  he  says  that  "faith 
Cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing,  by  the  word  of  God."(o)  But 
if  it  be  the  word  of  God  alone  upon  which  faith  is  suspended, 
towards  which  it  looks,  and  on  which  it  relies,  I  ask  what  is 
there  left  for  the  word  of  the  whole  world  ?  Here  it  will  be 
impossible  for  any  man  to  hesitate  who  has  really  known  what 
faith  is.  For  it  ought  to  rest  on  such  firm  ground  as  to  stand 
invincible  and  undismayed  in  opposition  to  Satan,  to  all  the  ma- 
chinations of  hell,  and  to  all  the  assaults  of  the  world.  This 
stability  we  shall  find  in  the  word  of  God  alone.  Besides 
the  reason  which  we  are  here  required  to  consider  is  of  uni- 
versal application  —  that  God  denies  to  man  the  right  of  pro- 
mulgating any  new  article  of  faith,  in  order  that  he  alone  may 
be  our  Muster  in  spiritual  doctrine,  as  he  alone  is  true  beyond 
all  possibility  of  deceiving  or  being  deceived.  This  reason  is 
no  less  applicable  to  the  whole  Church  than  to  every  individual 
believer. 

X.  But  if  this  power,  which  we  have  shown  to  belong  to 
the  Church,  be  compared  with  that  which  has  now  for  some 
ages  past  been  claimed  over  the  people  of  God  by  the  spiritual 
tyrants  who  have  falsely  called  themselves  bishops  and  prelates 
of  religion,  there  will  be  no  more  resemblance  than  there  is 
between  Christ  and  Belial.  It  is  not  my  intention  here  to 
expose  the  shameful  methods  in  which  they  have  exercised 
their  tyranny  :  I  shall  only  state  the  doctrine,  which  they  de- 
fend in  the  present  age,  not  only  by  their  writings,  but  also  by 
fire  and  sword.  As  they  take  it  for  granted  that  a  universal 
council  is  the  true  representative  of  the  Church,  having  assumed 
this  principle,  they  at  once  determine,  as  beyond  all  doubt, 
that  such  councils  are  under  the  immediate  direction  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  therefore  cannot  err.  Now,  as  they  them- 
selves influence  the  councils,  and  even  constitute  them,  the 
fact  is,  that  they  assume  to  themselves  all  that  they  contend 
for  as  belonging  to  the  councils.  They  wish  our  faith,  there- 
fore, to  stand  or  fall  at  their  pleasure,  that  whatever  they  may 
have  determined  on  one  side  or  the  other,  may  be  implicitly 
received  by  our  mindsas  fully  decided  ;  so  that  if  they  approve  of 
any  thing,  we  must  approve  of  the  same  without  any  hesitation  ; 
and  if  they  condemn  any  thing,  we  must  unite  in  the  condem- 
nation of  it.  At  the  same  time,  according  to  their  own  caprice, 
and  in  contempt  of  the  word  of  God,  they  fabricate  doctrines 
which,  for  no  other  reason  than  this,  they  require  to  be  be- 
lieved. For  they  acknowledge  no  man  as  a  Christian,  who 
does  not  fully  assent  to  all  their  dogmas,  affirmative  as  well  as 

(o)  Rom.  X.  17. 


348  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

negative,  if  not  with  an  explicit,  at  least  with  an  implicit  faith, 
because  they  pretend  that  the  Church  has  authority  to  make 
new  articles  of  faith. 

XI.  First,  let  us  hear  by  what  arguments  they  prove  this 
authority  to  have  been  given  to  the  Church;  and  then  we  shall 
see  how  far  their  allegations  respecting  the  Church  contribute 
to  support  their  cause.  The  Church,  they  say,  has  excellent 
promises,  that  she  is  never  to  be  forsaken  by  Christ,  her  spouse, 
but  will  be  led  by  his  Spirit  into  all  truth,  (p)  But  of  the  pro- 
mises which  they  are  accustomed  to  allege,  many  are  given 
no  less  to  each  believer  in  particular,  than  collectively  to 
the  whole  Church.  For  though  the  Lord  was  addressing  the 
twelve  apostles  when  he  said,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world ;  "  (q)  and  "  I  will  pray  the 
Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  comforter,  even  the 
Spirit  of  truth  ;  "  (r)  he  made  these  promises  not  only  to  the 
apostles  considered  as  a  body,  but  to  every  one  of  the  number, 
and  even  to  the  other  disciples  whom  he  had  already  received, 
or  who  were  afterwards  to  be  added  to  them.  Now,  when 
they  interpret  these  promises,  replete  with  peculiar  consolation, 
in  such  a  sense  as  if  they  were  given  to  no  individual  Christ- 
ian, but  only  to  the  whole  Church  collectively,  what  is  this 
but  depriving  all  Christians  of  the  confidence  with  which  such 
promises  ought  to  animate  them  ?  Here  I  do  not  deny  that 
the  whole  society  of  believers,  being  adorned  with  a  manifold 
variety  of  gifts,  possesses  a  more  ample  and  precious  treasure 
of  heavenly  wisdom,  than  each  particular  individual ;  nor  do  I 
intend  that  these  things  are  spoken  of  believers  in  common,  as 
if  they  were  all  equally  endued  with  the  spirit  of  understand- 
ing and  doctrine ;  but  we  must  not  allow  the  adversaries  of 
Christ,  in  defence  of  a  bad  cause,  to  wrest  the  Scripture  to  a 
sense  which  it  was  not  intended  to  convey.  Leaving  this 
remark,  I  freely  acknowledge  that  the  Lord  is  continually  pre- 
sent with  his  servants,  and  that  he  guides  them  by  his  Spirit  : 
that  this  is  not  a  spirit  of  error,  ignorance,  falsehood,  or  dark- 
ness, but  "  the  spirit  of  wisdom,  and  revelation,  and  truth," 
from  whom  they  may  certainly  learn  "  the  things  that  are 
given  to"  them  "  of  God,"  or,  in  other  words,  '"may  know 
what  is  the  hope  of  his  calling,  and  what  the  riches  of  the 
glory  of  his  inheritance  in  the  saints."  (s)  But  as  it  is  nothing 
more  than  the  first  fruits,  a  kind  of  foretaste  of  that  Spirit  that 
is  enjoyed  by  believers  in  the  present  state,  even  by  those  of 
them  who  are  favoured  with  more  excellent  graces  than  others, 
♦here  remains  nothing  for  them,  but  that,  conscious  of  their 


(p)  John  .xvi.  13.  (q)  Matt,  .\xviii.  20.  (;•)  .Tohn  xiv.  16,  17. 

(s)  Epiies.  i.  17,  18.     John  xiv.  17.     1  Cor.  ii.  V2. 


CHAP.    VIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  349 

imbecility,  they  solicitously  confine  themselves  within  the 
limits  of  the  word  of  God  ;  lest,  if  they  proceed  far  by  their 
own  sense,  they  should  wander  from  the  right  way,  in  conse- 
quence of  being  not  yet  fully  enlightened  by  that  Spirit,  by 
whose  teaching  alone  truth  is  distinguished  from  falsehood. 
For  all  confess  with  Panl,  that  they  have  not  yet  attained  the 
mark ;  therefore  they  rather  press  on  towards  daily  improve- 
ment, than  boast  of  perfection,  (t) 

XII.  But  they  will  object,  that  whatever  is  partially  attributed 
to  every  one  of  the  saints,  completely  and  perfectly  belongs  to 
the  whole  Church.  Notwithstanding  the  plausibility  of  this 
position,  yet  I  deny  it  to  be  true.  I  admit  that  God  distributes 
the  gifts  of  his  Spirit  by  measure  to  every  member  of  his 
Church,  in  such  a  manner  that  nothing  necessary  is  wanting  to 
the  whole  body,  when  those  gifts  are  bestowed  in  common. 
But  the  riches  of  the  Church  are  always  such  as  to  be  very  far 
from  that  consummate  perfection  boasted  by  our  adversaries.  Yet 
the  Church  is  not  left  destitute  in  any  respect,  but  that  it  always 
has  what  is  sufficient ;  for  the  Lord  knows  what  its  necessity 
requires.  But  to  restrain  it  within  the  bounds  of  humility  and 
pious  modesty,  he  bestows  no  more  than  he  sees  to  be  expedi- 
ent. Here,  I  know,  they  are  accustomed  to  object,  that  the 
Church  has  been  "  cleansed  by  the  washing  of  water  by  the 
word,  that  he  might  present  it  to  himself  a  glorious  Church, 
not  having  spot,  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing,  but  that  it 
should  be  holy  and  without  blemish  ;  "  (ii)  and  that  for  this 
reason  it  is  called  "the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth."  (??) 
But  the  former  of  these  passages  rather  indicates  what  Christ  is 
daily  performing  in  his  Church,  than  any  thing  that  he  has  already 
accomplished.  For  if  he  is  daily  sanctifying,  purifying,  polish- 
ing, and  cleansing  his  people,  it  must  be  evident  that  they  still 
have  some  spots  and  wrinkles,  and  that  something  is  still  v/anting 
to  their  sanctification.  How  vain  and  visionary  is  it  to  imagine 
the  Church  already  perfectly  holy  and  immaculate,  while  all 
its  members  are  the  subjects  of  corruption  and  impurity  !  It  is 
true  that  the  Church  is  sanctified  by  Christ,  but  it  is  only  the 
commencement  of  their  sanctification  that  is  seen  in  the  present 
state  ;  the  end  and  perfect  completion  of  it  will  be  when  Christ, 
the  Holy  of  Holies,  shall  fill  it  truly  and  entirely  with  his 
holiness.  It  is  likewise  true  that  its  spots  and  wrinkles  are 
effaced,  but  in  such  a  manner  that  they  are  in  a  daily  course 
of  obliteration,  till  Christ  at  his  coming  shall  entirely  efface  all 
that  remains.  For,  unless  we  admit  this,  we  must  of  necessity 
assert,  with  the  Pelagians,  that  the  righteousness  of  believers  is 
perfect  in  the  present  life,  and  with  the  Cathari  and  Donatists, 

(t)  Phil.  iii.  12—14.  («.)  Ephes.  v.  2G,  27.  (r)  1  Tim.  iii.  15. 


350  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

must  allow  no  infirmity  in  the  Church.  The  other  passage,  as 
we  have  ah-eady  seen,  has  a  meaning  totally  different  from 
what  they  pretend.  For  after  Paul  had  instructed  Timothy  in 
the  true  nature  of  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he  says,  "  These  things 
I  write  unto  thee,  that  thou  mayest  know  how  thou  oughtest 
to  behave  thyself  m  the  house  of  God ;  "  and  to  enforce  his 
conscientious  attention  to  this  object,  he  adds,  that  the  Church 
itself  is  "the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth."  (w)  Now,  what 
is  the  meaning  of  this  expression,  but  that  the  truth  of  God  is 
preserved  in  the  Church,  and  that  by  the  ministry  of  preaching  ? 
As  in  another  place  he  states,  that  Christ  "  gave  some  apostles, 
and  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and  some  pastors  and 
teachers,  that  we  be  no  more  carried  about  with  every  wind  of 
doctrine,"  or  deluded  by  men,  but  that,  being  enlightened  with 
the  true  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  we  may  "  all  come  into 
the  unity  of  the  faith."  (x)  The  preservation  of  the  truth, 
therefore,  from  being  extinguished  in  the  world,  is  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Church  being  its  faithful  guardian,  by  whose 
efforts  and  ministry  it  is  maintained.  But  if  this  guardianship 
consists  in  the  ministry  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  it  follows 
that  it  wholly  depends  on  the  faithful  preservation  of  the  purity 
of  the  word  of  God. 

XIII.  And  that  the  readers  may  better  understand  upon  what 
point  this  question  principally  turns,  I  will  briefly  state  what  our 
adversaries  require,  and  wherein  we  oppose  them.  When  they 
assert  that  the  Church  cannot  err,  their  meaning  is,  as  they 
themselves  explain  it,  that  as  it  is  governed  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  it  may  safely  proceed  without  the  word ;  that  whither- 
soever it  goes,  it  can  neither  think  nor  speak  any  thing  that  is 
not  true  ;  and,  therefore,  that  if  it  determine  any  thing  beyond 
or  beside  the  Divine  word,  the  same  is  to  be  considered  in  no 
other  light  than  as  a  certain  oracle  of  God.  If  we  grant  the 
first  point,  that  the  Church  cannot  err  in  things  essential  to 
salvation,  our  meaning  is,  that  its  security  from  error  is  owing 
to  its  renouncing  all  its  own  wisdom,  and  .submitting  itself  to 
the  Holy  Spirit,  to  be  taught  by  means  of  the  word  of  God. 
This,  then,  is  the  difierence  between  us.  They  ascribe  to  the 
Church  an  authority  independent  of  the  word  ;  we  maintain  it 
to  be  annexed  to  the  word,  and  inseparable  from  it.  And  what 
is  there  surprising  that  the  spouse  and  disciple  of  Christ  is  subject 
to  her  Lord  and  Master,  so  as  to  bo  assiduously  and  sedulously 
awaiting  his  commands  and  instructions  ?  For  it-  is  the  order  of 
a  well  regulated  family,  for  the  wife  to  obey  the  command  of 
the  husband;  it  is  the  order  of  a  well  disciplined  school,  that 
nothing  be  heard   there    but   the   instructions  of  the  master. 

(?o)  1  Tim.  iii.  14,  15.  (t)  Eplies.  iv.  11,  13,  14. 


CHAP.    VIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  351 

Wherefore  let  not  the  Church  be  wise  of  itself,  nor  think  any- 
thing of  itself,  but  let  it  fix  the  boundary  of  its  wisdom  where 
Christ  has  made  an  end  of  speaking.  In  this  manner  it  will 
distrust  all  the  inventions  of  its  own  reason  ;  but  in  those  things 
in  which  it  is  supported  by  the  word  of  God,  it  will  not  waver 
with  any  distrust  or  hesitation,  but  will  rest  upon  it  with 
strong  certainty  and  unshaken  constancy.  Thus  confiding  in 
the  amplitude  of  the  promises  it  has  received,  it  will  have  an 
excellent  support  for  its  faith,  so  that  it  cannot  doubt  that  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  best  guide  in  the  right  way,  is  always  present 
with  it ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  it  will  remember  what  advantage 
the  Lord  intends  should  be  received  from  his  Spirit.  "  The 
Spirit,"  says  he,  "  whom  I  will  send  from  the  Father,  will  guide 
you  into  all  truth."  But  how  will  this  be  done  ?  Christ  says, 
"He  shall  bring  all  things  to  your  remembrance,  whatsoever  I 
have  said  unto  you."  (y)  He  announces,  therefore,  that  nothing 
more  is  to  be  expected  from  his  Spirit,  than  that  he  will 
enlighten  our  minds  to  discover  the  truth  of  his  doctrine. 
Wherefore  it  is  very  judiciously  observed  by  Chrysostom,  that 
"  many  boast  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  but  in  those  who  speak  from 
themselves  this  is  a  false  pretence.  As  Christ  testified  that  he 
spake  not  of  himself,  because  he  spake  from  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  so,  if,  under  the  name  of  the  Spirit,  any  thing  be 
obtruded  that  is  not  contained  in  the  gospel,  let  us  not  believe 
it.  For  as  Christ  is  the  accomplishment  of  the  law  and  the 
prophets,  so  is  the  Spirit,  of  the  gospel."  These  are  the  words 
of  Chrysostom.  Now,  it  is  easy  to  infer  how  great  is  the  error 
of  our  adversaries,  who  boast  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  no  other 
purpose  than  to  recommend,  under  his  name,  doctrines  strange 
and  inconsistent  with  the  word  of  God,  whereas  it  is  his  deter- 
mination to  be  connected  with  the  word  by  an  indissoluble 
bond ;  and  this  was  declared  by  Christ  when  he  promised  him 
to  his  Church.  And  so  he  is,  in  point  of  fact.  The  sobriety 
which  the  Lord  has  once  prescribed  to  his  Church,  he  will 
have  to  be  perpetually  observed ;  and  he  has  forbidden  the 
Church  to  add  any  thing  to  his  word,  or  to  diminish  any  thing 
from  it.  This  is  the  inviolable  decree  of  God  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  which  our  adversaries  endeavour  to  abrogate,  when  they 
pretend  that  the  Church  is  governed  by  the  Spirit  without 
the  word. 

XIV.  Here,  again,  they  cavil,  that  it  was  necessary  for  the 
Church  to  add  some  things  to  the  writings  of  the  apostles,  or  at 
least  for  the  apostles  themselves  afterwards  to  supply  in  their 
discourses  what  they  had  not  so  explicitly  delivered  in  their 
writings,  because  Christ  declared  to  them,  "  I  have  yet  many 

(j/)  Johnxiv.  26;  xv.26;  xvi.  13. 


352  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

things  to  say  unto  yon,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them  now ; "  {z) 
and  that  these  are  the  ordinances  which  have  been  received  by 
usage  and  custom  without  the  Scripture.  But  what  effrontery 
is  here  betrayed  !  I  confess  that  the  disciples  were  ignorant, 
and  not  very  docile,  when  the  Lord  made  this  declaration  to 
them  ;  but  they  were  not  so  stupid,  when  they  committed  their 
doctrine  to  writing,  as  to  render  it  necessary  for  them  after- 
wards to  supply  in  their  discourses  what  they  had  from  igno- 
rance omitted  in  their  writings.  But  if,  when  they  published 
their  writings,  they  had  already  been  led  by  the  Spirit  into  all 
truth,  what  hindered  them  from  comprising  and  leaving  on 
record  in  those  writings  a  perfect  system  of  evangelical  doc- 
trine? Let  us  grant  our  opponents,  however,  what  they 
ask :  only  let  them  enumerate  those  things  which  required  to 
be  revealed,  and  are  not  contained  in  the  apostolical  writings. 
If  they  dare  to  attempt  this,  I  will  reply  in  the  words  of  Au- 
gustine, "  Where  the  Lord  has  been  silent,  which  of  us  can 
say.  These  things  or  those  are  intended ;  and  if  he  dare  to  say 
so,  how  will  he  prove  it?"  But  why  do  I  contend  a  point 
that  is  unnecessary  ?  For  even  children  know  that  the  apos- 
tolic writings,  which  these  men  represent  as  incomplete  and 
essentially  deficient,  contain  the  fruit  of  that  revelation  which 
the  Lord  then  promised  them. 

Xy.  What,  say  they,  did  not  Christ  place  the  doctrines  and 
decrees  of  the  Church  beyond  all  controversy,  when  he  com- 
manded him  who  should  dare  to  contradict  it,  to  be  regarded 
"  as  a  heathen  man  and  a  publican  ?  "  (a)  In  the  first  place, 
Christ  in  that  text  makes  no  mention  of  doctrine,  but  only 
asserts  the  authority  of  the  Church  in  pronouncing  censures  for 
the  correction  of  vices,  in  order  that  its  judgment  may  not  be 
opposed  by  any  who  are  admonished  or  reproved.  But  leaving 
this  remark,  it  is  astonishing,  that  they  have  no  more  modesty 
than  to  presume  to  boast  of  that  passage.  For  what  will  they 
extort  from  it,  but  that  it  is  unlawful  to  despise  the  consent  of 
the  Church,  which  never  consents  to  any  thing  except  the 
truth  of  the  word  of  God  ?  The  Church  is  to  be  heard,  they 
say.  Who  denies  it  ?  For  it  pronounces  nothing  but  from  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  If  they  require  any  thing  further,  let  them 
know  that  these  words  of  Christ  afford  them  no  support.  Nor 
ought  it  to  be  esteemed  too  contentious  in  me  to  insist  so  strenu- 
ously on  this  point  —  That  it  is  not  lawful  for  the  Church  to  in- 
vent any  new  doctrine,  or  to  teach  and  deliver,  as  of  Divine  au- 
thority, any  thing  more  than  the  Lord  has  revealed  in  his  word. 
All  persons  of  sound  judgment  perceive  how  exceedingly  dan- 
gerous it  would  be  if  so  much  power  were  once  granted  to  any 

(z)  John  xvi.  12.  («)  Matt,  xviii.  17. 


CHAP.    VIIT.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  353 

man.  For  they  see  how  wide  a  door  is  opened  to  the  scoffs 
and  cavils  of  the  impious,  if  we  assert  that  the  decisions  of 
men  are  to  be  received  by  Christians  as  articles  of  faith.  It  is 
also  to  be  remarked,  that  Christ  spoke  according  to  the  estab- 
lished order  of  his  own  time,  and  gave  this  name  to  the  San- 
hedrim, that  his  disciples  might  learn  afterwards  to  reverence 
the  solemn  assemblies  of  the  Church.  And  thus,  on  the  prin- 
ciple of  our  adversaries,  every  city  and  village  would  have  an 
equal  liberty  to  frame  new  articles  of  faith. 

XVI.  The  examples  which  they  allege  are  nothing  to  the 
purpose.  They  say  that  the  baptism  of  infants  arose,  not  so 
much  from  any  express  command  of  Scripture,  as  from  the 
decree  of  the  Church.  It  would  be  a  most  miserable  asylum, 
if,  in  defence  of  infant  baptism,  we  were  compelled  to  have 
recourse  to  the  mere  authority  of  the  Church ;  but  it  will  be 
shown  in  another  place,  that  the  fact  is  very  different.  So 
when  they  object,  that  the  Scriptures  nowhere  affirm  what  was 
pronounced  in  the  Council  of  Nice,  that  the  Son  is  of  the  same 
substance  with  the  Father,  they  do  great  injury  to  the  fathers 
of  that  council,  as  if  they  had  presumptuously  condemned 
Arius  foi  having  refused  to  subscribe  to  their  language,  while 
he  professed  all  the  doctrine  which  is  contained  in  the  wri- 
tings of  the  prophets  and  apostles.  The  word  cojisubstantial, 
( o/xooutfioj, )  [  confess,  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  Scripture  :  but 
while,  on  the  one  hand,  it  is  so  often  affirmed  that  there  is  but 
one  God,  and,  on  the  other,  Christ  is  so  frequently  called  the 
true  and  eternal  God,  one  with  the  Father,  what  have  the  Ni- 
cene  fathers  done,  but  simply  expressed  the  natural  sense  of 
the  Scripture,  in  declaring  the  Father  and  the  Son  to  be  of  one 
and  the  same  substance  ?  And  Theodoret  the  historian  states, 
that  Constantine  the  emperor  opened  that  council  with  the  fol- 
lowing preliminary  address:  "In  disputes  on  Divine  subjects, 
we  are  to  adhere  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ;  the  books 
of  the  evangelists  and  apostles,  with  the  oracles  of  the  pro- 
phets, fully  reveal  to  us  the  will  of  God.  Wherefore,  laying 
aside  all  discord,  let  us  take  the  decision  of  all  questions  in 
debate  from  the  words  of  the  Spirit."  There  was  no  one  at 
that  time  who  opposed  these  holy  admonitions.  No  one  ob- 
jected, that  the  Church  might  add  something  of  its  own,  that 
the  Spirit  had  not  revealed  every  thing  to  the  apostles,  or,  at  least, 
that  they  had  not  transmitted  the  whole  to  posterity  in  writing, 
or  any  thing  of  the  like  nature.  If  what  our  adversaries  con- 
tend for  be  true,  in  the  first  place,  Constantine  acted  unjustly 
in  depriving  the  Church  of  its  power ;  and  in  the  next  place, 
when  none  of  the  bishops  rose  to  vindicate  that  power,  their 
silence  was  not  to  be  excused  from  treachery,  for  on  that  occa- 
voL.  11.  45 


354  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

sion  they  must  have  betrayed  the  rights  of  the  Church.  But 
from  tlie  statement  of  Theodoret,  that  they  readily  received 
what  was  said  by  the  emperor,  it  is  evident  that  this  noveJ  dog- 
ma of  our  adversaries  was  at  that  time  altogether  unknown 


CHAPTER   IX. 

COUNCILS  ;    THEIR    AUTHORITY. 


Though  I  should  concede  to  our  adversaries  all  the  claims 
which  they  set  up  on  behalf  of  the  Church,  yet  this  would 
effect  but  little  towards  the  attainment  of  their  object.  For 
whatever  is  said  respecting  the  Church,  they  immediately 
transfer  to  the  councils,  which  they  consider  as  representing 
the  Church ;  and  it  may  further  be  affirmed,  that  their  violent 
contentions  for  the  power  of  the  Church,  are  with  no  other  view 
than  to  ascribe  all  that  they  can  extort,  to  the  Roman  pontiff 
and  his  satellites.  Before  I  enter  on  the  discussion  of  this  ques- 
tion. It  is  necessary  for  me  to  premise  two  brief  observations. 
First,  if  in  this  chapter  I  am  rather  severe  on  our  opponents,  it 
is  not  that  I  would  show  the  ancient  councils  less  honour  than 
they  deserve.  I  venerate  them  from  my  heart,  and  wish  them 
to  receive  from  all  men  the  honour  to  which  they  are  entitled ; 
but  here  some  limits  must  be  observed,  that  we  may  derogate 
nothing  from  Christ.  Now,  it  is  the  prerogative  of  Christ  to 
preside  over  all  councils,  and  to  have  no  mortal  man  associated 
with  him  in  that  dignity.  But  I  maintain,  that  he  really  pre- 
sides only  where  he  governs  the  whole  assembly  by  his  word 
and  Spirit.  Secondly,  when  I  attribute  to  the  councils  less 
than  our  adversaries  require,  I  am  not  induced  to  do  this  from 
any  fear  that  the  councils  would  favour  their  cause  and  oppose 
ours.  For  as  we  are  sufficiently  armed  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  and  need  not  seek  any  further  assistance  for  the  complete 
establishment  of  our  doctrine,  and  the  total  subversion  of  Po- 
pery, so,  on  the  other  hand,  if  it  were  necessary,  the  ancient 
councils  would  furnish  us  in  a  great  measure  with  sufficient 
arguments  for  both  these  objects. 

II.  Let  us  now  come  to  the  subject  itself.  If  it  be  inquired 
what  is  the  authority  of  councils  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
there  is  no  promise  more  ample  or  explicit  than  this  declaration 
of  Christ :  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 


CHAP.    IX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  355 

name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them."  (b)  But  this  belongs 
no  less  to  every  particular  congregation  than  to  a  general  coun- 
cil. The  main  stress  of  the  question,  however,  does  not  lie 
in  this,  but  in  the  annexed  condition,  — that  Christ  will  be  in  the 
midst  of  a  council,  then,  and  then  only,  when  it  is  assembled  in 
his  name.  Wherefore,  though  our  adversaries  mention  councils 
of  bishops  a  thousand  times,  they  will  gain  but  little  ground ; 
nor  will  they  prevail  upon  us  to  believe  what  they  pretend,  — 
that  such  councils  are  directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  —  till  it  shall 
have  been  proved,  that  they  are  assembled  in  the  name  of 
Christ.  For  it  is  equally  as  possible  for  impious  and  unfaithful 
bishops  to  conspire  against  Christ,  as  for  pious  and  npright 
bishops  to  assemble  together  in  his  name.  Of  this  we  have 
ample  proof  in  numerous  decrees  which  have  been  issued  by 
such  councils  ;  as  will  be  seen  in  the  course  of  this  discussion. 
At  present  I  only  reply  in  one  word,  that  the  promise  of  Christ 
is  exclusively  restricted  to  those  who  "are  gathered  together 
in  his  name."  Let  us,  therefore,  define  wherein  this  consists. 
I  deny  that  they  are  assembled  in  the  name  of  Christ,  who, 
rejecting  the  command  of  God,  which  prohibits  any  diminution 
of  his  word,  or  the  smallest  addition  to  it,  (c)  determine  every 
thing  according  to  their  own  pleasure  ;  who,  not  content  with 
the  oraf^les  of  the  Scripture,  which  constitute  the  only  rule  of 
perfect  wisdom,  invent  something  new  out  of  their  own  heads. 
Since  Christ  has  not  promised  to  be  present  in  all  councils,  but 
has  added  a  particular  mark  to  discriminate  true  and  legitimate 
councils  from  others,  it  certainly  behoves  us  by  no  means  to 
neglect  this  distinction.  This  was  the  covenant  which  God 
anciently  made  with  the  Levitical  priests,  that  they  should  teach 
their  people  from  his  mouth  ;  (d)  he  always  required  the  same 
of  the  pro])hets ;  and  we  see  that  a  similar  law  was  imposed 
upon  the  apostles.  Those  who  violate  this  covenant,  God 
neither  dignifies  with  the  honour  of  the  priesthood,  nor  invests 
with  any  authority.  Let  our  adversaries  solve  this  difficulty, 
if  they  wish  me  to  submit  my  faith  to  the  decrees  of  men,  in- 
dependently of  the  word  of  God. 

in.  For  their  supposition,  that  no  truth  remains  in  the 
Church,  unless  it  be  found  among  the  pastors,  and  that  the 
Church  itself  stands,  no  longer  than  it  appears  in  general  coun- 
cils, is  very  far  from  having  been  always  correct,  if  the  pro- 
phets have  left  us  any  authentic  records  of  their  times.  In  the 
days  of  Isaiah,  there  was  a  Church  at  Jerusalem,  which  God 
had  not  yet  forsaken :  nevertheless  he  speaks  of  the  priests  in 
the  following  manner  :  "  His  watchmen  are  blind ;  they  are 
all  ignorant ;  they  are  all  dumb  dogs,  they  cannot  bark ;  sleep- 

(b)  Matt,  xviii.  20.  (c)  Deut.  iv.  2.     Rev.  xxii.  13, 19.  (rf)  Mai.  ii.  5—7. 


356  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

ing,  lying  down,  loving  to  slumber :  they  are  shepherds  that 
cannot  understand  :  they  all  look  to  their  own  way,  every  one  for 
his  gain,  from  his  quarter."  (e)  —  Hosea  speaks  in  a  similar 
manner :  "  The  watchman  of  Ephraim  was  with  my  God  ;  but 
the  prophet  is  a  snare  of  a  fowler  in  all  his  ways,  and  hatred 
in  the  house  of  his  God."(/)  By  thus  ironically  connecting 
them  with  God,  he  shows  that  their  priesthood  was  a  vain  pre- 
tence. The  Church  continued  also  to  the  time  of  Jeremiah. 
Let  us  hear  what  he  says  of  the  pastors.  "  From  the  prophet 
even  unto  the  priest,  every  one  dealeth  falsely."  (g)  Again  : 
"  the  prophets  prophesy  lies  in  my  name  ;  I  sent  them  not, 
neither  have  I  commanded  them."  (h)  And  to  avoid  too  much 
prolixity  in  reciting  his  words,  I  would  recommend  my  readers 
to  peruse  the  whole  of  the  twenty-third  and  fortieth  chapters. 
Nor  were  the  same  persons  treated  with  less  severity  by  Eze- 
kiel :  "  There  is  a  conspiracy  of  her  prophets  in  the  midst  there- 
of, like  a  roaring  lion  ravening  the  prey  ;  they  have  devoured 
souls  ;  they  have  taken  the  treasure  and  precious  things  ;  they 
have  made  her  many  widows  in  the  midst  thereof.  Her  priests 
have  violated  my  law,  and  have  profaned  mine  holy  things  ; 
they  have  put  no  difference  between  the  holy  and  profane. 
Her  prophets  have  daubed  them  with  untempered  mortar,  see- 
ing vanity,  and  divining  lies  unto  them,  saying,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God,  when  the  Lord  hath  not  spoken."  (?)  Similar  com- 
plaints abound  in  all  the  prophets,  so  that  there  is  nothing  of 
more  frequent  recurrence. 

IV.  But  it  will  be  said,  though  such  may  have  been  the 
case  among  the  Jews,  our  age  is  exempt  from  so  great  a  ca- 
lamity. I  sincerely  wish  that  it  were  so  ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit 
has  denounced  that  the  event  would  be  very  different.  The 
language  of  Peter  is  clear  :  "  There  were  false  prophets  also 
among  the  people,  even  as  there  shall  be  false  teachers  among 
you,  who  privily  shall  bring  in  damnable  heresies."  (k)  Observe 
how  he  declares  that  danger  will  arise,  not  from  the  common 
people,  but  from  those  who  will  assume  to  themselves  the 
name  of  pastors  and  teachers.  Besides,  how  often  is  it  pre- 
dicted by  Christ  and  his  apostles,  that  the  greatest  dangers 
would  be  brought  upon  the  Church  by  its  pastors !  (I)  Paul 
expressly  denounces  that  Antichrist  will  "  sit  in  the  temple  of 
God  ;  "  {'/n)  by  which  he  signifies,  that  the  dreadful  calamity 
of  which  he  speaks,  will  arise  from  the  very  persons  who 
will  sit  as  pastors  in  the  Church.  And  in  another  place,  he 
shows  that  the  commencement  of  the  mischief  was  then  near 
at  hand.     For  addressing  the  bishops  of  the  Church  of  Ephe^ 

(e)    Isaiahlvi.  10,  11.        (//)  Jer.  xiv.  14.  (?)  Matt.  xxiv.  11,  24. 

(/)  Hosea  ix.  8.  (/)  Ezek.  xxii.  25,  26,  28.       (7n)  2  Thess.  ii.  4. 

{g)  Jer.  vi.  13.  (k)  2  Peter  ii.  1. 


CHAP.    IX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  357 

sus,  he  says,  ''  I  know  this,  that  after  my  departing  shall  griev- 
ous wolves  enter  in  among  you,  not  sparing  the  flock  ;  also  of 
your  own  selves  shall  men  arise,  speaking  perverse  things,  to 
draw  away  disciples  after  them."  ('«)  If  the  pastors  could  so 
degenerate  in  a  very  short  space  of  time,  what  enormous  cor- 
ruption might  be  introduced  among  them  in  a  long  series  of 
years !  And  not  to  occupy  much  room  with  an  enumeration, 
we  are  tauglit  by  the  examples  of  almost  all  ages,  that  neither 
is  the  truth  always  maintained  in  the  bosom  of  the  pastors, 
nor  the  safety  of  the  Church  dependent  on  their  stability. 
They  ought,  indeed,  to  be  the  guardians  and  defenders  of  the 
peace  and  safety  of  the  Church,  for  the  preservation  of  which 
they  are  appointed  ;  but  it  is  one  thing  to  perform  a  duty  which 
we  owe,  and  another,  to  owe  a  duty  which  we  do  not  perform. 

V.  Let  no  person  conclude  from  what  I  have  said,  that  I 
am  inclined  on  all  occasions,  and  without  any  discrimination, 
to  weaken  the  authority  of  pastors,  and  bring  it  into  contempt. 
I  only  mean  to  suggest  the  necessity  of  discriminating  between 
some  pastors  and  others,  that  we  may  not  immediately  consider 
persons  as  pastors  because  they  bear  that  title.  But  the  pope 
and  all  his  bishops,  for  no  other  reason  but  because  they  are 
called  pastors,  casting  ofl"  all  obedience  to  the  word  of  God, 
disturb  and  confound  every  thing  at  their  own  pleasure  ;  while 
they  labour  to  persuade  us  that  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  be 
destitute  of  the  light  of  truth,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  perpetually 
resides  in  them,  and  that  with  them  the  Church  lives  and  dies. 
As  ih  lugh  the  Lord  had  now  no  judgments,  to  inflict  upon  the 
world,  in  the  present  day,  the  same  kind  of  punishment,  with 
which  he  once  visited  the  ingratitude  of  his  ancient  people  ;  (o) 
namely,  to  smite  the  pastors  with  astonishment,  madness,  and 
blindness.  And  such  is  their  extreme  stupidity,  they  are  not 
aware  that  they  are  acting  the  same  part  which  was  acted  by 
those  who  resisted  the  word  of  the  Lord  in  ancient  times.  For 
thus  the  enemies  of  Jeremiah  fortified  themselves  in  opposition 
to  the  truth :  "  Come,  and  let  us  devise  devices  against  Jere- 
miah ;  for  the  law  shall  not  perish  from  the  priest,  nor  counsel 
from  the  wise,  nor  the  word  from  the  prophet."  Q;) 

VL  Hence  it  is  easy  to  reply  t©  another  plea  in  behalf  of  gen- 
eral councils.  That  a  true  Church  existed  among  the  Jews  in 
the  time  of  the  prophets,  cannot  be  denied.  But  if  a  general 
council  of  the  priests  had  been  convened,  what  appearance  of  a 
Church  would  such  a  council  have  displayed  ?  We  hear  what 
God  denounces,  not  against  two  or  three  of  them,  but  against  the 
whole  body  :  "  The  priests  shall  be  astonished,  and  the  prophets 


(re)  Acts  XX.  29,  30.  (o)  Zech.  xii.  4.  {]>)  Jer.  xviii.  18. 


358  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    19 

shall  wonder." (7)  Again:  "The  law  shall  perish  from  the 
priest,  and  counsel  from  the  ancients."  (r)  Again  :  "  Night  shall 
be  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  have  a  vision  ;  and  it  shall  be  dark 
unto  you,  that  ye  shall  not  divine  ;  and  the  sun  shall  go  down  over 
the  prophets,  and  the  day  shall  be  dark  over  them."  (s)  Now,  if 
these  priests  and  prophets  had  all  been  collected  together,  what 
spirit  would  have  presided  in  their  assembly  ?  This  is  remark- 
ably exemplified  in  the  council  convoked  by  Ahab,  Four 
hundred  prophets  were  present.  But  because  they  were  as- 
sembled with  no  other  intention  than  to  flatter  that  impious 
monarch,  Satan  was  sent  by  the  Lord  to  be  a  lying  spirit  in  all 
their  mouths,  (t)  There  the  truth  was  rejected  with  one 
consent ;  Micaiah  was  condemned  as  a  heretic,  beaten,  and 
cast  into  prison.  Jeremiah  received  the  same  treatment,  and 
other  prophets  experienced  similar  injustice, 

VII.  But  one  example,  which  is  more  memorable  than  the 
rest,  may  suffice  as  a  specimen  of  all.  In  the  council  which  the 
chief  priests  and  Pharisees  convened  at  Jerusalem  against  Christ, 
what  was  there  wanting  in  point  of  external  form  ?  For  if  there 
had  then  been  no  Church  at  Jerusalem,  Christ  would  never  have 
united  in  their  sacrifices  and  other  ceremonies.  A  solemn  sum- 
mons was  issued  ;  the  high  priest  presided  ;  all  the  priests  attend- 
ed ;  yet  there  Christ  was  condemned,  and  his  doctrine  rejected. 
This  act  proves  that  the  Church  was  not  contained  in  that 
council.  But,  it  will  be  said,  there  is  no  danger  of  such  a  circum- 
stance happening  to  us.  Who  has  assured  us  of  this  ?  For  to 
be  too  confident  in  a  matter  of  such  great  importance,  is  culpable 
stupidity.  But  while  the  Spirit  has  expressly  predicted,  by  the 
mouth  of  Paul,  that  there  shall  come  an  apostasy,  which  cannot 
take  place  without  the  pastors  being  the  first  torevoltfrom  God,  (v) 
why  do  we  wilfully  shut  our  eyes  to  our  own  ruin  ?  Where- 
fore it  is  by  no  means  to  be  conceded,  that  the  Church  consists 
in  the  assembly  of  the  pastors,  respecting  whom  God  has  nowhere 
promised  that  they  should  always  be  good,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
has  denounced  that  they  would  sometimes  be  wicked.  Now, 
when  he  warns  us  of  a  danger,  his  design  is  to  make  us  more 
cautious. 

VIII.  What,  then,  it  will  be  said,  shall  the  decisions  of  councils 
have  no  authority  ?  Yes,  certainly ;  for  I  am  not  contending 
that  all  councils  ought  to  be  condemned,  or  that  all  their  acts 
ought  to  be  rescinded  and  cancelled  at  once.  Still  I  shall  be 
told,  that  I  degrade  their  authority,  so  as  to  leave  it  to  the  option 
of  every  individual  to  receive  or  reject  whatever  a  council  shall 
have  determined.     By  no  means  ;  but  whenever  a  decree  of  any 

(q)  Jer.  iv.  9.  (r)  Ezck.  vii.  26-  (s)  Micah  iii.  6. 

(0  1  Kings  xxii.  G,  22,  24,  27.  {v)  2  Thess.  ii.  3.    1  Tim.  iv.  1. 


CHAP.    IX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  359 

council  is  brought  forward,  I  would  wish,  first,  that  a  diligent 
inquiry  should  be  made,  at  what  time,  for  what  cause,  and  with 
what  design  it  was  held,  and  what  kind  of  persons  were  present ; 
secondly,  that  the  subject  discussed  in  it  should  be  examined  by 
the  standard  of  the  Scripture  ;  and  this  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  determination  should  have  its  weight,  and  be  considered  as 
a  precedent  or  case  formerly  decided,  but  that  it  should  not  pre- 
clude the  examination  which  I  have  mentioned.  I  sincerely 
wish  that  every  person  would  observe  the  method  recommended 
by  Augustine  in  his  third  book  against  Maximinus.  For,  with 
a  view  to  silence  the  contentions  of  that  heretic  respecting  the 
decrees  of  councils,  he  says,  "  I  ought  not  to  object  to  you  the 
Council  of  Nice,  nor  ought  you  to  object  to  me  the  Council  of 
Ariminum,  to  preclude  each  other's  judgment  by  a  previous  de- 
cision. I  am  not  bound  by  the  authority  of  the  latter,  nor  you 
by  that  of  the  former.  Let  cause  contend  with  cause,  and  argu- 
ment with  argument,  on  the  ground  of  scriptural  authorities, 
which  exclusively  belong  to  neither  party,  but  are  common  to 
both."  The  consequence  of  such  a  mode  of  proceeding  would 
be,  that  councils  would  retain  all  the  majesty  which  is  due 
to  them,  while  at  the  same  time  the  Scripture  would  hold  the 
preeminence,  so  that  every  thing  would  be  subject  to  its  stand- 
ard. Upon  this  principle,  those  ancient  councils,  such  as  the 
Council  of  Nice,  of  Constantinople,  the  first  of  Ephesus,  that  of 
Chalcedon,  and  others  like  them,  which  were  held  for  the  con- 
demnation of  errors,  we  cheerfully  receive  and  reverence  as 
sacred,  as  far  as  respects  the  articles  of  faith  which  they  have 
defended  ;  for  they  contain  nothing  but  the  pure  and  natural 
interpretation  of  the  Scripture,  which  the  holy  fathers,  with 
spiritual  prudence,  applied  to  the  discomfiture  of  the  enemies 
of  religion  who  arose  in  those  days.  In  some  of  the  succeeding 
councils,  likewise,  we  discover  a  true  zeal  for  piety,  and  evident 
proofs  of  sense,  learning,  and  prudence.  But  as  the  progress  of  the 
world  is  generally  from  worse  to  worse,  it  is  easy  to  see,  from  the 
more  recent  councils,  how  much  the  Church  has  gradually  de- 
generated from  the  purity  of  that  golden  age.  Even  in  these 
more  corrupt  ages,  I  doubt  not,  the  councils  have  been  partly  com- 
posed of  some  bishops  of  a  better  character  ;  but  the  same  obser- 
vation may  be  applied  to  their  acts,  which  was  formerly  made 
in  a  way  of  complaint  against  the  decrees  of  the  Roman  senate, 
by  the  senators  themselves.  Where  opinions  prevail  according 
to  their  number,  and  not  according  to  the  weight  of  argument  by 
which  they  are  supported,  the  better  part  of  the  assembly  must 
of  necessity  be  frequently  overcome  by  the  majority.  And 
councils  have  certainly  issued  many  impious  decrees.  It  is 
unnecessary  here  to  produce  particular  examples,  as  well  be- 
cause this  would  carry  us  to  too  great  a  length,  as  because  it  has 


360  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

already  been  done  by  others  with  a  diligence  which  scarcely 
admits  of  any  addition. 

IX.  Now,  what  need  is  there  to  enumerate  the  repugnances 
between  councils  and  councils,  and  how  decrees  passed  by  one 
have  been  rescinded  by  another  ?  Here  it  must  not  be  alleged, 
that  where  there  is  such  variance  between  two  councils,  one 
or  the  other  is  not  legitimate.  For  how  shall  we  determine 
this  ?  The  only  way  I  know,  is  to  ascertain  from  the 
Scriptures  that  its  decrees  are  not  orthodox ;  for  there  is  no 
other  certain  rule  of  decision.  It  is  now  about  nine  hundred 
years  ago,  that  the  Council  of  Constantinople,  assembled  under 
the  emperor  Leo,  decreed  that  all  images  placed  in  churches 
should  be  thrown  down  and  broken  in  pieces.  Soon  after,  the 
Council  of  Nice,  which  the  empress  Irene  convened  in  opposi- 
tion to  the  former,  decreed  that  they  should  be  restored. 
Which  of  these  two  shall  we  acknowledge  as  a  legitimate 
council  ?  This  character  has  generally  been  attributed  to  the 
latter,  which  gave  images  a  place  in  the  Churches.  But  Au- 
gustine declares  that  this  cannot  be  done  without  imminent 
danger  of  idolatry.  Epiphanius,  a  more  ancient  writer,  ex- 
presses himself  in  terms  of  much  greater  severity ;  he  says  that 
it  is  abominable  wickedness  for  images  to  be  seen  in  the  tem- 
ples of  Christians.  Would  the  fathers  who  speak  in  this  man- 
ner approve  of  that  council,  if  they  were  now  living?  But  if 
the  accounts  of  historians  be  true,  and  credit  be  given  to  the 
acts  themselves,  that  council  not  only  admitted  of  images,  but 
determined  that  they  were  to  be  worshipped.  Now,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  such  a  decree  must  have  originated  from  Satan. 
W^hat  shall  we  say  to  their  perversions  and  mutilations  of  the 
Scripture,  which  demonstrate  that  they  held  it  all  in  contempt, 
as  I  have  already  proved  ?  We  shall  never  be  able  to  discrimi- 
nate between  the  numerous  councils,  which  dissent  from  and 
contradict  each  other,  unless  we  examine  them  all  by  the  word 
of  God,  which  is  the  universal  standard  for  men  and  angels. 
On  this  ground,  we  reject  the  second  Council  of  Ephesus,  and 
receive  the  Council  of  Chalcedon,  because  the  latter  council 
condemned  the  impiety  of  Eutyches,  which  the  former  had 
sanctioned.  This  judgment  of  the  Council  of  Chalcedon  was 
formed  from  the  Scriptures  by  holy  men,  whom  we  imitate  in 
forming  our  judgment,  as  the  word  of  God  which  enlightened 
them  continues  to  give  light  to  us.  Now,  let  the  Romanists 
go  and  boast,  as  they  are  accustomed  to  do,  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  inseparably  attached  to  their  councils. 

X.  Even  in  the  earliest  and  purest  councils,  however,  there  is 
something  to  complain  of — either  that  the  bishops  who  com- 
posed them, though  men  of  learning  and  prudence,being  perplexed 
with  the  subjects  immediately  before  them,  did  not  extend  their 


CHAP.    IX.]  CHRISTIAN   RELIGION.  361 

views  to  many  other  things ;  or  that  while  they  were  occupied 
with  more  weighty  and  serious  concerns,  things  of  inferior 
moment  escaped  their  notice  ;  or  merely  that,  being  men,  they 
were  liable  to  ignorance  and  error ;  or  that  they  were  some- 
times hurried  into  precipitancy  by  the  violence  of  their  passions. 
Of  the  truth  of  the  last  observation,  which  seems  the  severest 
of  all,  there  is  a  remarkable  example  in  the  Council  of  Nice  ; 
the  dignity  of  which  has  been  universally  and  justly  held  in 
the  highest  veneration.  For  though  the  principal  article  of  our 
faith  was  endangered,  and  they  had  to  contend  with  Arius,  the 
enemy  of  it,  who  was  there  in  readiness  for  the  contest, — though 
it  was  of  the  greatest  importance  that  harmony  should  be 
maintained  among  those  who  came  with  a  design  to  confute 
the  error  of  Arius,  — notwithstanding  that,  careless  of  such  great 
dangers,  forgetful  of  gravity,  modesty,  and  every  thing  like 
good  manners,  dropping  the  controversy  between  them,  as  if 
they  had  assembled  with  an  express  view  to  the  gratification 
of  Arius,  they  began  to  counteract  themselves  with  intestine 
dissensions,  and  to  direct  against  each  other  the  pen  which 
ought  to  have  been  employed  against  Arius.  The  foulest  ac- 
cusations were  heard,  defamatory  libels  were  circulated,  and 
there  would  have  been  no  end  of  the  contentions  till  they  had 
murdered  one  another,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  interference 
of  the  emperor  Constantine,  who  protested  that  a  scrutiny  into 
their  lives  was  a  thing  beyond  his  cognizance,  and  repressed 
this  intemperate  conduct  with  praise  rather  than  with  censure. 
In  how  many  instances  is  it  probable  that  errors  were  committed 
by  other  succeeding  councils  ?  Nor  does  this  require  any  long 
proof;  for  Avhoever  peruses  their  acts,  will  discover  many  in- 
firmities, not  to  mention  any  thing  worse. 

XI.  And  Leo,  the  Roman  pontiff,  hesitates  not  to  bring  a 
charge  of  ambition  and  inconsiderate  temerity  against  the 
Covmcil  of  Chalcedon,  which  he  at  the  same  time  acknowledges 
to  have  been  orthodox  in  points  of  doctrine.  He  does  not 
deny  it  to  have  been  a  legitimate  council,  but  he  unequivocally 
asserts  that  it  was  possible  for  it  to  err.  It  may  be  thought, 
perhaps,  that  I  betray  a  want  of  judgment  in  taking  pains  to 
point  out  such  errors ;  since  our  adversaries  confess  that  coun- 
cils might  err  in  things  not  essential  to  salvation.  This  labour, 
however,  is  not  unnecessary.  For  though  they  find  them- 
selves obliged  to  confess  this  in  words,  yet  when  they  obtrude 
upon  us  the  decision  of  every  council  on  every  subject,  without 
any  discrimination,  as  an  oracle  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  re- 
qun-e  of  us,  in  fact,  more  than  they  had  first  assumed.  What  is 
the  language  of  such  conduct,  but  that  councils  cannot  err,  or 
that,  if  they  do  err,  it  is  unlawful  for  us  to  discover  the  truth,  or 
to  refuse  assent  to  errors  ?  And  I  intend  to  draw  no  other 
VOL.  II.  46 


362  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

concaision  from  these  facts,  than  that  the  Holy  Spirit  governed 
pious  and  Christian  councils  in  such  a  manner,  as  at  the  same 
time  to  permit  them  to  betray  something  of  human  infirmity, 
that  we  might  not  place  too  much  confidence  in  men.  This 
sentiment  is  far  more  favourable  than  that  of  Gregory  of  Xazi- 
anzum,  "  that  he  never  saw  a  good  end  of  any  council."  For 
he  who  affirms  that  all  without  exception  terminated  ill,  leaves 
them  but  little  authority.  It  is  unnecessary  here  to  take  dis- 
tinct notice  of  provincial  councils,  since  it  is  easy  to  judge  from 
the  general  councils,  what  authority  they  ought  to  possess  in 
framing  articles  of  faith,  and  receiving  whatever  kind  of  doc- 
trine they  pleased. 

XII.  But  our  Romanists,  when  they  find  all  the  supports 
of  reason  fail  them  in  the  defence  of  their  cause,  have  recourse 
to  that  last  and  wretched  subterfuge  —  That  although  the  per- 
sons themselves  betray  the  greatest  stupidity  in  their  under- 
standings and  pleas,  and  act  from  the  most  iniquitous  motives 
and  designs,  still  the  word  of  God  remains,  which  commands 
us  to  obey  our  governors,  (v)  But  what  if  I  deny  that  such 
persons  are  our  governors  ?  For  they  ought  not  to  arrogate  to 
themselves  more  than  belonged  to  Joshua,  who  was  a  prophet 
of  the  Lord  and  an  excellent  pastor.  Now,  let  1*6  hear  with 
what  language  he  was  inaugurated  into  his  office  by  the  Lord : 
"  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth  ;  but 
thou  shalt  meditate  therein  day  and  night :  turn  not  from  it  to 
the  right  hand  or  to  the  left,  that  thou  mayest  prosper  whither- 
soever thou  goest."  (w)  We  shall  consider  them  as  our  spirit- 
ual governors,  therefore,  who  deviate  not  from  the  word  of  God, 
either  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left.  If  the  doctrine  of  all  pas- 
tors ought  to  be  received  without  any  hesitation,  why  have  we 
such  frequent  and  earnest  admonitions  from  the  mouth  of  the  Lord 
himself,  not  to  listen  to  the  speeches  of  false  prophets  ?  "  Hear- 
ken not,"  says  he  by  Jeremiah,  "  unto  the  words  of  the  prophets 
that  prophesy  unto  you ;  they  make  you  vain ;  they  speak  a 
vision  of  their  own  hearts,  and  not  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Lord."  (r)  Again:  "Beware  of  false  prophets,  which  come 
to  you  in  sheep's  clothing,  but  inwardly  they  are  ravening 
wolves."  (y)  The  exhortation  given  us  by  John  would  also 
have  been  useless :  "  Try  the  spirits,  whether  they  are  of 
God  ;  "  (2:)  though  from  this  examination  the  very  angels  are 
not  exempted,  much  less  Satan  with  all  his  falsehoods.  How 
are  we  to  understand  this  caution  of  our  Lord  ?  ""  If  the  blind 
lead  the  blind,  both  sliall  fall  into  the  ditch."  (a)  Does  it  not 
sufficiently  declare,  that  it  is  of  the  highest  importance  what 


(v)    Heb.  xiii.  17.  (x)  Jer.  xxiii.  16.  (z)  1  John  iv.  1. 

(id)  Joshua  i.  7,  8.  (y)  Matt.  vii.  15.  (a)  Matt.  xv.  14. 


CHAP.  IX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  363 

kind  of  pastors  are  heard,  and  that  they  are  not  all  entitled  to 
the  same  attention  ?  Wherefore  there  is  no  reason  why  they 
should  overawe  us  with  their  titles,  to  make  us  partakers  of 
their  blindness,  while  we  see,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  Lord  has 
taken  peculiar  care  to  deter  us  from  suffering  ourselves  to  be 
seduced  by  the  error  of  other  men,  under  whatever  mask  or 
name  it  may  be  concealed.  For  if  the  answer  of  Christ  be 
true,  all  blind  guides,  whether  they  are  denominated  priests, 
prelates,  or  pontiffs,  can  do  nothing  but  precipitate  their  fol- 
lowers into  the  same  ruin  with  themselves.  Impressed,  there- 
fore, by  these  warnings,  both  of  precepts  and  of  examples,  no 
names  of  pastors,  bishops,  or  councils,  which  are  as  capable  of 
being  falsely  claimed  as  rightly  assumed,  ought  ever  to  prevent 
us  from  examining  all  the  spirits  by  the  rule  of  the  Divine 
word,  in  order  to  "try  whether  they  are  of  God." 

XIII.  Having  proved  that  the  Church  has  received  no  power 
to  frame  any  new  doctrine,  let  us  now  speak  of  the  power 
which  our  opponents  attribute  to  it  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
Scripture.  VVe  have  not  the  least  objection  to  admit,  that  if 
a  controversy  arise  respecting  any  doctrine,  there  is  no  better 
or  more  certain  remedy  than  to  assemble  a  council  of  true 
bishops,  in  which  the  controverted  doctrine  may  be  discussed. 
For  such  a  decision,  formed  by  the  common  consent  of  the 
pastors  of  the  Churches,  after  an  invocation  of  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  will  have  far  greater  weight,  than  if  every  one  of  them 
separately  were  to  maintain  it  in  preaching  to  his  people,  or  if 
it  were  the  result  of  a  private  conference  between  a  few  indivi- 
duals. Besides,  when  bishops  are  collected  in  one  assembly, 
they  deliberate  together  with  greater  advantage  on  what  they 
ought  to  teach,  and  the  manner  in  which  their  instructions 
should  be  conveyed,  so  as  to  guard  against  offence  arising  from 
diversity.  In  the  third  place,  Paul  prescribes  this  method  of  de- 
termining respecting  doctrines.  For  while  he  attributes  to  every 
distinct  Church  a  power  "to  judge,"  (b)  he  shows  what  ought 
to  be  the  order  of  proceeding  in  more  important  cases  ;  namely, 
that  the  Churches  should  undertake  the  common  cognizance  of 
them.  And  so  the  dictate  of  piety  itself  teaches  us,  that  if  any 
one  disturb  the  Church  with  a  new  doctrine,  and  the  matter  be 
carried  so  far  as  to  cause  danger  of  a  more  grievous  dissension, 
the  Churches  should  first  assemble,  should  examine  the  question 
proposed  to  them,  and  after  a  sufficient  discussion  of  it,  should 
announce  a  iecision  taken  from  the  Scriptures,  which  would 
put  an  end  to  all  doubt  among  the  people,  and  shut  the  mouths 
of  refractory  and  ambitious  persons,  so  as  to  check  their  further 
presumption.  Thus,  when  Arius  arose,  the  Council  of  Nice 
was  assembled,  and  by  its  authority  defeated  the  pernicious 

(b)  1  Cor.  xiv.  29. 


364  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

attempts  of  that  impious  man,  restored  peace  to  the  Churches 
which  he  had  disturbed,  and  asserted  the  eternal  deity  of  Christ 
in  opposition  to  his  sacrilegious  dogma.  Some  time  after,  when 
Eunomius  and  Macedonius  raised  new  contentions,  their  frenzy- 
was  opposed  with  a  similar  remedy  by  the  Council  of  Constanti- 
nople. The  impiety  of  Nestorius  was  condemned  in  the  first 
Council  of  Ephesus.  In  short,  this  has  been  the  ordinary  method 
of  the  Church  from  the  beginning,  for  the  preservation  of  unity, 
whenever  Satan  has  begun  to  make  any  attempt  against  it. 
But  let  it  be  remembered,  that  neither  every  age,  nor  every 
place,  can  produce  an  Athanasius,  a  Basil,  a  Cyril,  and  other  such 
champions  of  the  true  doctrine,  as  the  Lord  raised  up  at  those 
periods.  Let  it  also  be  recollected  what  happened  at  the 
second  Council  of  Ephesus,  in  which  the  heresy  of  Eutyches 
prevailed.  Flavianus,  a  bishop  of  irreproachable  memory,  was 
banished,  together  with  other  pious  men,  and  many  similar 
enormities  were  committed,  because  it  was  Dioscorus,  a  factious 
and  ill-disposed  man,  and  not  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  that  presided 
in  that  council.  But  that  council,  it  will  be  said,  was  not  the 
Church.  I  admit  it :  for  I  am  firmly  persuaded  of  this,  that  the 
truth  is  not  extinct  in  the  Church,  though  it  may  be  oppressed  by 
one  council,  but  that  it  is  wonderfully  preserved  by  the  Lord,  to 
arise  and  triumph  again  in  his  own  time.  But  I  deny  it  to  be 
an  invariable  rule,  that  every  interpretation  which  may  have 
been  approved  by  a  council  is  the  true  and  certain  sense  of 
the  Scripture. 

XIV.  But  the  Romanists  have  a  further  design  in  maintain- 
ing that  councils  possess  the  power  of  interpreting  the  Scripture, 
and  that  without  appeal.  For  it  is  a  false  pretence,  when  every 
thing  that  has  been  determined  in  councils  is  called  an  inter- 
pretation of  the  Scripture.  Of  purgatory,  the  intercession  of 
saints,  auricular  confession,  and  similar  fooleries,  the  Scriptures 
contain  not  a  single  syllable.  But,  because  all  these  things 
have  been  sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  councils,  or,  to  speak 
more  correctly,  have  been  admitted  into  the  general  belief  and 
practice,  therefore  every  one  of  them  is  to  be  taken  for  an  in- 
terpretation of  Scripture.  And  not  only  so ;  but  if  a  council 
determine  in  direct  opposition  to  the  Scripture,  it  will  still  be 
called  an  interpretation  of  it.  Christ  commands  all  to  drink  of 
the  cup  which  he  presents  to  them  in  the  sacred  supper,  (c) 
The  Council  of  Constance  prohibited  it  to  be  given  to  the 
laity,  and  determined  that  none  but  the  priest  sliould  drink  of 
it.  Yet  this,  which  is  so  diametrically  repugnant  to  the  institu- 
t'lon  of  Christ,  they  wish  us  to  receive  as  an  interpretation  of  it. 
Pdul  calls  "forbidding  to  marry"  a  "doctrine  of  devils;"  (rf) 

(c)  Matt.  xxvi.  27.  (d)  1  Tim.  iv.  1,  3. 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  S65 

and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  another  place,  pronounces  that  "  marriage 
is  honourable  in  all,  and  the  bed  undefiled."  (e)  The  prohibi- 
tion, which  they  have  since  denounced,  of  the  marriage  of 
priests,  they  wish  us  to  consider  as  the  true  and  natural  inter- 
pretation of  the  Scriptures,  though  nothing  can  be  imagined 
more  repugnant  to  it.  If  any  one  dare  to  open  his  mouth  to 
the  contrary,  he  is  condemned  as  a  heretic,  because  the  deter- 
mination of  the  Church  is  without  appeal,  and  the  truth  of  its 
interpretation  cannot  be  doubted  without  impiety.  What  further 
requires  to  be  urged  against  such  consummate  effrontery  ?  The 
mere  exhibition  of  it  is  a  sufficient  refutation.  Their  pretensions 
to  confirm  the  Scripture  by  the  authority  of  the  Church,  I 
purposely  pass  over.  To  subject  the  oracles  of  God  to  the 
authority  of  men,  so  as  to  make  their  validity  dependent  on 
human  approbation,  is  a  blasphemy  unworthy  of  being  men- 
tioned ;  beside  which,  I  have  touched  on  this  subject  already. 
I  will  only  ask  them  one  question  :  If  the  authority  of  the  Scrip- 
ture be  founded  on  the  approbation  of  the  Church,  what  decree  of 
any  council  can  they  allege  to  this  point  ?  I  believe,  none  at  all. 
Why,  then,  did  Arius  suffer  himself  to  be  vanquished  at  Nice  by 
testimonies  adduced  from  the  Gospel  of  John  ?  According  to 
the  argument  of  our  opponents,  he  was  at  liberty  to  reject  them, 
as  not  having  yet  received  the  approbation  of  any  general  council. 
They  allege  an  ancient  catalogue,  which  is  called  the  Canon 
of  Scripture,  and  which  they  say  proceeded  from  the  decision 
of  the  Church.  I  ask  them  again,  in  what  council  that  canon 
was  composed.  To  this  they  can  make  no  reply.  Yet  I  would 
wish  to  be  further  informed,  what  kind  of  a  canon  they  suppose 
it  to  be.  For  I  see  that  the  ancient  writers  were  not  fully 
agreed  respecting  it.  And  if  any  weight  be  attached  to  the 
testimony  of  Jerome,  the  two  books  of  the  Maccabees,  the  history 
of  Tobit,  Ecclesiasticus,  and  other  books,  will  be  considered  as 
apocryphal  ;  to  which  our  opponents  will  by  no  nit-.nns  consent. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE  POWER  OF  LEGISLATION,  IN  WHICH  THE  POP/i  AND  HIS 
ADHERENTS  HAVE  MOST  CRUELLY  TYRANNIZED  OVER  THE 
MINDS,     AND      TORTURED      THE     BODIES,      OF      MEN. 

We   noAv  proceed  to  the  second  branch  of  the  power  of  the 
Church,  which  the  Romanists  represent  as  consisting  in  legisla- 

(c)  Heb.  xiii.  4. 


26Q  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK   IV. 

tion  —  a  source  from  which  have  issued  innumerable  human 
traditions,  the  most  pestilent  and  fatal  to  wretched  souls.  For 
they  have  made  no  more  scruple  than  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
to  "  lay  on  other  men's  shoulders  burdens  which  they  themselves 
would  not  touch  with  one  of  their  fingers."  (/)  I  have  shown 
in  another  place  the  extreme  cruelty  of  their  injunctions  con- 
cerning auricular  confession.  None  of  their  other  laws  discover 
such  enormous  violence  ;  but  those  which  appear  the  most  tole- 
rable of  them  all,  are  tyrannically  oppressive  to  the  conscience. 
I  forbear  to  remark  how  they  adulterate  the  worship  of  God, 
and  despoil  God  himself,  who  is  the  sole  Legislator,  of  the 
right  which  belongs  to  him.  This  power  is  now  to  be  exa- 
mined —  whether  the  Church  has  authority  to  make  laws  which 
shall  bind  the  consciences  of  men.  This  question  has  nothing 
to  do  with  political  order ;  the  only  objects  of  our  present 
attention  are,  that  God  may  be  rightly  worshipped  according 
to  the  rule  he  has  prescribed,  and  that  our  spiritual  liberty 
which  relates  to  God  may  be  preserved  entire.  Whatever 
edicts  have  been  issued  by  men  respecting  the  worship  of  God, 
independently  of  his  word,  it  has  been  customary  to  call 
human  traditions.  Against  such  laws  we  contend,  and  not 
against  the  holy  and  useful  constitutions  of  the  Church,  which 
contribute  to  the  preservation  of  discipline,  or  integrity,  or  peace. 
The  object  for  which  we  contend,  is,  to  restrain  that  overgrown 
and  barbarous  empire,  which  is  usurped  over  men's  souls  by 
those  who  wish  to  be  accounted  the  pastors  of  the  Church,  but 
who  in  reality  are  its  most  savage  butchers.  For  they  say 
that  the  laws  which  they  make  are  spiritual,  pertaining  to  the 
soul,  and  they  affirm  them  to  be  necessary  to  eternal  life.  Thus, 
as  I  have  lately  hinted,  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  invaded  ; 
thus  the  liberty  given  by  him  to  the  consciences  of  believers 
is  altogether  subverted  and  destroyed.  I  forbear  to  remark  at 
present  with  what  great  impiety  they  enforce  the  observance 
of  their  laws,  while  they  teach  men  to  seek  the  pardon  of  their 
sins  and  righteousness  and  salvation  from  it,  and  while  they 
make  the  whole  of  religion  and  piety  to  consist  in  it.  I  only 
contend  for  this  one  point,  that  no  necessity  ought  to  be  im- 
posed upon  consciences  in  things  in  which  they  have  been  set 
at  liberty  by  Christ ;  and  without  this  liberty,  as  I  have  before 
observed,  tliey  can  have  no  peace  with  God.  They  must 
acknowledge  Christ  their  Deliverer  as  their  only  King,  and 
must  be  governed  by  one  law  of  liberty,  even  the  sacred  word 
of  the  gospel,  if  they  wish  to  retain  the  grace  Avhich  they  have 
once  obtained  in  Christ ;  they  must  submit  to  no  slavery  ;  they 
must  be  fettered  by  no  bonds. 

(/)  Matt,  xxiii.  4.     Luke  xi.  4G. 

V 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  367 

TI.  These  sapient  legislators,  indeed,  pretend  that  their  con- 
stitutions are  laws  of  liberty,  an  easy  yoke,  a  light  burden. 
But  who  does  not  see  that  these  are  gross  falsehoods  ?  The 
hardship  of  their  laws  is  not  at  all  felt  by  themselves,  who 
have  rejected  the  fear  of  God,  and  securely  and  boldly  disre- 
gard all  laws,  human  and  divine.  But  persons  who  are  im- 
pressed with  any  concern  for  their  salvation,  are  far  from  con- 
sidering themselves  at  liberty  as  long  as  they  are  entangled  in 
these  snares.  We  see  what  great  caution  Paul  used  in  this 
respect,  to  avoid  "casting  a  snare  upon"  men  in  a  single  in- 
stance ;  (g)  and  that  not  without  cause ;  for  he  saw  what  a 
deep  wound  would  be  made  in  their  consciences,  by  the  im- 
position of  any  necessity  upon  them  in  those  things  in  which 
the  Lord  had  left  them  at  liberty.  On  the  contrary,  it  is 
scarcely  possible  to  enumerate  the  constitutions,  which  these 
men  have  most  rigorously  enforced  with  the  denunciation  of 
eternal  death,  and  which  they  require  to  be  most  minutely 
observed  as  necessary  to  salvation.  Among  these,  there  are 
many  exceedingly  difficult  to  be  fulfilled  ;  but  when  they  are 
all  collected  together  in  one  body,  so  immense  is  the  accumu- 
lation, the  observance  of  the  whole  is  utterly  impracticable. 
How,  then,  can  it  be  possible  for  those  who  are  loaded  with 
such  a  vast  weight  of  difiiculty,  not  to  be  perplexed  and  tor- 
tured with  extreme  anxiety  and  terror  ?  My  design  at  present, 
then,  is,  to  oppose  constitutions  of  this  kind,  which  tend  to  bind 
souls  internally  before  God,  and  to  fill  them  with  scruples,  as 
if  they  enjoined  things  necessary  to  salvation. 

III.  The  generality  of  men,  therefore,  are  embarrassed  with 
this  question,  for  want  of  distinguishing  with  sufficient  exact- 
ness between  the  outward  judgment  of  men  and  the  court  of 
conscience.  The  difficulty  is  increased  by  the  injunction  of 
Paul,  that  the  magistrate  is  to  be  obeyed,  "not  only  for  wrath, 
but  also  for  conscience'  sake  ;  "  (/i)  whence  it  follows,  that 
consciences  are  bound  by  political  laws.  If  this  were  the 
case,  all  that  we  said  in  the  last  chapter,  and  are  about  to 
say  in  this,  on  the  subject  of  spiritual  government,  would 
fall  to  the  ground.  To  solve  this  difficulty,  it  is  first  of  all 
necessary  to  understand  what  is  conscience.  The  definition 
may  be  derived  from  the  etymology  of  the  word.  Science,  or 
knoivledg-e,  is  the  apprehension  which  men  have  of  things  in 
their  mind  and  understanding.  So,  when  they  have  an  appre- 
hension of  the  judgment  of  God,  as  a  witness  that  suffers  them 
not  to  conceal  their  sins,  but  forces  them  as  criminals  before 
the  tribunal  of  the  judge,  this  apprehension  is  called  conscience. 
For  it  is  something  between  God  and  man,  which  permits  not 

{g)  1  Cor.  vii.  35.  Qi)  Rom  xiii.  5. 


368  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

a  man  to  suppress  what  he  knows  within  himself,  but  pursues 
him  till  it  brings  him  to  a  sense  of  his  guilt.  This  is  what 
Paul  means,  when  he  speaks  of  men's  "  conscience  also  bear- 
ing witness,  and  their  thoughts  the  mean  while  accusing,  or 
else  excusing,  one  another  "  {i)  before  God.  A  simple  know- 
ledge might  remain  in  man,  as  it  were,  in  a  state  of  conceal- 
ment. Therefore  this  sentiment,  which  places  men  before  the 
tribunal  of  God,  is  like  a  keeper  appointed  over  man  to  watch 
and  observe  all  his  secrets,  that  nothing  may  remain  buried  in 
darkness.  Hence  that  old  proverb,  that  conscience  is  equal  to 
a  thousand  witnesses.  For  the  same  reason,  Peter  speaks  of 
"the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,"  (k)  to  denote 
our  tranquillity  of  mind,  when,  persuaded  of  the  grace  of  Christ, 
we  present  ourselves  before  God  without  fear.  And  the  author 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  speaks  of  persons  "  having  no 
more  conscience  of  sins,"  (l)  to  signify  their  being  liberated, 
or  absolved,  so  as  to  feel  no  more  remorse  or  compunction 
for  sin, 

IV.  Therefore,  as  works  have  respect  to  man,  so  the  con- 
science is  referred  to  God.  A  good  conscience  is  no  other 
than  an  internal  purity  of  heart.  In  this  sense  Paul  says  that 
"  the  end  of  the  commandment  is  charity,  out  of  a  pure  heart, 
and  of  a  good  conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned."  (m)  In  a 
subsequent  part  of  the  same  chapter,  he  shows  how  widely  it 
diflers  from  simple  knowledge,  when  he  says,  that  "  some 
having  put  away  a  good  conscience,  concerning  faith  have 
made  shipwreck."  (w)  For  in  these  words  he  implies  that  it 
is  a  lively  zeal  for  the  worship  of  God,  and  a  sincere  desire 
and  endeavour  to  live  a  pious  and  holy  life.  Sometimes,  in- 
deed, it  is  likewise  extended  to  men,  as  when  Luke  states  Paul 
to  have  made  this  declaration  —  "I  exercise  myself,  to  have 
always  a  conscience  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  toward 
men."  (o)  The  apostle  expressed  himself  in  this  manner,  be- 
cause the  benefits  proceeding  from  a  good  conscience  do  reach 
even  to  man.  But  strictly  speaking,  the  conscience  has  res])ect 
to  God  alone,  as  I  have  already  observed.  Hence  it  is,  that  a 
law  is  said  to  bind  the  conscience,  which  simply  binds  a  man 
without  any  observation  or  consideration  of  other  men.  For 
example,  God  not  only  commands  the  heart  to  be  preserved 
chaste  and  pure  from  every  libidinous  desire,  but  prohibits  all 
obscenity  of  language  and  external  lasciviousness.  My  con- 
science is  bound  to  observe  this  law,  even  though  not  another 
man  existed  in  the  world.  The  person,  therefore,  who  com- 
mits any  breach  of  chastity,  not  only  sins  by  setting  a  bad  ex- 

(i)   Rom.  ii.  15.  (I)  Heb.  x.  2.  (n)  1  Tim.  i.  19. 

{k)  1  Peter  iii.  21.  (m)  1  Tim.  i.  5.  {o)  Acts  xxiv.  16. 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  369 

ample  to  his  brethren,  but  brings  his  conscience  into  a  state  of 
guilt  before  God.  The  case  of  things,  in  themselves  indiffer- 
ent, stands  not  on  the  same  ground ;  for  we  ought  to  abstain 
from  whatever  is  likely  to  give  offence,  but  with  a  free  con- 
science. Thus  Paul  speaks  of  meat  consecrated  to  idols  :  "  If 
any  man  say  unto  you.  This  is  offered  in  sacrifice  to  idols,  eat 
not  for  his  sake,  and  for  conscience'  sake.  Conscience,  I  say, 
not  thine  own,  but  of  the  other."  (^)  A  faithful  man,  who, 
after  previous  admonition,  should  eat  such  meat,  would  be  guilty 
of  sin.  But  though  such  abstinence  is  enjoined  on  him  by  God 
as  necessary  on  account  of  his  brother,  he  still  retains  his  liberty 
of  conscience.  We  see  how  this  law,  while  it  binds  the  ex- 
ternal act,  leaves  the  conscience  free. 

V.  Let  us  now  return  to  human  laws.  If  they  are  designed 
to  introduce  any  scruple  into  our  minds,  as  though  the  obser- 
vance of  them  were  essentially  necessary,  we  assert,  that  they 
are  unreasonable  impositions  on  the  conscience.  For  our  con- 
sciences have  to  do,  not  with  men,  but  with  God  alone.  And 
this  is  the  meaning  of  the  well  known  distinction,  maintained 
in  the  schools,  between  a  human  tribunal  and  the  court  of  con- 
science. When  the  whole  world  was  enveloped  in  the  thick- 
est shades  of  ignorance,  this  little  spark  of  light  still  remained 
unextinguished,  so  that  they  acknowledged  the  conscience  of 
man  to  be  superior  to  all  human  judgments.  It  is  true  that 
what  they  confessed  in  one  word,  they  afterwards  overturned 
in  fact ;  yet  it  was  the  will  of  God  that  even  at  that  time  there 
should  remain  some  testimony  in  favour  of  Christian  liberty, 
to  rescue  the  conscience  from  the  tyranny  of  men.  But  we 
have  not  yet  solved  the  difficulty  which  arises  from  the  lan- 
guage of  Paul.  For  if  princes  are  to  be  obeyed,  "  not  only  for 
wrath,  but  also  for  conscience'  sake,"  (q)  it  seems  to  follow, 
that  the  laws  of  princes  have  dominion  over  the  conscience. 
If  this  be  true,  the  same  must  be  affirmed  of  the  laws  of  the 
Church.  I  reply.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  necessary  to  distin- 
guish between  the  genus  and  the  species.  For  the  con- 
science is  not  affected  by  every  particular  law ;  yet  we  are 
bound  by  the  general  command  of  God,  which  establishes  the 
authority  of  magistrates.  And  this  is  the  hinge  upon  which 
Paul's  argument  turns,  that  magistrates  are  to  be  honoured  be- 
cause they  are  "  ordained  of  God."  (r)  At  the  same  time  he 
IS  far  from  insinuating  that  the  laws  enacted  by  them  have  any 
thing  to  do  with  the  internal  government  of  the  soul ;  for  he 
every  where  extols  the  service  of  God  and  the  spiritual  rule  of  a 
holy  life,  above  all  the  statutes  and  decrees  of  men.  A  second 
consideration  worthy  of  notice,  which  is  a  consequence  of  the 

(p)  1  Cor.  X.  28,  29.  (j)  Rom.  xiii.  5.  (r)  Rom.  xiii.  1. 

VOL.  II.  47 


370  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

first,  is,  that  human  laws, — 1  mean  such  as  are  good  and  just, 
whether  enacted  by  magistrates  or  by  the  Church,  — though  they 
are  necessary  to  be  observed,  are  not  on  this  account  binding 
on  the  conscience  ;  because  all  the  necessity  of  observing 
them  has  reference  to  the  general  object  of  laws,  but  does  not 
consist  in  the  particular  things  which  are  commanded.  There 
is  an  immense  distance  between  laws  of  this  description,  and 
those  which  prescribe  any  new  form  for  the  worship  of  God, 
and  impose  a  necessity  in  things  that  were  left  free  and  in- 
different. 

VI.  Such  are  the  Ecclesiastical  Constitutions ^  as  they  are 
now  called,  in  the  Papacy,  which  are  obtruded  as  necessary  to 
the  true  worship  of  God ;  and  as  they  are  innumerable,  they 
are  so  many  bonds  to  entrap  and  insnare  souls.  Though  we 
have  touched  on  them  a  little  in  the  exposition  of  the  law,  yet 
as  this  is  a  more  suitable  place  to  discuss  them  at  large,  1  shall 
now  endeavour  to  collect  a  summary  of  the  whole,  in  the  best 
order  I  can.  And  as  we  have  already  said  what  appeared  suf- 
ficient respecting  the  tyrannical  power,  which  the  false  bishops 
arrogate  to  themselves,  of  teaching  whatever  doctrines  they 
please,  I  shall  at  present  pass  over  all  that  subject,  and  confine 
myself  to  a  discussion  of  the  power  which  they  say  they  have, 
to  make  laws.  Our  false  bishops,  therefore,  burden  men's  con- 
sciences with  new  laws  under  this  pretext  —  that  the  Lord  has 
constituted  them  spiritual  legislators,  by  committing  to  them  the 
government  of  the  Church.  Wherefore  they  contend,  that  all  the 
commands  and  ordinances  ought  of  necessity  to  be  observed  by 
all  Christian  people,  and  that  whoever  violates  them  is  guilty 
of  double  disobedience,  because  he  is  a  rebel  both  against  God 
and  the  Church.  Certainly,  if  they  were  true  bishops,  I  would 
allow  them  some  authority  of  this  kind ;  not  all  that  they 
demand,  but  all  that  is  requisite  to  the  maintenance  of  good 
order  in  the  Church.  But  as  they  bear  no  resemblance  of  the 
character  to  which  they  pretend,  the  least  they  can  possibly 
assume  is  more  than  their  right.  Yet  as  this  has  been  already 
proved,  let  us  admit  the  supposition  at  present,  that  whatever 
power  true  bishops  are  entitled  to,  belongs  to  them.  Still  I 
deny  that  they  are  therefore  appointed  as  legislators  over  be- 
.ievers,  with  power  to  prescribe  a  rule  of  life  according  to  their 
own  pleasure,  or  to  constrain  the  people  committed  to  them  to 
submit  to  their  decrees.  By  this  observation  I  mean,  that  they 
have  no  authority  to  enjoin  upon  the  observance  of  the  Church 
any  thing  that  they  may  have  invented  themselves,  independ- 
ently of  the  word  of  God.  As  this  power  was  unknown  to  the 
apostles,  and  was  so  frequently  interdicted  to  the  ministers  of 
the  Chinch  by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord,  I  wonder  how  tiiey  have 
dared  to  usurp  it,  and  still  dare  to  maintain  it  contrary  to  the 

V 


CHAP,  X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  37 1' 

example  of  the  apostles,  and  in  defiance  of  the  express  pro- 
hibition of  God. 

VII.  Every  thing  pertaining  to  the  perfect  rule  of  a  holy 
life,  the  Lord  has  comprehended  in  his  law,  so  that  there  re- 
mains nothing  for  men  to  add  to  that  summary.  And  he  has 
done  this,  first,  that,  since  all  rectitude  of  life  consists  in  the 
conformity  of  all  our  actions  to  his  will,  as  their  standard,  we 
might  consider  him  as  the  sole  Master  and  Director  of  our 
conduct ;  and  secondly,  to  show  that  he  requires  of  us  nothing 
more  than  obedience.  For  this  reason,  James  says,  "  He  that 
judgeth  his  brother,  judgeth  the  law ;  but  if  thou  judge  the 
law,  thou  art  not  a  doer  of  the  law,  but  a  judge.  There  is 
one  lawgiver,  who  is  able  to  save  and  to  destroy."  (s)  We 
hear  that  God  asserts  this  as  his  peculiar  and  exclusive  preroga- 
tive ;  to  govern  us  by  the  empire  and  laws  of  his  word.  And  the 
same  sentiment  had  before  been  expressed  by  Isaiah,  though  in 
terms  not  quite  so  explicit :  "  The  Lord  is  our  Judge,  the  Lord  is 
our  Lawgiver,  the  Lord  is  our  King,  he  will  save  us."  (t)  Both 
passages  imply,  that  he  who  has  authority  over  the  soul,  is  the 
Arbiter  of  life  and  death ;  and  James  even  clearly  expresses  it. 
No  man  can  assume  this  to  himself.  It  follows  therefore,  that 
God  ought  to  be  acknowledged  as  the  only  King  of  souls,  who 
alone  has  power  to  save  and  to  destroy,  or,  in  the  language  of 
Isaiah,  as  the  King,  Judge,  Legislator,  and  Saviour.  Wherefore 
Peter,  when  he  admonishes  pastors  of  their  duty,  exhorts  them 
"  to  feed  the  flock,  not  as  being  lords  over  God's  heritage,"  (v) 
or  the  company  of  believers.  If  we  duly  consider  this  point, 
that  it  is  not  lawful  to  transfer  to  man  that  which  God  appro- 
priates solely  to  himself,  we  shall  understand  that  this  cuts  off 
all  the  power  which  is  claimed  by  those  who  wish  to  exalt  them- 
selves to  command  any  thing  in  the  Church,  unsanctioned  by 
the  word  of  God. 

VIII.  Now,  as  the  whole  argument  rests  here,  that,  if  God 
is  the  sole  legislator,  it  is  not  lawful  for  men  to  assume  this 
honour  to  themselves,  —  we  ought  also  to  bear  in  mind  the 
two  reasons  which  we  have  stated,  why  God  asserts  this  ex- 
clusively to  himself  The  first  is,  that  his  will  may  be  re- 
ceived as  the  perfect  rule  of  all  righteousness  and  holiness,  and 
so  that  an  acquaintance  with  it  may  be  all  the  knowledge 
necessary  to  a  good  life.  The  second  is,  that  with  respect  to 
the  mode  of  worshipping  him  aright,  he  may  exercise  the  sole 
empire  over  our  souls,  to  whom  we  are  under  the  strongest 
obligation  to  obey  his  authority  and  await  his  commands. 
When  these  two  reasons  are  kept  in  view,  it  will  be  easy  to 
judge  what  constitutions  of  men  are  contrary  to  the  word  of 

(5)  James  iv.  11,  12.  (0  Isaiah  xxxiii.  2-2.  (r)  1  Peter  v.  2,  3. 


372  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

God.  Now,  of  this  description  are  all  those  which  are  pre- 
tended to  belong  to  the  true  worship  of  God,  and  to  be  obliga- 
tory on  men's  consciences  as  necessary  to  be  observed.  Let 
us  remember,  therefore,  that  all  human  laws  are  to  be  weighed 
in  this  balance,  if  we  would  have  a  certain  and  infallible  test. 
The  first  of  these  reasons  is  urged  by  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the 
Colossians,  in  opposition  to  the  false  apostles,  who  endeavoured 
to  oppress  the  Churches  with  fresh  burdens.  In  a  similar  ar- 
gument, in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  he  insists  more  on 
the  second  reason.  In  the  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  he  con- 
tends that  the  doctrine  of  the  true  worship  of  God  is  not  to  be 
sought  from  men,  because  the  Lord  has  faithfully  and  fully 
instructed  us  how  we  ought  to  worship  him.  To  prove  this, 
in  the  first  chapter  he  states  that  all  the  wisdom  by  which  the 
man  of  God  is  made  perfect  in  Christ  is  contained  in  the  gos- 
pel. In  the  beginning  of  the  second  chapter,  he  declares  that 
*'  in  Christ  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge;  " 
from  which  he  concludes  that  believers  should  "  beware  lest  any 
man  spoil  them  through  philosophy  and  vain  deceit,  after  the 
tradition  of  men."  At  the  end  of  the  chapter,  he  still  more 
confidently  condemns  all  "  will  worship  ;  "  (?f )  this  includes  all 
those  fictitious  services  which  men  either  invent  for  themselves 
or  receive  from  others,  together  with  all  the  precepts  by  which 
they  presume  to  regulate  the  worship  of  God.  Thus  we  have 
ascertained  the  impiety  of  all  those  constitutions,  in  the  obser- 
vance of  which  the  worship  of  God  is  pretended  to  consist.  The 
passages  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians,  in  which  he  argues 
that  snares  ought  not  to  be  imposed  on  consciences,  which  are 
subject  to  the  government  of  God  alone,  are  too  plain  to  be 
mistaken ;  especially  in  the  fifth  chapter,  (x)  It  will  there- 
fore be  sufficient  to  have  mentioned  them. 

IX.  But  as  the  whole  of  this  subject  will  be  better  eluci- 
dated by  examples,  before  I  proceed  any  further,  it  will  be 
useful  to  apply  this  doctrine  to  our  own  times.  We  affirm  that 
the  Ecclesiastical  Constitutions,  with  which  the  pope  and  his 
satellites  oppress  the  Church,  are  pernicious  and  impious  ;  our 
adversaries  assert  them  to  be  holy  and  useful.  Now,  they  are 
of  two  classes :  some  regard  rites  and  ceremonies,  others  have 
more  relation  to  discipline.  Is  there  just  cause,  then,  to  induce 
us  to  reject  both  ?  There  certainly  is  juster  cause  than  we  would 
desire.  In  the  first  place,  do  not  the  authors  of  them  explicitly 
declare  that  the  very  essence  of  the  worship  of  God  consists  in 
them  ?  To  what  end  do  they  refer  their  ceremonies,  but  that 
God  may  be  worshipped  through  them  ?  And  this  arises  not  from 
the  mere  error  of  the  uninformed  multitude,  but  from  the  appro- 

(7r)  Col.  i.  27,  28 ;  ii.  3,  8,  23.  ,  (x)  Gal.  v.  1—18. 


CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


373 


bation  of  those  who  sustain  the  office  of  teachers.  I  am  not  yet 
referring  to  the  gross  abominations  by  which  they  have  at- 
tempted to  overturn  all  piety  ;  but  they  would  never  pretend  a 
failure  in  any  one  of  the  most  insignificant  traditions  to  be  such 
an  atrocious  crime,  unless  they  made  the  worship  of  God  sub- 
ject to  their  inventions.  Wherein  are  we  guilty  of  any  offence, 
then,  if  we  cannot  bear  in  our  day  what  was  declared  to  be 
intolerable  by  Paul :  namely,  that  the  legitimate  mode  of 
worshipping  God  should  be  regulated  by  the  will  of  men  ; 
especially  when  they  enjoin  a  worship  "  after  the  rudiments 
of  the  world,"  which  Paul  asserts  to  be  "  not  after  Christ."  (y) 
It  is  well  known  also,  with  what  rigorous  necessity  they  bind 
men's  consciences  to  observe  every  thing  that  they  command. 
In  our  opposition  to  this,  we  unite  in  a  common  cause  with 
Paul,  who  would  by  no  means  allow  the  consciences  of  be- 
lievers to  be  subjected  to  the  bondage  of  men.  (z) 

X.  Moreover,  this  worst  of  consequences  ensues  ;  that  when 
men  have  begun  to  place  religion  in  such  vain  figments,  that 
perversion  is  immediately  followed  by  another  execrable  cor- 
ruption, with  which  Christ  reproached  the  Pharisees.  "  Ye 
have  made  the  commandment  of  God  of  none  eflect  by  your 
tradition."  (a)  I  will  not  combat  our  modern  legislators  with 
my  own  words  ;  I  will  grant  them  the  victory,  if  they  can 
vindicate  themselves  from  this  accusation  of  Christ.  But  how 
can  they  vindicate  themselves,  while  they  esteem  it  infinitely 
more  criminal,  to  have  omitted  auricular  confession  at  a  stated 
time  of  the  year,  than  to  have  lived  a  most  iniquitous  life  for  a 
whole  year  together ;  to  have  infected  the  tongue  with  the 
least  taste  of  animal  food  on  a  Friday,  than  to  have  polluted 
the  whole  body  by  committing  fornication  every  day ;  to  have 
put  a  hand  to  any  honest  labour  on  a  day  consecrated  to  any 
pretended  saint,  than  to  have  continually  employed  all  the 
members  in  the  most  flagitious  actions ;  for  a  priest  to  be  con- 
nected in  one  lawful  marriage,  than  to  he  defiled  with  a  thou- 
sand adulteries  ;  to  have  failed  of  performing  one  vow  of  pil- 
grimage, than  to  violate  every  other  promise ;  not  to  have 
lavished  any  thing  on  the  enormous,  superfluous,  and  useless 
magnificence  of  Churches,  than  to  have  failed  of  relieving  the 
most  pressing  necessities  of  the  poor ;  to  have  passed  by  an 
idol  without  some  token  of  honour,  than  to  have  insulted  all 
the  men  in  the  world ;  not  to  have  muttered  over,  at  certain 
seasons,  a  multitude  of  words  without  any  meaning,  than  to 
have  never  otfered  a  genuine  prayer  from  the  heart  ?  What  is 
it  for  men  to  make  the  commandment  of  God  of  none  efl'ect 
by  their  traditions,  if  this  be  not  ?     When  coldly  and  carelessly 

((/)  Col.  ii.  8.  (2)  Gal.  v.  1.  (a)  Matt.  xv.  6. 


374  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

recommending  the  observance  of  the  commandments  of  God, 
they  insist  on  an  exact  obedience  to  their  own,  with  as  much 
zeal  and  anxiety  as  if  the  whole  essence  of  piety  consisted  in 
them  ;  when  avenging  the  violation  of  the  Divine  law  with 
slight  penalties  of  satisfactions,  they  punish  the  smallest  trans- 
gression of  one  of  their  decrees  with  nothing  less  than  im- 
prisonment, banishment,  fire,  or  sword  ;  when  less  severe  and 
inexorable  against  the  despisers  of  God,  they  persecute  the 
despisers  of  themselves  with  implacable  hatred  even  to  death  ; 
and  when  they  instruct  all  those  whom  they  hold  in  the  chains 
of  ignorance  in  such  a  manner,  that  they  would  feel  less  con- 
cern at  seeing  the  subversion  of  the  whole  law  of  God,  than 
the  violation  of  the  smallest  tittle  of  the  commands  of  the 
Church  ?  In  the  first  place,  here  is  a  grievous  error,  that  on 
account  of  things  of  no  importance  in  themselves,  and  left  free 
by  God,  one  man  despises,  condemns,  and  rejects  another. 
Now,  as  if  this  were  not  bad  enough,  "  the  beggarly  elements 
of  the  world,"  (6)  as  Paul  calls  them,  are  esteemed  of  more 
force  than  the  celestial  oracles  of  God.  He  who  is  absolved 
in  adultery,  is  condemned  in  meat  ;  he  who  is  allowed  a  harlot, 
is  interdicted  from  a  wife.  This  is  the  fruit  of  tliat  prevarica- 
ting obedience,  which  recedes  from  God  in  proportion  as  it 
inclines  to  men. 

XL  There  are  also  two  other  faults,  far  from  small  ones, 
which  we  charge  on  these  Constitutions.  The  first  is,  that 
they  prescribe  for  the  most  part  useless,  and  sometimes  even 
foolish  observances.  The  second  is,  that  pious  consciences 
are  oppressed  with  the  immense  number  of  them,  and  being 
carried  back  to  a  species  of  Judaism,  ai'e  so  occupied  with 
shadows  as  to  be  prevented  from  coming  to  Christ.  When  I 
call  these  observances  useless  and  foolish,  I  know  this  will  not 
be  admitted  by  the  wisdom  of  the  flesh,  which  is  so  pleased 
with  them,  as  to  consider  the  Church  altogether  deformed 
where  they  are  abolished.  But  these  are  the  things  which 
Paul  describes  as  '-'having  a  show  of  wisdom  in  will-worship, 
and  humility,  and  neglecting  of  the  body ;  not  in  any  honom 
to  the  satisfying  of  the  flesh."  (c)  This  is  certainly  a  most 
salutary  admonition,  which  ought  never  to  be  forgotten  by  us. 
Human  traditions,  he  says,  deceive  under  a  show  of  wisdom. 
Is  it  inquired  whence  they  have  this  appearance  ?  I  reply, 
that  being  contrived  by  man,  the  human  mind  recognizes  them 
as  its  own,  and  recognizing  them,  embraces  them  with  greater 
pleasure  than  it  would  any  thing  of  the  greatest  excellence,  but 
less  agreeable  to  its  vanity.  A  further  recommendation  of  them 
is,  that  as  they  keep  the  minds  of  men  depressed  to  the  ground 

(t)  Gal.  iv.  9.     Col.  ii.  8.  (c)  Col.  ii.  23. 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  375 

under  their  yoke,  they  appear  well  adapted  to  promote  humility. 
Lastly,  they  are  regarded  as  the  expedients  of  prudence,  from 
their  supposed  tendency  to  restrain  corporeal  indulgence,  and 
to  subdue  sensuality  by  the  rigour  of  abstinence.  But  what 
does  Paul  say  to  these  things  ?  Does  he  strip  off  such  disguises, 
that  the  simple  may  not  be  deluded  by  false  pretences  ?  Satis- 
fied that  he  had  said  enough  to  refute  them,  when  he  had 
called  them  "  the  commandments  and  doctrines  of  men,"  (d) 
he  passes  over  all  these  things  as  undeserving  of  any  particular 
refutation.  And  knowing  that  all  services  of  human  invention 
are  condemned  in  the  Church,  and  ought  to  excite  the  suspicion 
of  believers  in  proportion  to  the  pleasure  they  afford  to  the 
minds  of  men ;  knowing  that  false  appearance  of  external 
humility  to  be  at  such  an  immense  distance  from  true  humility, 
that  it  might  be  easily  distinguished  from  it  ;  knowing  that 
discipline  to  be  entitled  to  no  other  consideration  than  as  a  mere 
exercise  of  the  body,  — he  intended  these  very  things,  by  which 
the  traditions  of  men  are  reconmiended  to  the  ignorant,  to  serve 
as  their  refutation  with  believers. 

XII.  So,  at  the  present  day,  not  only  the  unlearned  vulgar, 
but  those  who  are  most  inflated  Avith  worldly  wisdom,  are 
universally  and  wonderfully  captivated  with  the  pomp  of  cere- 
monies. Hypocrites  and  silly  women  think  it  impossible  to 
imagine  any  thing  more  beautiful  or  excellent.  But  those  who 
examine  more  minutely,  and  judge  with  more  accuracy,  ac- 
cording to  the  rule  of  piety,  respecting  the  real  value  of  those 
numerous  ceremonies,  perceive,  in  the  first  place,  that  they  are 
frivolous,  because  they  have  no  utility ;  and  in  the  next  place, 
that  they  are  delusive,  because  they  deceive  the  eyes  of  the 
spectators  with  empty  pomp.  I  speak  of  those  ceremonies  under 
which,  the  Roman  doctors  contend,  are  concealed  great  myste- 
ries, but  which,  on  examination,  we  find  to  be  mere  mockeries. 
And  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that  the  authors  and  advocates 
of  them  have  fallen  into  such  folly  as  to  delude  both  themselves 
and  others  with  contemptible  absurdities ;  because  they  have 
taken  their  model  in  some  things  from  the  reveries  of  the 
heathen,  and  in  others,  without  any  judgment,  have  imitated 
the  ancient  rites  of  the  Mosaic  law,  which  were  no  more  appli- 
cable to  us  than  the  sacrifices  of  animals  and  other  similar 
ceremonies.  Indeed,  if  there  were  no  argument  besides,  yet  no 
man  in  his  senses  would  expect  any  thing  good  from  such  a 
heterogeneous  compound.  And  the  fact  itself  plainly  demon- 
strates, that  numerous  ceremonies  have  no  other  use  than  to 
stupefy  the  people,  instead  of  instructing  them.  So  hypocrites 
attach  great  importance  to  those  novel  canons,  which  overturn 

(d)  Col.  ii.  22. 


376  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

discipline  rather  than  preserve  it ;  for  on  a  more  accurate 
investigation,  tlicy  will  be  found  a  mere  shadow  of  discipline, 
without  any  reality. 

XIII.  Now,  to  proceed  to  the  other  fault  which  I  have 
mentioned,  who  does  not  see  that  traditions,  by  the  continual 
accumulation  of  one  upon  another,  have  grown  to  such  an 
immense  number,  that  they  are  altogether  intolerable  to  the 
Christian  Church  ?  Hence  it  is,  that  the  ceremonies  discover 
a  kind  of  Judaism,  and  other  observances  inflict  grievous  tortures 
on  pious  souls.  Augustine  complained  that,  in  his  time,  the 
commands  of  God  were  neglected,  and  every  thing  was  so  full 
of  presumption,  that  a  person  was  more  severely  censured  for 
having  touched  the  ground  with  his  bare  feet  within  eight 
days  of  his  baptism,  than  for  having  drowned  his  senses  in 
intoxication.  He  complained  that  the  Church,  which  the 
mercy  of  God  intended  to  place  in  a  state  of  liberty,  was  so 
grievously  oppressed,  that  the  condition  of  the  Jews  was  more 
tolerable.  If  that  holy  man  had  lived  in  our  day,  with  what 
lamentations  would  he  have  deplored  the  present  state  of 
bondage  ?  For  the  number  of  ordinances  is  ten  times  greater, 
and  every  tittle  is  enforced  with  a  hundred  times  more  rigour, 
than  in  his  time.  Such  is  the  general  consequence,  when  these 
corrupt  legislators  have  seized  the  dominion,  they  make  no 
end  of  commands  and  prohibitions,  till  they  arrive  at  such  an 
extreme  that  obedience  is  scarcely  if  at  all  practicable.  This 
is  finely  expressed  by  Paul,  when  he  says,  "  If  ye  be  dead  from 
the  rudiments  of  the  world,  why,  as  though  living  in  the  world, 
are  ye  subject  to  ordinances  ?  Eat  not,  taste  not,  handle  not."  (e) 
The  word  a-],ri,  signifying  both  to  cat  and  to  handle,  requires 
here  to  be  understood  in  the  former  sense,  to  avoid  an  unneces- 
sary repetition.  Here,  then,  he  most  beautifully  describes  the 
progress  of  the  false  apostles.  They  begin  with  superstition, 
forbidding  to  eat  not  only  a  large  quantity,  but  even  a  little  ; 
when  they  have  carried  this  point,  they  next  forbid  to  taste  ; 
and  after  this  is  submitted  to  them,  they  pronounce  it  unlawful 
even  to  touch  with  a  finger. 

XIV.  In  the  present  age,  we  justly  censure  this  tyranny  in 
human  constitutions,  which  astonishingly  torments  miserable 
consciences  with  innumerable  edicts,  and  the  extreme  rigour 
with  which  they  are  enforced.  The  canons  relating  to  disci- 
pline have  been  already  considered.  What  shall  I  say  of  the 
ceremonies,  which  have  half  buried  Christ,  and  caused  us  to  return 
to  Jewish  figures?  ''Christ  our  Lord,"  says  Augustine,  "has 
connected  together  the  society  of  the  new  people  with  sacra- 
ments, very  few  in  number,  most  excellent  in   signification, 

(c)  Col.  ii.  20, 21. 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  377 

and  very  easy  to  observe."  The  immense  distance  of  this 
simplicity  from  the  multitude  and  variety  of  rites  in  which  we 
see  the  Church  now  involved,  can  hardly  be  stated  in  terms 
sufficiently  strong,  I  know  with  what  artifice  some  ingenious 
men  apologize  for  this  corruption.  They  say,  that  there  are 
great  numbers  among  us  as  ignorant  as  there  were  among  the 
Israelites ;  that  for  their  sakes  such  discipline  was  instituted, 
which  those  who  are  stronger,  though  they  do  not  find  it 
necessary,  ought  not  to  neglect,  when  they  perceive  it  to  be 
useful  to  their  weak  brethren.  I  reply,  that  we  are  not  ignorant 
of  what  is  due  from  every  Christian  to  the  infirmity  of  his 
brethren ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  we  reply,  that  this  is  not  the 
way  to  benefit  the  weak,  by  oppressing  them  with  heavy  loads 
of  ceremonies.  It  was  not  without  cause  that  the  Lord  has 
made  this  difference  between  his  ancient  people  and  us  ;  that 
he  chose  to  instruct  them,  like  children,  with  emblems  and 
figures,  but  has  been  pleased  to  teach  us  in  a  more  simple 
manner,  without  such  a  large  external  apparatus.  As  "  a  child," 
says  Paul,  "  is  under  tutors  and  governors  until  the  time  appoint- 
ed of  the  father,"  (/)  so  the  Jews  were  under  the  instruction  and 
government  of  the  law.  But  we  resemble  adults,  who,  having 
left  a  state  of  tuition  and  guardianship,  have  no  need  of  puerile 
discipline.  Surely  the  Lord  foresaw  what  sort  of  common  people 
there  would  be  in  his  Church,  and  in  what  manner  they  would 
require  to  be  governed.  Yet  he  made  the  difiTerence  we  have 
mentioned  between  us  and  the  Jews.  It  is  a  foolish  way,  there- 
fore, to  pretend  to  benefit  the  ignorant  by  reviving  Judaism, 
which  has  been  abrogated  by  Christ.  This  diversity,  between 
the  people  under  the  old  dispensation  and  the  new,  was  signified 
by  Christ,  when  he  said  to  the  woman  of  Samaria,  "  The  hour 
Cometh,  and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall  worship 
the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  (;^)  This,  indeed,  had  always 
been  the  case  ;  but  the  new  worshippers  difler  from  the  ancient 
in  this  respect,  that  under  Moses  the  spiritual  adoration  of  God 
was  concealed,  and  in  some  degree  embarrassed  Avith  many 
ceremonies,  which  being  now  abolished,  he  is  worshipped  with 
greater  simplicity.  Wherefore  those  who  confound  this  differ- 
ence, subvert  the  order  instituted  and  established  by  Christ. 
Shall  no  ceremonies,  then,  it  will  be  asked,  be  given  to  the 
ignorant,  to  assist  their  weakness  ?  I  say  no  such  thing  ;  for 
I  think  some  assistance  of  this  kind  very  useful  to  them. 
I  only  contend  that  such  means  should  be  employed  as  would 
tend  to  make  known  Christ,  not  to  conceal  him.  God  has, 
therefore,  given  us  few  ceremonies,  and  those  by  no  means 
laborious,  to  exhibit  Christ  to  us  as  present ;  the  Jews  had  a 

(/)  Gal.  iv.  1,  2.  C?)  John  iv.  23. 


378  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

greater  number,  to  represent  him  as  absent.  He  was  then  absent, 
I  say,  not  as  to  his  power,  but  with  respect  to  the  manner  of 
representing  him.  Therefore,  to  observe  proper  bounds,  it  is 
necessary  to  retain  that  paucity  in  number,  that  facihty  in 
observance,  that  dignity  in  signification,  which  consists  in  sira- 
pUcity.  That  this  has  not  been  done,  it  is  scarcely  necessary 
to  mention.     The  fact  is  visible  to  all. 

XY.  Here  I  forbear  to  remark  the  pernicious  opinions  with 
which  the  minds  of  men  are  impressed,  that  these  ceremonies 
of  human  invention  are  sacrifices  by  which  God  is  justly  ap- 
peased, by  which  sins  are  expiated,  by  which  righteousness 
and  salvation  are  procured.  It  will  be  denied  that  things 
intrinsically  good  are  corrupted  by  such  adventitious  errors, 
since  equal  guilt  of  this  kind  may  be  incurred  in  the  performance 
of  works  commanded  by  God.  But  it  is  more  intolerable  to 
attribute  so  much  honour  to  works  presumptuously  devised 
by  the  will  of  men,  as  to  believe  them  to  be  meritorious  of 
eternal  life.  For  works  commanded  by  God  obtain  a  reward, 
because  the  Legislator  himself  accepts  them  as  acts  of  obedience. 
They  derive  their  value,  therefore,  not  from  their  own  dignity 
or  intrinsic  merit,  but  from  God's  estimation  of  our  obedience 
to  him.  I  speak  here  of  that  perfection  of  works  which  God 
commands,  but  which  men  never  attain.  For  the  works  of 
the  law  which  we  perform,  are  only  accepted  through  the 
gratuitous  goodness  of  God,  our  obedience  in  them  being  weak 
and  imperfect.  But  as  we  are  not  here  discussing  the  value  of 
works  independent  of  Christ,  let  us  drop  this  question.  With 
regard  to  the  present  argument,  I  again  repeat,  that  whatever 
value  is  attributed  to  works,  they  derive  from  the  consideration 
of  the  obedience,  which  is  alone  regarded  by  God,  as  he  declares 
by  the  projihet :  "  I  commanded  not  concerning  burnt-oftcrings 
or  sacrifices,  but  this  thing  I  commanded,  saying,  Obey  my 
voice."  (/i)  Of  works  of  human  device,  he  speaks  in  another 
jilace.  "  Wherefore  do  ye  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not 
bread  ?  "  (i)  Again  :  "  In  vain  do  they  worship  me  by  the 
precepts  of  men."  (k)  Our  adversaries,  therefore,  can  never 
excuse  themselves  for  sufi'ering  the  unhappy  people  to  seek  in 
those  external  fooleries  a  righteousness  to  present  before  God, 
and  to  support  them  at  the  heavenly  tribunal.  Besides,  is  it  not 
a  fault  deserving  of  severe  reprehension,  that  they  exhibit  cere- 
monies not  understood,  like  the  scenery  of  a  stage  or  a  magical 
incantation  ?  For  it  is  certain  that  all  ceremonies  ai'e  corrupt 
and  pernicious,  unless  they  direct  men  to  Christ.  Now,  the 
ceremonies  practised  in  the  Papacy  have  no  connection  with 
doctrine  :  they  confine  men  to  mere  signs,  destitute  of  all 
signification.     Lastly,  so  ingenious  is  cupidity,  it  is  evident 

(A)  Jer.  vii.  22,  23.  (i)  Isaiah  Iv.  2.  {k)  Isaiah  xxix.  13.    Matt.  xv.  7—9 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  379 

that  many  of  them  have  been  invented  by  avaricious  priests, 
merely  as  contrivances  for  the  extortion  of  money.  But  what- 
ever be  their  origin,  they  are  all  so  prostituted  to  the  acquisition 
of  gain,  that  it  is  necessary  to  abolish  the  principal  part  of  them, 
if  we  wish  to  prevent  a  profane  and  sacrilegious  trallic  from 
being  carried  on  in  the  Church. 

XYI.  Though  I  may  be  considered  as  not  delivering  a  doctrine 
of  perpetual  application  respecting  human  constitutions,  because 
the  preceding  observations  have  been  wholly  directed  to  the 
present  age,  yet  nothing  has  been  advanced  which  would  not 
be  useful  in  all  ages.  For  wherever  this  superstition  intrudes, 
that  men  are  determined  to  worship  God  with  their  own  inven- 
tions, all  the  laws  made  for  this  purpose  presently  degenerate  into 
such  gross  abuses  as  we  have  described.  It  is  a  curse  which  God 
denounces,  not  against  any  particular  age,  but  against  all  ages, 
that  he  will  strike  with  blindness  and  stupidity  all  those  who  wor- 
ship him  with  the  docti'ines  of  men.  (/)  The  invariable  efiect  of 
this  blindness  is,  that  no  absurdity  is  too  great  to  be  embraced 
by  persons  who,  in  contempt  of  so  many  warnings  from  God, 
wilfully  entangle  themselves  in  such  fatal  snares.  But  if,  irre- 
spective of  peculiar  circumstances,  any  one  wish  to  have  a  simple 
statement,  what  are  the  human  traditions  of  all  ages,  which 
ought  to  be  rejected  and  reprobated  by  the  Church  and  all  pious 
persons,  the  direction  we  have  already  given  is  clear  and  certain 
—  that  they  are  all  laws  made  by  men  without  the  word  of  God, 
for  the  purpose,  either  of  prescribing  any  method  for  the  worship 
of  God,  or  of  laying  the  conscience  under  a  religious  obligation, 
as  if  they  enjoined  things  necessary  to  salvation.  If  either  or 
both  of  these  be  accompanied  with  other  faults,  such  as,  that 
the  ceremonies,  by  their  multitude,  obscure  the  simplicity  of  the 
gospel  ;  that  they  tend  to  no  edification,  but  are  useless  and 
ridiculous  occupations  rather  than  real  exercises  of  piety ;  that 
they  ar/'  employed  for  the  sordid  purposes  of  dishonest  gain  ; 
that  they  are  too  difficult  to  be  observed ;  that  tliey  are  pollu- 
ted with  impious  superstitions  :  —  these  things  will  further  assist 
us  in  discovering  the  vast  evil  which  they  contain. 

XVII.  I  hear  the  answer  which  they  make  —  that  their  tradi- 
tions are  not  from  themselves,  but  from  God ;  for  that  the 
Church  is  directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  that  it  cannot  err ; 
and  that  they  are  in  possession  of  his  authority.  When  this 
point  is  gained,  it  immediately  follows,  that  their  traditions  are 
the  revelations  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  cannot  be  despised 
without  impiety  and  contempt  of  God.  That  they  may  not 
appear  to  attempt  any  thing  without  high  authorities,  they  wish 
it  to  be  believed  that  the  greatest  part  of  their  observances  have 

(0  Isaiah  xxix.  13,  14. 


580  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

descended  from  the  apostles ;  and  they  contend  that  one  exam- 
ple sulliciently  shows  what  was  the  conduct  of  the  apostles  in 
other  cases  ;  when,  being  assembled  together  in  a  council,  they 
determined  and  announced  to  all  Gentiles,  that  they  should 
'•  abstain  from  meats  oliercd  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from 
things  strangled."  (??^)  We  have  already  exposed  the  falsehood 
of  their  pretensions  in  arrogating  to  themselves  the  title  of  the 
Church.  With  regard  to  the  present  argument,  if,  stripping  otf 
all  false  disguises,  we  confine  our  attention  to  what  ought  to 
be  our  chief  concern,  and  involves  our  highest  interests,  namely, 
what  kind  of  a  Church  Christ  requires,  in  order  that  we  may 
conform  ourselves  to  its  standard,  —  it  will  be  sufficiently  evi- 
dent to  us,  that  the  name  of  the  Church  does  not  belong  to 
those  who  overleap  all  the  limits  of  the  word  of  God,  and  exer- 
cise an  unbounded  license  of  enacting  new  laws.  For  does 
not  that  law,  which  was  once  given  to  the  Church,  remain  for- 
ever in  force  ?  "  What  thing  soever  T  command  you,  observe 
to  do  it  :  thou  shalt  not  add  thereto,  nor  diminish  from  it."  (n) 
And  again  :  "  Add  not  thou  unto  his  words,  lest  he  reprove 
thee,  and  thou  be  found  a  liar."  (o)  Since  they  cannot  deny 
these  things  to  have  been  spoken  to  the  Church,  do  they  not 
declare  the  rebellion  of  the  Church,  when  they  pretend  that, 
notwithstanding  such  prohibitions,  it  has  dared  to  mingle  ad- 
ditions of  its  own  with  the  doctrine  of  God  ?  Far  be  it  from 
us,  however,  to  countenance  their  falsehoods,  by  which  they 
do  so  great  an  injury  to  the  Church ;  let  us  know  that  the  as- 
sumption of  the  name  of  the  Church  is  a  false  pretence  in  all 
who  are  so  carried  away  by  the  violence  of  human  presumption, 
as  to  disregard  all  the  restraints  of  the  word  of  God,  and  to  in- 
troduce a  torrent  of  their  own  inventions.  There  is  nothing 
involved,  nothing  intricate,  nothing  ambiguous  in  these  words, 
by  which  the  whole  Church  is  forbidden  to  add  any  thing  to 
the  word,  or  to  diminish  any  thing  from  it,  in  any  question  re- 
lating to  the  worship  of  God  and  his  salutary  precepts.  But  it 
will  be  alleged,  that  this  was  spoken  exclusively  of  the  law, 
which  has  been  succeeded  by  the  prophecies  and  the  whole 
dispensation  of  the  gospel.  This  I  certainly  admit,  and  at  the 
same  time  assert,  that  these  were  accomplishments  of  the  law, 
rather  than  additions  to  it,  or  retrenchments  of  it.-  But  if  the 
Lord  sulfered  no  enlargement  or  diminution  of  the  ministry  of 
IMoses,  notwithstanding  it  was  enveloped  in  such  great  ob- 
scurity, till  he  dispensed  a  clearer  doctrine  by  his  servants  the 
prophets,  and  finally  by  his  beloved  Son,  — why  do  not  we  con- 
sider ourselves  far  more  severely  prohibited  from  making  any 
addition  to  the  law,  the  prophets,  the  psalms,  and  the  gospel  ? 

(m)  Acts  XV.  28,  29.  (h)  Deut.  xii.  32.  (o)  Prov.  xxx. 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  381 

No  change  has  taken  place  in  the  Lord,  who  long  ago  declared 
that  nothing  was  so  highly  offensive  to  him,  as  to  attempt  to 
worship  him  with  the  inventions  of  men.  Hence  those  stri- 
king declarations  in  the  prophets,  which  ought  to  be  contin- 
ually sounding  in  our  ears :  "  I  spake  not  unto  your  fathers, 
nor  commanded  them  in  the  day  that  I  brought  them  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt,  concerning  burnt-offerings  or  sacrifices  ;  but 
this  thing  commanded  I  them,  saymg,  Obey  my  voice,  and  I 
will  be  your  God,  and  ye  shall  be  my  people  :  and  walk  ye 
in  all  the  ways  that  I  have  commanded  you."  (p)  Again : 
"  I  earnestly  protested  unto  your  fathers,  saying.  Obey  my 
voice."  {q)  There  are  many  other  similar  passages,  but  the 
most  remarkable  of  all  is  the  following  :  "  Hath  the  Lord," 
says  Samuel,  "as  great  delight  in  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices, 
as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord  ?  Behold,  to  obey  is  bet- 
ter than  sacrifice,  and  to  hearken  than  the  fat  of  rams.  For 
rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft,  and  stubbornness  is  as 
iniquity  and  idolatry."  (r)  Therefore,  whatever  human  inven- 
tions relating  to  the  worship  of  God,  may  be  defended  by  the 
authority  of  the  Church,  since  it  is  impossible  to  vindicate 
them  from  impiety,  it  is  easy  to  infer  that  the  imputation  of 
them  to  the  Church  has  no  foundation  in  truth. 

XVHL  For  this  reason  we  freely  censure  that  tyranny  of 
human  traditions,  which  is  imposed  upon  the  world  under  the 
name  of  the  Church.  Nor  do  we  hold  the  Church  in  contempt, 
as  our  adversaries,  in  order  to  render  us  obnoxious,  falsely  as- 
sert We  allow  it  the  praise  of  obedience,  than  which  no 
higher  praise  can  be  given.  On  the  contrary,  they  are  them- 
selves the  most  outrageous  violators  of  the  Church,  which  they 
represent  as  guilty  of  rebellion  against  the  Lord,  when  they 
pretend  that  it  has  gone  beyond  what  was  permitted  by  the 
word  of  God ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  combination  of  impudence 
and  wickedness  discovered  in  their  incessant  vociferations  re- 
specting the  authority  of  the  Church,  while  they  take  no  notice 
of  the  command  of  the  Lord,  or  of  the  obedience  due  from  the 
Church  to  that  command.  But  if  we  desire,  as  we  ought,  to 
agree  with  the  Church,  it  will  be  best  for  us  to  observe  and 
remember  what  commands  are  given  by  the  Lord,  equally  to 
us  and  to  the  whole  Church,  that  we  may  all  obey  him  with 
one  consent.  For  there  is  no  doubt  that  we  shall  fully  agree 
with  the  Church,  if  we  show  ourselves  in  all  things  obedient 
to  the  Lord.  Now,  to  attribute  to  the  apostles  the  origin  of  the 
traditions  which  have  hitherto  oppressed  the  Church,  is  a  mere 
imposture ;  for  the  whole  tendency  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
apostles  was,  that  men's  consciences  should  not  be  burdened 

lr,\    T^r  vii.  22.  2.'?.  (n\  Jer.  xi.  7.  (r\  1  Sam.  xv.  22.  23. 


382'  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Avith  new  observances,  or  the  worship  of  God  contaminated 
with  human  inventions.  Besides,  if  there  be  any  credit 
due  to  ancient  histories  and  records,  the  apostles  not  only 
never  knew,  but  never  even  heard  of  that  which  is  ascribed  to 
them.  Nor  let  it  be  pretended,  that  the  greatest  part  of  their 
Constitutions  were  received  in  use  and  commonly  practised, 
which  were  never  committed  to  writing  ;  namely,  those  things 
which,  during  the  life  of  Christ,  they  were  not  able  to  under- 
stand, but  which  after  his  ascension,  they  learned  from  the 
revelation  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  meaning  of  that  passage 
we  have  already  examined.  With  respect  to  the  present  sub- 
ject, we  may  observe,  they  make  themselves  truly  ridiculous 
by  maintaining  that  those  great  mysteries,  which  were  so  long 
unknown  to  the  apostles,  consisted  partly  of  Jewish  or  heathen 
ceremonies,  of  which  the  former  had  long  before  been  promul- 
gated among  the  Jews,  and  the  latter  among  the  heathen,  and 
partly  of  foolish  gesticulations  and  unmeaning  rites,  which 
stupid  priests,  who  scarcely  know  how  to  walk  or  speak,  per- 
form with  the  greatest  exactness,  and  which  even  infants  and 
fools  counterfeit  so  well,  that  it  might  be  thought  there  were 
no  more  suitable  ministers  of  such  solemnities.  If  there  were 
no  histories,  yet  men  of  sound  judgment  would  conclude  from 
the  thing  itself,  that  such  a  vast  multitude  of  rites  and  obser- 
vances did  not  break  into  the  Church  all  on  a  sudden,  but  that 
they  must  have  been  introduced  by  degrees.  For  when  those 
holy  bishops,  who  were  the  immediate  successors  of  the  apos- 
tles, had  made  some  appointments  relating  to  order  and  disci- 
pline, they  were  followed  by  a  series  of  others,  who  had  too 
little  consideration,  and  too  much  curiosity  and  cupidity,  of 
whom  every  one  in  succession  vied  with  his  predecessors,  from 
a  foolish  emulation  to  excel  them  in  the  invention  of  new 
observances.  And  because  there  was  danger  that  their  inven- 
tions, by  which  they  desired  to  obtain  the  praises  of  posterity, 
might  in  a  short  time  be  disused,  they  were  the  more  rigid  in 
enforcing  the  observance  of  them.  This  foolish  and  perverse 
imitation  has  been  the  source  of  most  of  those  rites  which  the 
Romanists  urge  upon  us  as  apostolic.  And  this  is  also  attested 
by  various  histories. 

XIX.  To  avoid  too  much  prolixity  in  composing  a  catalogue 
of  them  all,  we  shall  content  ourselves  with  one  example.  In 
the  administration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  the  apostles  used 
great  simplicity.  Their  immediate  successors,  to  adorn  the 
dignity  of  the  mystery,  added  some  forms  which  Avere  not  to 
be  altogether  condemned.  Afterwards  followed  those  foolish 
imitators,  who,  by  adding  various  fragments  from  time  to  time, 
at  length  formed  those  vestments  of  the  priests,  those  ornaments 
gi  the  altar,  those  gesticulations,  and  all  that  apparatus  of  use- 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  383 

less  things,  which  we  see  in  the  mass.  But  they  object  that 
it  was  an  ancient  opinion,  that  whatever  was  done  with  the 
common  consent  of  the  universal  Church,  had  originated  from 
the  apostles.  In  proof  of  this,  they  cite  the  testimony  of  Au- 
gustine. I  shall  give  them  no  other  answer  than  in  the  words 
of  Augustine  himself.  "  Those  things  which  are  observed 
throughout  the  world,"  says  he,  "  we  may  understand  to  have 
been  ordained,  either  by  the  apostles  themselves,  or  by  general 
councils,  whose  authority  is  very  useful  in  the  Church ;  as 
that  the  sufferings,  resurrection,  and  ascension  of  our  Lord,  and 
the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  are  celebrated  by  solemn  anni- 
versaries ;  and  if  there  be  any  thing  else  of  a  similar  kind 
observed  by  the  universal  Church  wherever  it  has  extended 
itself."  When  he  enumerates  so  few  examples,  who  does  not 
see  that  he  intended  to  attribute  to  authors  worthy  of  credit 
and  reverence  the  observances  which  were  then  in  use,  and 
none  but  those  simple,  rare,  and  sober  ones,  which  are  useful 
in  preserving  the  order  of  the  Church  ?  But  how  distant  is 
this  passage  from  the  conclusion  the  Roman  doctors  would 
extort  from  it,  that  there  is  not  the  most  insignificant  ceremony 
among  them  which  ought  not  to  be  considered  as  resting  on 
the  authority  of  the  apostles  ! 

XX.  Not  to  be  too  tedious,  I  will  produce  only  one  example. 
If  any  one  inquire  whence  they  have  their  holy  water,  they 
immediately  answer.  From  the  apostles.  As  if  the  histories 
did  not  attribute  this  invention  to  a  bishop  of  Rome,  who,  if 
he  had  taken  counsel  of  the  apostles,  would  certainly  never 
have  contaminated  baptism  by  a  strange  and  unseasonable 
symbol.  Though  it  does  not  appear  to  me  probable  that  the 
origin  of  that  consecration  was  so  ancient  as  those  histories 
state.  For  the  observation  of  Augustine,  that  some  Churches 
in  his  time  rejected  the  custom  of  washing  the  feet  as  a  solemn 
imitation  of  Christ,  lest  that  ceremony  might  be  supposed  to 
have  any  reference  to  baptism,  implies  that  there  was  no  other 
kind  of  washing  then  practised  which  bore  any  resemblance  to 
baptism.  Be  this  as  it  may,  I  shall  never  admit  it  to  have 
been  a  dictate  of  the  spirit  of  the  apostles,  that  baptism  should 
be  recalled  to  the  memory  by  a  daily  ablution,  which  would 
be  little  else  than  a  repetition  of  it.  It  is  of  no  consequence 
that  Augustine  elsewhere  ascribes  other  things  also  to  the 
apostles  ;  for  as  he  has  nothing  but  conjectures,  no  conclusion 
ought  to  be  drawn  from  them  on  such  an  important  subject. 
Lastly,  though  we  should  even  grant,  that  those  things  which 
he  mentions  had  been  transmitted  from  the  time  of  the  apostles, 
yet  there  is  a  wide  difference  between  instituting  some  pious 
exercise  which  believers  may  use  with  a  free  conscience,  or 


384  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  {bOOK    IV. 

making  laws  to  entangle  their  consciences  with  bondage.  But 
whoever  was  their  author,  since  we  see  that  they  have  fallen 
into  so  great  an  abuse,  nothing  prevents  our  abolishing  them 
without  any  disrespect  to  him ;  because  they  were  neve*  insti- 
tuted in  order  to  be  perpetual  and  unalterable. 

XXI.  Nor  does  the  cause  of  our  adversaries  derive  much 
advantage  from  their  attempt  to  excuse  their  own  tyranny,  by 
alleging  the  example  of  the  apostles.  The  apostles,  they  say, 
and  elders  of  the  primitive  Church,  passed  a  decree  without 
the  command  of  Christ,  enjoining  all  the  Gentiles  to  "abstain 
from  meats  otiered  to  idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  things 
strangled."  (s)  If  this  was  lawful  for  them,  why  may  it  not 
be  lawful  for  their  successors,  whenever  circumstances  require, 
to  imitate  their  conduct  ?  I  sincerely  wish  they  would  imitate 
them  in  other  things  as  well  as  in  this.  For  I  deny  that  the 
apostles,  on  that  occasion,  instituted  or  decreed  any  thing  new, 
as  it  is  easy  to  prove  by  a  sufficient  reason.  For  when  Peter 
had  declared  in  that  assembly,  that  to  "  put  a  yoke  upon  the 
neck  of  the  disciples  "  would  be  to  "  tempt  God,"  (t)  he  would 
have  contradicted  his  own  opinion,  if  he  had  afterwards  con- 
sented to  the  imposition  of  any  yoke.  Yet  there  was  a  yoke 
imposed,  if  the  apostles  decreed,  from  their  own  authority, 
that  the  Gentiles  should  be  prohibited  "from  meats  oifered  to 
idols,  and  from  blood,  and  from  things  strangled."  There  still 
remains  some  difficulty,  that  nevertheless  they  seem  to  prohibit 
them.  But  this  will  be  easily  solved,  if  we  more  closely  ex- 
amine the  meaning  of  the  decree  itself;  of  which  the  first 
point  in  order  and  principal  in  importance  is,  that  the  Gentiles 
were  to  be  left  in  possession  of  their  liberty,  and  not  to  be  dis- 
turbed or  troubled  about  the  observance  of  the  law.  So  far  it 
is  completely  in  our  favour.  The  exception  which  immediately 
follows  is  not  a  new  law  made  by  the  apostles,  but  the  Divine 
and  eternal  command  for  the  preservation  of  charity  inviolate  ; 
nor  does  it  diminish  a  tittle  of  that  liberty :  it  only  admonishes 
the  Gentiles  how  they  ought  to  accommodate  themselves  to 
their  brethren,  to  avoid  olfending  them  by  an  abuse  of  their 
liberty.  The  second  point,  therefore,  is,  that  the  Gentiles  were 
to  use  a  harmless  liberty,  and  without  olfence  to  their  brethren. 
If  it  be  still  objected,  that  they  prescribe  a  certain  direction,  I 
reply,  that  as  far  as  was  expedient  for  that  period,  they  point 
out  and  specify  the  things  in  which  the  Gentiles  were  liable  to 
give  olfence  to  their  brethren,  that  they  might  refrain  from 
ihem ;  yet  they  add  nothing  new  of  their  own  to  the  eternal 
law  of  God,  by  which  ollences  against  our  brethren  ai-e  pro- 
hibited. 

is)  AcU  XV.  29.  Q)  Acts  xv.  10.  ' 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  335 

XXII.  As  if  any  faithful  pastors,  who  preside  over  churches 
not  yet  well  regulated,  were  to  recommend  all  their  people  not 
to  eat  meat  openly  on  Fridays,  or  to  labour  publicly  on  festi- 
vals, or  the  like,  till  their  weaker  neighbours  should  be  more 
established.  For  though,  setting  aside  superstition,  these  things 
are  in  themselves  indifferent,  yet  when  they  are  attended  with 
offences  to  brethren,  they  cannot  be  performed  without  sin  ; 
and  the  times  are  such  that  believers  could  not  do  these  things 
in  the  presence  of  their  weak  brethren,  without  most  grievously 
wounding  their  consciences.  Who  but  a  caviller  would  say 
that  in  this  instance  they  made  a  new  law,  whereas  it  would 
evidently  appear  that  their  sole  object  was  to  guard  against  of- 
fences which  are  most  expressly  forbidden  by  the  Lord  ?  No 
more  can  it  be  said  of  the  apostles,  who  had  no  other  design  in 
removing  the  occasion  of  offences,  than  to  urge  the  Divine  law 
respecting  the  avoidance  of  offence :  as  though  they  had  said, 
It  is  the  command  of  the  Lord  that  you  hurt  not  your  weak 
brother:  you  cannot  eat  meats  offered  to  idols,  or  blood,  or 
things  strangled,  without  your  weak  brethren  being  offended  ; 
therefore,  we  command  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord  not  to 
eat  with  offence.  And  that  such  was  the  intention  of  the 
apostles,  Paul  himself  is  an  unexceptionable  witness,  who,  cer- 
tainly in  consistence  with  their  sentence,  writes  in  the  follow- 
ing manner :  "  As  concerning  the  eating  of  those  things  that  are 
offered  in  sacrifice  unto  idols,  we  know  that  an  idol  is  nothing. 
Howbeit,  there  is  not  in  every  man  that  knowledge ;  for  some 
with  conscience  of  the  idol,  eat  it  as  a  thing  offered  unto  an  idol  ; 
and  their  conscience,  being  weak,  is  defiled.  Take  heed  lest 
by  any  means  this  liberty  of  yours  become  a  stumbling-block 
to  them  that  are  weak."  (v)  He  who  shall  have  duly  considered 
these  things,  will  not  afterwards  be  deceived  by  the  fallacy  of 
those  who  attempt  to  justify  their  tyranny  by  the  example  of 
the  apostles,  as  if  they  had  begun  to  infringe  the  liberty  of 
the  Church  by  their  decree.  But  that  they  may  not  be  able 
to  avoid  confirming  this  solution  by  their  own  confession,  let 
them  tell  me  by  what  right  they  have  dared  to  abrogate  that  de- 
cree. Tliey  can  only  reply,  Because  there  was  no  more  danger 
from  those  offences  and  dissensions  which  the  apostles  intended 
to  guard  against,  and  they  knew  that  a  law  was  to  be  judged 
of  by  the  end  for  which  it  was  made.  As  this  law,  therefore, 
is  admitted  to  have  been  made  from  a  consideration  of  charity, 
there  is  nothing  prescribed  in  it  any  further  than  charity  is 
concerned.  When  they  confess  that  the  transgression  of  this 
law  is  no  other  than  a  violation  of  charity,  do  they  not  thereby 
acknowledge  that  it  is  not  a  novel  addition  to  the  law  of  God, 


386  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

but  a  genuine  and  simple  application  of  it  to  the  times  and 
manners  for  which  it  was  designed  ? 

XXIII.  But  it  is  contended,  that  though  the  ecclesiastical 
laws  should  in  a  hundred  instances  be  unjust  and  injnrious  to 
us,  yet  they  ought  all  to  be  obeyed  without  any  exception  ;  for 
that  the  point  here  is  not  that  we  should  consent  to  errors,  but 
that  we,  who  are  subjects,  should  fulfil  even  the  severe  com- 
mands of  our  governors,  which  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  reject. 
But  here  likewise  the  Lord  most  happily  interposes  with  the 
truth  of  his  word,  delivers  us  from  such  bondage,  and  estab- 
lishes us  in  the  liberty  which  he  has  procured  for  us  by  his 
sacred  blood,  the  benefit  of  which  he  has  repeatedly  confirmed 
by  his  word.  For  the  question  hero  is  not,  as  they  fallaciously 
pretend,  merely  whether  we  shall  endure  some  grievous  op- 
pression in  our  bodies ;  but  whether  our  consciences  shall  be 
deprived  of  their  liberty,  that  is,  of  the  benefit  of  the  blood  of 
Christ,  and  shall  be  tormented  with  a  wretched  bondage.  Let 
us,  however,  pass  over  this  also,  as  if  it  were  matter  of  little 
importance.  But  do  we  think  it  a  matter  of  little  importance 
to  deprive  the  Lord  of  his  kingdom,  which  he  claims  to  him- 
self, in  such  a  peremptory  manner  ?  And  it  is  taken  away  from 
him  whenever  he  is  worshipped  with  laws  of  human  invention, 
whereas  he  requires  himself  to  be  honored  as  the  sole  legislator 
of  his  own  worship.  And  that  no  one  may  suppose  it  to  be 
a  thing  of  trivial  importance,  let  us  hear  in  what  estimation  it 
is  held  by  the  Lord.  "  Forasmuch,"  he  says,  '•  as  this  people 
draw  near  me  with  their  mouth,  but  their  fear  toward  me  is 
taught  by  the  precept  of  men ;  therefore,  behold,  I  will  pro- 
ceed to  do  a  marvellous  work  among  this  people,  even  a  mar- 
vellous work  and  a  wonder ;  for  the  wisdom  of  their  wise  men 
shall  perish,  and  the  understanding  of  their  prudent  men  shall  be 
hid."  (w)  xVgain  :  "  In  vain  do  they  worship  me,  teaching  for 
doctrines  the  commandments  of  men.  "  (x)  When  the  children 
of  Israel  polluted  themselves  by  various  idolatries,  the  cause  of 
all  the  evil  is  attributed  to  the  impure  mixture  which  they 
made  by  devising  new  modes  of  worship  in  violation  of  tlie 
commands  of  God.  Therefore,  the  sacred  history  relates  that 
tlie  strangers  who  had  been  transplanted  by  the  king  of  Assyria 
from  Babylon  to  inhabit  Samaria,  were  torn  in  pieces  and  de- 
voured by  wild  beasts,  "  because  they  knew  not  the  statutes 
or  ordinances  of  the  God  of  the  land."  Though  they  had 
committed  no  fault  in  the  ceremonies,  yet  vain  pomp  would 
not  have  been  approved  by  God;  but' he  did  not  fail  to  punish 
the  violation  of  his  worship,  when  meu  introduced  new  inven- 
tions  inconsistent   with    his  word.       Hence    it  is   afterwards 

(if)  Isaiah  xxix.  13,  1-1.  (z)  Matt.  xv.  9. 


CHAP.    X.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  387 

Stated,  that  being  terrified  with  that  punishment,  they  adopted 
rites  prescribed  in  the  law  ;  yet  because  they  did  not  yet  wor- 
ship the  true  God  aright,  it  is  twice  repeated  that  "  they 
feared  the  Lord,"  and,  at  the  same  time,  that  '=  they  feared  not 
the  Lord."  [y]  Whence  we  conclude,  that  part  of  the  reve- 
rence which  is  paid  to  him  consists  in  our  worshipping  him  in 
a  simple  adherence  to  his  commands,  without  the  admixture 
of  any  inventions  of  our  own.  Hence  the  frequent  commenda- 
tions of  pious  kings,  that  they  "  walked  in  all  his  command- 
ments, and  turned  not  aside  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left."  {z) 
I  go  still  further  :  though  in  some  services  of  human  invention 
there  appears  no  manifest  impiety,  yet  as  soon  as  ever  men 
have  departed  from  the  command  of  God,  it  is  severely  con- 
demned by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  altar  of  Ahaz,  the  model  of 
which  was  brought  from  Damascus,  might  seem  to  be  an 
addition  to  the  ornaments  of  the  temple,  because  his  design 
was  to  offer  sacrifices  upon  it  to  God  alone,  with  a  view  to  per- 
form these  services  in  a  more  splendid  manner  than  upon  the 
ancient  and  original  altar ;  yet  we  see  how  the  Holy  Spirit 
detests  such  audacity,  for  no  other  reason  than  because  all  the 
inventions  of  men  in  the  worship  of  God  are  impure  corrup- 
tions, (a)  And  the  more  clearly  the  will  of  God  is  revealed  to 
us,  the  more  inexcusable  is  our  presumption  in  making  any 
such  attempt.  Wherefore  the  guilt  of  Manasseh  is  justly 
aggravated  by  the  circumstance  of  his  having  "  built "  new 
"  altars  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  of  which  the  Lord  said.  In 
Jerusalem  will  I  put  my  name  ;  "  (6)  because  such  conduct 
was  like  an  avowed  rejection  of  the  authority  of  God. 

XXIV,  Many  persons  wonder  why  the  Lord  so  severely 
threatens  that  he  would  "do  a  marvellous  work  among  the 
people."  whose  "  fear  toward  him  "  was  "  taught  by  the 
precepts  of  men,"  and  pronounces  that  he  is  "  worshipped  in 
vain  "  by  "  the  commandments  of  men."  But  if  such  persons 
would  consider  what  it  is  to  follow  the  word  of  God  alone  in 
matters  of  religion,  that  is,  of  heavenly  wisdom,  they  would 
immediately  perceive  it  to  be  for  no  trivial  reason  that  the  Lord 
abommates  such  corrupt  services,  which  are  rendered  to  him 
according  to  the  caprice  of  the  human  mind.  For,  though 
persons  who  obey  such  laws  for  the  worship  of  God,  have  a 
certain  appearance  of  humility  in  this  their  obedience,  yet  they 
are  very  far  from  being  humble  before  God,  to  whom  they 
prescribe  the  same  laws  which  they  observe  themselves.  This 
is  the  reason  why  Paul  requires  us  to  be  so  particularly  cautious 
against  being    deceived  by  the    traditions  of  men,  and  will- 


388  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

worship,  that  is,  vokmtary  worship,  invented  by  men,  without 
the  word  of  God.  (c)  And  so  indeed  it  is,  that  our  own  wisdom, 
and  that  of  aU  other  men,  must  become  folly  in  our  esteem, 
that  we  may  allow  God  alone  to  be  truly  wise.  This  is  very 
far  from  being  the  case  with  those  who  study  to  render  them- 
selves acceptable  to  him  by  petty  observances  of  human  con- 
trivance, and  obtrude  upon  him,  in  opposition  to  his  conmiands, 
a  hypocritical  obedience,  which  in  reality  is  rendered  to  men. 
This  was  the  conduct  of  men  in  former  ages  ;  the  same  has  hap- 
pened within  our  own  remembrance,  and  still  happens  in  those 
places  where  the  authority  of  the  creature  is  more  regarded  than 
that  of  the  Creator ;  where  religion,  if  religion  it  deserves  to  be 
called,  is  polluted  with  more  numerous  and  senseless  supersti- 
tions than  ever  disgraced  the  worship  of  paganism.  For  what 
could  proceed  from  the  minds  of  men  but  things  carnal,  foolish, 
and  truly  expressive  of  their  authors? 

XXV.  When  the  advocates  of  superstition  allege,  that 
Samuel  sacrificed  in  Ramah,  that  there  this  was  done  without 
the  direction  of  the  law,  yet  it  was  acceptable  to  God,  (d)  the 
answer  is  easy  —  that  this  was  not  the  erection  of  a  second 
altar,  in  opposition  to  one  already  erected,  and  appointed  by  the 
Divine  command  to  supersede  every  other  ;  but  as  there  had  yet 
been  no  fixed  place  assigned  for  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  he  ap- 
pointed the  town  which  he  inhabited  for  the  oblation  of  sacrifices, 
as  the  most  convenient  place.  It  certainly  was  not  the  intention 
of  the  holy  prophet  to  make  any  innovation  in  religious  worship, 
in  which  God  bad  so  strictly  forbidden  any  thing  to  be  added  or 
diminished.  The  example  of  Manoah  I  consider  as  an  extra- 
ordinary and  singular  case.  Tbough  a  private  man,  he  ofiered  a 
sacrifice  to  God,  yet  not  without  the  Divine  approbation  ;  be- 
cause he  did  it  not  from  the  hasty  impulse  of  his  own  mind,  but 
in  consequence  of  the  secret  inspiration  of  Heaven,  (e)  But  of 
the  Lord's  utter  abomination  of  all  the  contrivances  of  mortals  in 
his  worsliip,  we  have  a  memorable  example  in  another  person, 
not  inferior  to  Manoah  —  I  mean  Gideon,  whose  ephod  produced 
fatal  consequences,  not  only  to  himself  and  his  family,  but  to 
all  the  people.  (/)  In  short,  every  additional  invention  by 
which  men  i)retend  to  serve  God  is  nothing  but  a  pollution  of 
true  holiness. 

XXVI.  Why,  then,  it  is  inquired,  was  it  the  will  of  Christ 
that  men  should  submit  to  those  intolerable  burdens  which  were 
imposed  upon  them  by  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  ?  (g)  I  ask, 
on  the  other  hand,  Wliy  did  Christ,  in  another  place,  direct  men 
to  "  beware  of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  and  of  the  Saddu- 


(r)  Col.  ii.  4,  8,  18,  23.  (d)  1  Sam.  vii.  17.  (c)  Jud^cs  xiii.  19. 

(/)  Judges  viii.  27.  (^)  Matt,  xxiii.  3. 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  339 

cees  ?  "  (/t)  by  leaven^  according  to  the  interpretation  given  us 
by  the  evangelist,  intending  every  doctrine  of  their  own  that 
they  mixed  with  the  pure  word  of  God.  What  can  we  wish 
for  plainer,  than  when  he  connnands  us  to  avoid  and  beware 
of  all  their  doctrine  ?  Hence  it  is  very  evident  to  us,  that  in 
the  other  passage  our  Lord  did  not  intend  that  the  consciences 
of  his  disciples  should  be  harassed  with  the  traditions  of  the 
Pharisees  ;  and  the  words  themselves,  if  they  are  not  perverted, 
convey  no  such  meaning.  For,  being  about  to  deliver  a  severe 
invective  against  the  conduct  of  the  Pharisees,  our  Lord  only 
prefaced  it  by  instructing  his  hearers,  that  though  they  would 
see  nothing  ni  their  lives  worthy  of  imitation,  yet  they  should 
continue  to  practise  those  things  which  were  taught  by  them  in 
their  discourses,  when  they  were  sitting  in  the  chair  of  Moses, 
that  is  to  say,  when  they  were  expounding  the  law.  His  only 
design,  therefore,  Avas  to  guard  the  people  against  being  induced 
to  despise  the  doctrine  by  the  bad  examples  of  those  who  taught 
it.  Bat,  as  some  persons  are  never  affected  by  arguments,  but 
always  require  authority,  I  will  subjoin  the  words  of  Augustine, 
who  gives  exactly  the  same  interpretation :  "  The  Lord's  fold 
has  pastors,  some  faithful,  some  hirelings.  Those  who  are 
faithful  are  true  shepherds ;  yet  hear  how  the  hirelings  also  are 
necessary.  For  many  in  the  Church,  pursuing  worldly  advan- 
tages, preach  Christ,  and  the  voice  of  Christ  is  heard  through 
them ;  and  the  sheep  follow  not  the  hireling,  but  the  Shepherd 
by  means  of  the  hireling.  Hear  how  the  hirelings  are  pointed 
out  by  the  Lord  himself.  He  says,  The  scribes  and  Pharisees 
sit  in  Moses'  chair  ;  what  they  say,  do  ;  but  what  they  do, 
imitate  not.  Is  not  this  equivalent  to  saying.  Hear  the  voice 
of  the  Shepherd  through  the  hirelings ;  for,  sitting  in  the  chair 
of  Moses,  they  teach  the  law  of  God  ;  therefore,  God  teaches 
by  them  ;  but  if  they  choose  to  teach  any  thing  of  their  own, 
neither  attend  to  it,  nor  practise  it  ?  " 

XXVH.  But,  as  many  ignorant  persons,  when  they  hear 
that  the  consciences  of  men  ought  not  to  be  bound  by  human 
traditions,  and  that  it  is  in  vain  to  worship  God  by  such  ser- 
vices, immediately  conclude  the  same  rule  to  be  applicable  to 
all  the  laws  which  regulate  the  order  of  the  Church,  we  must 
also  refute  their  error.  It  is  easy,  indeed,  to  be  deceived  in  this 
point,  because  it  does  not  immediately  appear,  at  the  first  glance, 
what  a  difference  there  is  between  the  one  and  the  other;  but 
I  will  place  the  whole  subject  in  such  a  clear  light,  in  a  few- 
words,  that  no  one  may  be  misled  by  the  resemblance.  In  the 
first  place,  let  us  consider  that  if,  in  every  society  of  men,  we 
see  the  necessity  of  some  polity  in  order  to  preserve  the  com- 


390  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

mon  peace,  and  to  maintain  concord ;  if  in  the  transaction  of 
business  there  is  always  some  order,  which  the  interest  of  pub- 
lic virtue,  and  even  of  humanity  itself,  forbids  to  be  rejected ; 
the  same  ought  particularly  to  be  observed  in  Churches,  which 
are  best  sujjported  by  a  well-ordered  regulation  of  all  their 
affairs  and  which  without  concord  are  no  Churches  at  all. 
Wherefore,  if  we  would  make  a  proper  provision  for  the  safety 
of  the  Church,  we  ought  to  pay  the  strictest  attention  to  the 
injunction  of  Paul,  that  "all  things  be  done  decently  and  in 
order."  (i)  But  as  there  is  such  great  diversity  in  the  maimers 
of  men,  so  great  a  variety  in  their  minds,  and  so  much  con- 
trariety in  their  judgments  and  inclinations,  no  polity  will  be 
sulFiciently  steady  unless  it  be  established  by  certain  laws  ;  nor 
can  any  order  be  preserved  without  some  settled  form.  The 
laws,  therefore,  which  promote  this  end,  we  are  so  far  from  con- 
demning, that,  we  contend,  their  abolition  would  be  followed 
by  a  disruption  of  the  bands  of  union,  and  the  total  disorgani- 
zation and  dispersion  of  the  Churches.  For  it  is  impossible  to 
attain  what  Paul  requires,  that  "all  things  be  done  decently 
and  in  order,"  unless  order  and  decorum  be  supported  by  ad- 
ditional regulations.  But  in  regard  to  such  regulations,  care 
must  always  be  taken,  that  they  be  not  considered  necessary 
to  salvation,  and  so  imposing  a  religious  obligation  on  the  con- 
science, or  applied  to  the  worship  of  God,  and  so  represented 
as  essential  to  piety. 

XXVIII.  We  have  an  excellent  and  most  certain  mark, 
therefore,  which  distinguishes  those  impious  constitutions,  by 
which  it  has  been  stated  that  true  religion  is  obscured  and 
men's  consciences  subverted,  and  the  legitimate  regulations  of 
the  Church,  which  are  always  directed  to  one  of  these  two 
ends,  or  to  both  together  ;  that,  in  the  holy  assembly  of  believ- 
ers, all  things  may  be  conducted  with  suitable  decorum  and 
dignity,  that  the  community  may  be  kept  in  order  by  the 
firm  bonds  of  courtesy  and  moderation.  For  when  it  is  once 
understood  that  a  law  is  made  for  the  sake  of  public  order,  this 
removes  the  superstition  embraced  by  them  who  place  the 
worship  of  God  in  human  inventions.  Moreover,  when  it  is 
known  that  it  only  refers  to  matters  of  common  practice,  this 
overturns  all  that  false  notion  of  obligation  and  necessity,  which 
filled  men's  consciences  with  great  terror,  when  traditions  were 
thought  necessary  to  salvation.  For  here  nothing  is  required 
but  the  maintenance  of  charity  among  us  by  the  common  in- 
tercourse of  friendly  offices.  But  it  is  proper  to  describe  more 
fully  what  is  comprehended  under  the  decorum  and  the  order 
which  Paul  recommends.     The  end  of  ^decorum  is,  partly,  that 

(0  1  Cor.  xiv.  40. 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  391 

while  ceremonies  are  employed  to  conciliate  veneration  to  sa- 
cred things,  we  may  be  excited  to  piety  by  such  aids ;  partly 
that  the  modesty  and  gravity,  which  ought  to  be  discovered  in 
all  virtuous  actions,  may  be  most  of  all  conspicuous  in  tlie 
Church.  In  order,  the  first  point  is,  that  those  who  preside 
should  be  acquainted  with  the  rule  and  law  of  good  govern- 
ment, and  that  the  people  who  are  governed  should  be  accus- 
tomed to  an  obedience  to  God  and  to  just  discipline  ;  the  second 
is,  that  when  the  Church  is  in  a  well  regulated  state,  care  should 
be  taken  to  preserve  its  peace  and  tranquillity. 

XXIX.  We  shall  not  call  that  decorum,  therefore,  which  is 
merely  a  frivolous  spectacle,  yielding  an  unprofitable  gratifica- 
tion ;  such  as  we  see  exemplified  in  the  theatrical  apparatus 
employed  by  the  Papists  in  their  services,  where  nothing  is  to 
be  seen  but  a  useless  appearance  of  elegance  and  splendour, 
without  any  advantage.  But  we  shall  esteem  that  as  decorum, 
which  shall  be  so  adapted  to  inspire  a  reverence  of  holy  myste- 
ries as  to  be  calculated  for  an  exercise  of  piety ;  or  which  at 
least  shall  contribute  an  ornament .  corresponding  to  the  act  ; 
and  that  not  without  some  beneficial  tendency,  but  that  be- 
lievers may  be  admonished  with  what  modesty,  fear,  and  rever- 
ence, they  ought  to  engage  in  sacred  services.  Now,  that  cere- 
monies may  be  exercises  of  piety,  it  is  necessary  that  they 
should  lead  us  directly  to  Christ.  In  like  manner,  we  do  not 
place  order  in  those  nugatory  pomps  which  have  nothing  but 
a  vain  appearance  of  splendour,  but  in  that  well  regulated 
polity,  which  excludes  all  confusion,  incivility,  obstinacy, 
clamours,  and  dissensions.  Of  the  first  kind,  examples  are 
furnished  by  Paul ;  as  that  profane  banquets  should  not  be 
connected  with  the  sacred  supper  of  the  Lord  ;  that  women 
should  not  appear  in  public  without  being  veiled ;  {k)  and 
many  others  in  common  use  among  us ;  such  as,  that  we  pray 
with  bended  knees  and  with  our  heads  uncovered ;  that  we 
administer  the  sacraments  of  the  Lord,  not  in  a  slovenly  man- 
ner, but  with  due  decorum ;  that  we  observe  some  decent 
order  in  the  burial  of  the  dead  ;  and  other  things  of  a  similar 
nature.  Of  the  second  sort  are  the  hours  appointed  for  public 
prayers,  sermons,  and  sacraments  ;  quietness  and  silence  un- 
der sermons ;  the  singing  of  hymns ;  the  places  appointed  for 
these  services,  and  the  days  fixed  for  the  celebration  of  the 
Lord's  supper ;(/)  the  prohibition  of  Paul,  that  women  should 
not  teach  in  the  Church,  and  the  like;  but  especially  the 
regulations  for  the  preservation  of  discipline,  as  catechizing, 
ecclesiastical  censures,  excommunication,  fastings,  and  every 
thins;  else  that  can  be  referred  to  the  same  class.     Thus  all  the 


392  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

constitutions  of  the  Church  which  Ave  receive  as  holy  and  use- 
ful, may  be  classed  under  two  heads  ;  some  refer  to  rites  and 
ceremonies,  others  to  discipHne  and  peace. 

XXX.    But,  because  there  is  danger  here,  on  the  one  hand, 
that  the  false  bishops  may  seize  a  pretext  to  excuse  their  im- 
pious and  tyrannical  laws,  and,  on  the  other,  that  there  may  be 
some  persons  who,  from  an  excessive  fear  of  falling  into  the 
evils    we  have  mentioned,  will  reject  all   ecclesiastical    laws, 
however  holy  and  useful  they  may  be,  —  it  is  necessary  to  pro- 
test, that  I  approve  of  no  human  constitutions,  except  such  as 
are  founded  on  the  authority  of  God,  and  deduced  from  the 
Scripture,  so  that  they  may  be  considered  as  altogether  Divine. 
Let  us    take,  as  an  example,    the    kneeling   practised  durin<^ 
solemn  prayers.     The  question  is,  Avhether  it  be  a  human  tra- 
dition, which  every  one  is  at  liberty  to  reject  or  neglect.     I 
answer  that  it  is  at  once  both  human  and  Divine.     It  is' of  God, 
as  It  forms  a  branch  of  that  decorum  which  is  recommended  to 
our  attention  and  observance  by  the  apostle  ;  it  is  of  men,  as  it 
particularly  designates  that  which  had  in  general  been  rather 
hinted  than  clearly  expressed.     From  this  single  example,  it  is 
easy  to  judge  what  opinion  ought  to  be  entertained  of  all  the 
rest.     Because  the  Lord,  in  his  holy  oracles,  has  faithfully  com- 
prehended and  plainly  declared  to  us  the  whole  nature  of  true 
righteousness,  and  all  the  parts  of  Divine  worship,  with  what- 
ever IS  necessary  to  salvation, —in  these  things  he  is  to  be  re- 
garded as  our  only  Master.     Because,  in  external  discipline  and 
ceremonies,  he  has  not  been  pleased  to  give  us  minute  directions 
what  we  ought  to  do  m  every  particular  case,  foreseeing  that 
this  would  depend  on  the  ditierent  circumstances  of  ditferent 
periods,  and  knowing  that  one  form  would  not  be  adapted  to 
all  ages,  — here  we  must  have  recourse  to  the  general  rules  Avhich 
he  has  given,  that  to  them  may  be  conformed  all  the  regula- 
tions which  shall  be  necessary  to  the  decorum  and  order  of  the 
Church.     Lastly,  as  he  has  delivered  no  express  injunctions  on 
tins  subject,  because  tiicse  things  are  not  necessary  to  salva- 
tion and  ought  to  be  applied  to  the  edification  of  the  Church 
with  a  variety  suitable  to  the  manners  of  each  age  .and  nation' 
therefore,  as  the  benefit  of  the  Church  shall  require,  it  will  be 
right  to  change  and  abolish  former  regulations,  and  to  institute 
new  ones.     I  ^^nt,  indeed,  that  we  ought  not  to  resort  to  in- 
nov-at.on  rashly  or  frequently,  or  for  trivial  causes.     But  charity 
AVill  best  decide  what  will  injure  or  edify,  and  if  we  submit  to 
the  dictates  of  chanty,  all  will  be  well. 

XXXI.  Now,  such  regulations  as  hai«  been  made  upon  this 
principle  and  for  this  end,  it  is  the  duty  of  Christian  people  to 
observe,  with  a  free  conscience,  indeed,  and  without  any  super- 
stition, yet  with  a  pious  and  ready  inclination;  they  must  not 


CHAP.    X.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  393 

treat  them  with  contempt  or  carelessness,  much  less  violate 
them,  in  an  open  manner,  through  pride  and  obstinacy.  It  will 
be  asked,  What  kind  of  liberty  of  conscience  can  be  retained 
amidst  so  much  attention  and  caution  ?  I  reply,  It  will  very 
well  be  supported,  when  we  consider,  that  these  are  not  fixed 
and  perpetual  laws  by  which  we  are  bound,  but  external  aids  for 
human  infirmity,  which  though  we  do  not  need,  yet  we  all 
use,  because  we  are  under  obligations  to  each  other  to  cherish 
mutual  charity  between  us.  This  may  be  observed  in  the 
examples  already  mentioned.  What  !  does  religion  consist  in 
a  woman's  veil,  so  that  it  would  be  criminal  for  her  to  walk 
out  with  her  face  uncovered  ?  Is  the  solemn  decree  respect- 
ing her  silence  such  as  cannot  be  violated  without  a  capital 
ofience  ?  Is  there  any  mystery  in  kneeling,  or  in  the  interment 
of  a  dead  body,  which  cannot  be  omitted  without  sin  ?  Certainly 
not ;  for  if  a  woman,  in  the  assistance  of  a  neighbour,  finds  a 
necessity  for  such  haste  as  allows  her  no  time  to  cover  her  head, 
she  commits  no  offence  in  running  to  the  place  with  her  head 
uncovered.  And  it  is  sometimes  as  proper  for  her  to  speak,  as 
at  other  times  to  be  silent.  And  he  who  from  disease  is  unable 
to  kneel,  is  quite  at  liberty  to  pray  standing.  Lastly,  it  is 
better  to  bury  a  dead  body  in  proper  season,  even  without  a 
shroud,  than,  for  want  of  persons  to  carry  it  to  burial,  to  suffer 
it  to  putrefy  without  interment.  Nevertheless,  in  these  things, 
the  customs  and  laws  of  the  country  we  inhabit,  the  dictates  of 
modesty,  and  even  humanity  itself,  will  direct  us  what  to  do, 
and  what  to  avoid  ;  and  if  an  error  be  incurred  through  inad- 
vertence or  forgetfulness,  no  crime  is  committed  ;  but  if  through 
contempt,  such  perverseness  deserves  to  be  reprobated.  So  it 
is  of  little  importance  what  days  and  hours  are  appointed,  what 
is  the  form  of  the  places,  what  psalms  are  sung  on  the  respective 
days.  But  it  is  proper  that  there  should  be  certain  days  and 
stated  hours,  and  a  place  capable  of  receiving  all  the  people,  if 
any  regard  be  paid  to  the  preservation  of  peace.  For  what  a 
source  of  contentions  would  be  produced  by  the  confusion  of 
these  things,  if  every  man  were  permitted  to  change,  at  his 
pleasure,  what  relates  to  the  general  order,  for  it  would  never 
happen  that  the  same  thing  would  be  agreeable  to  all,  if  things 
were  undetermined  and  left  to  the  choice  of  every  individual. 
If  any  one  object,  and  resolve  to  be  wiser  on  this  subject  than 
is  necessary,  let  him  examine  by  what  reason  he  can  justify 
his  obstinacy  to  the  Lord.  We  ought,  however,  to  be  satisfied 
with  the  declaration  of  Paul,  "  If  any  man  seem  to  be  conten- 
tious, we  have  no  such  custom,  nor  the  Churches  of  God."'  (oi) 
XXXII.    Now,  it  is  necessary  to  exert  the  greatest  diligence 


394  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  any  error  which  may  corrupt  or 
obscure  this  pure  use  of  ecclesiastical  regulations.  This  end 
will  be  secured,  if  all  the  forms,  whatever  they  may  be,  carry 
the  appearance  of  manifest  utility,  if  very  few  are  admitted, 
and  ])rincipally  if  they  are  accompanied  with  the  instructions 
of  a  faithful  pastor,  to  shut  the  door  against  all  corrupt  opinions. 
The  consequence  of  this  knowledge  is,  that  every  person  will  re- 
tain his  liberty  in  all  these  things,  and  yet  will  voluntarily  impose 
some  restraint  upon  his  liberty,  so  far  as  the  decorum  we  have 
mentioned,  or  the  dictates  of  charity,  shall  require.  In  the 
next  place,  it  will  be  necessary,  that,  without  any  superstition, 
we  should  attend  to  the  observance  of  these  things  ourselves, 
and  not  too  rigidly  exact  it  from  others ;  that  we  should  not 
esteem  the  worship  of  God  to  be  improved  by  the  multitude 
of  ceremonies ;  and  that  one  Church  should  not  despise  an- 
other on  account  of  a  variety  of  external  discipline.  Lastly, 
establishing  no  perpetual  law  of  this  kind  for  ourselves,  we 
ought  to  refer  the  use  and  end  of  all  such  observances  to 
the  edification  of  the  Church,  according  to  the  exigence  of 
which  we  should  be  content  not  only  with  the  change  of  some 
particular  observance,  but  with  the  abolition  of  any  that  have 
hitherto  been  in  use  among  us.  For  that  the  abrogation  of 
some  ceremonies,  not  otherwise  inconsistent  with  piety  or 
decorum,  may  become  expedient  from  the  circumstances  of 
particular  periods,  the  present  age  exhibits  an  actual  proof. 
For  such  has  been  the  blindness  and  ignorance  of  former  times, 
Churches  have  heretofore  adhered  to  ceremonies  with  such 
corrupt  sentiments  and  such  obstinate  zeal,  that  it  is  scarcely 
possible  for  them  to  be  sufliciently  purified  from  monstrous 
superstitions  without  the  abolition  of  many  ceremonies,  for  the 
original  institution  of  which,  perhaps,  there  was  some  cause, 
and  which  are  not  in  themselves  remarkable  for  any  impiety. 


CHAPTER   XI. 

THE    JURISDICTION    OF    THE    CHUUCH,   AND    ITS    ABUSE    UNDER 
THE    PAPACY. 

We  come  now  to  the  third  branch  of  the  poM^er  of  the 
Church,  and  tiiat  \vhich  is  the  principal  one  in  a  well  regulated 
state,  which  we  have  said  consists  in  jurisdiction.  The  whole 
jurisdiction  of  tlie  Church  relates  to  the  discipline  of  manners, 
of  which  we  are  about  to  treat.     For  as  no  city  or  town  can 


CHAP.    XI.]  CHKISTIAN    RELIGION.  395 

exist  without  a  magistracy  and  civil  polity,  so  the  Church  of 
God,  as  I  have  already  stated,  but  am  now  obliged  to  repeat,  stands 
in  need  of  a  certain  spiritual  polity  ;  which,  however,  is  entirely 
distinct  from  civil  polity,  and  is  so  far  from  obstructing  or 
weakening  it,  that,  on  the  contrary,  it  highly  conduces  to  its 
assistance  and  advancement.  This  power  of  jurisdiction,  there- 
fore, will,  in  short,  be  no  other  than  an  order  instituted  for  the 
preservation  of  the  spiritual  polity.  For  this  end,  there  were  from 
the  beginning  judiciaries  appointed  in  the  Churches,  to  take 
cognizance  of  manners,  to  pass  censures  on  vices,  and  to  preside 
over  the  use  of  the  keys  in  excommunication.  This  order  Paul 
designates  in  his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  when  he 
mentions  '-'governments;"  (n)  and  to  the  Romans,  when  he 
says,  "  He  that  ruleth,"  let  him  do  it  "  with  diligence."  (o)  He 
is  not  speaking  of  magistrates  or  civil  governors,  for  there  were 
at  this  time  no  Christian  magistrates,  but  of  those  who  were 
associated  with  the  pastor  in  the  spiritual  government  of  the 
Church.  In  the  First  Epistle  to  Timothy,  also,  he  mentions 
two  kinds  of  presbyters  or  elders,  some  "who  labour  in  the 
word  and  doctrine,"  others  who  have  nothing  to  do  with 
preaching  the  word,  and  yet  "rule  well."  (p)  By  the  latter 
class,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  he  intends  those  who  were 
appointed  to  the  cognizance  of  manners,  and  to  the  whole 
exercise  of  the  keys.  For  this  power,  of  which  we  now  speak, 
entirely  depends  on  the  keys,  which  Christ  has  conferred  upon 
the  Church  in  the  eighteenth  chapter  of  Matthew,  where  he 
commands  that  those  who  shall  have  despised  private  admoni- 
tions sliall  be  severely  admonished  in  the  name  of  the  whole 
Church  ;  and  that  if  they  persist  in  their  obstinacy,  they  are  to 
be  excluded  from  the  society  of  believers,  (q)  Now,  these  admo- 
nitions and  corrections  cannot  take  place  without  an  examination 
of  the  cause  ;  hence  the  necessity  of  some  judicature  and  order. 
Wherefore,  unless  we  would  nullify  the  promise  of  the  keys, 
and  entirely  abolish  excommunication,  solemn  admonitions,  and 
every  thing  of  a  similar  kind,  it  is  necessary  to  allow  the  Church 
some  jurisdiction.  Let  it  be  observed,  that  the  passage  to  which 
we  have  referred,  relates  not  to  the  general  authority  of  the 
doctrine  to  be  preached  by  the  apostles,  as  in  the  sixteenth 
chapter  of  Mathew  and  the  twentieth  chapter  of  John  ;  but  that 
the  power  of  the  sanhedrim  is  for  the  future  transferred  to  the 
Church  of  Christ.  Till  that  tune,  tlie  Jews  had  their  own 
method  of  government,  which,  as  far  as  regards  the  pure  insti- 
tution, Jesus  Christ  established  in  his  Church,  and  that  with  a 
severe  sanction.     For  this  was  absolutely  necessary,  because  the 


396  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

judgment  of  an  ignoble  and  despised  Church  might  otherwise  be 
treated  with  contempt  by  presumptuous  and  proud  men.  And 
that  the  readers  may  not  be  embarrassed  by  the  circumstance 
of  Christ  having  used  the  same  words  to  express  different  things, 
it  will  be  useful  to  solve  this  difficulty.  There  are  two  places 
which  speak  of  binding  and  loosing.  One  is  in  the  sixteenth 
chapter  of  Matthew,  where  Christ,  after  having  promised  Peter 
that  he  would  "give"  him  "the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  (r)  immediately  adds,  "  Whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind 
on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt 
loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  In  these  words  he 
means  precisely  the  same  as  he  intends  in  other  language 
recorded  by  John,  when,  being  about  to  send  forth  his  disciples 
to  preach,  after  having  "  breathed  on  them,"  he  said,  "  Whose 
soever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them  ;  and  whose 
soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained."  (s)  I  shall  offer  an 
interpretation  of  this  passage,  without  any  subtlety,  violence, 
or  perversion,  but  natural,  suitable,  and  obvious.  This  command 
respecting  the  remission  and  retention  of  sins,  and  the  promise 
made  to  Peter  respecting  binding  and  loosing,  ought  to  be 
wholly  referred  to  the  ministry  of  the  Avord,  which  when  our 
Lord  committed  to  the  apostles,  he  at  the  same  time  invested 
them  with  the  power  of  binding  and  loosing.  For  what  is  the 
sum  of  the  gospel,  but  that,  being  all  slaves  of  sin  and  death, 
we  are  loosed  and  delivered  by  the  redemption  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus,  and  that  those  who  never  receive  or  acknowledge 
Christ  as  their  Deliverer  and  Redeemer,  are  condemned  and_ 
sentenced  to  eternal  chains  ?  When  the  Lord  delivered  this 
embassy  to  his  apostles,  to  be  conveyed  to  all  nations,  in  order 
to  evince  it  to  be  his,  and  to  have  proceeded  from  him,  he 
honoured  it  with  this  remarkable  testimony,  and  that  for  the 
the  particular  confirmation  both  of  the  apostles  themselves, 
and  of  all  those  to  whom  it  was  to  be  announced.  It  was  of 
importance,  that  the  apostles  should  have  a  strong  and  constant 
assurance  of  their  preaching ;  which  they  were  not  only  to 
undertake  and  execute  amidst  immense  labours,  cares,  troubles, 
and  dangers,  but  were  at  length  to  seal  with  their  blood.  That 
they  might  know  this  ministry  not  to  be  vain  or  ineflectual, 
but  full  of  power  and  energy,  it  was  of  importance  for  them,  in 
circumstances  of  such  great  anxiety,  difficulty,  and  danger,  to 
be  persuaded  that  they  were  employed  in  the  work  of  God  ; 
amidst  all  the  hostility  and  opposition  of  the  whole  world,  to 
know  that  God  was  on  their  side;xand  though  Christ,  the 
Author  of  tlieir  doctrine,  was  not  present  to  their  view  on  earth, 
to  be  certain  that  he  was  in  heaven  to  confirm  the  truth  of  the 

(r)  Jlatt.  xvi.  19.  (s)  John  x.x.  22,  23. 


CHAP.    XI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  397 

doctrine  which  he  had  deHvered  to  them.  On  the  other  liand, 
also,  it  was  necessary  that  the  most  imequivocal  testimony 
should  be  given  to  their  hearers,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  gospel 
was  not  the  word  of  the  apostles,  but  of  God  himself ;  not  a 
voice  issuing  from  the  earth,  but  descended  from  heaven.  For 
these  things,  the  remission  of  sins,  the  promise  of  eternal  life, 
and  the  message  of  salvation,  cannot  be  in  the  power  of  man. 
Therefore  Christ  has  testified  that,  in  the  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
nothing  belonged  to  the  apostles,  except  the  ministration  of  it ; 
that  it  was  he  himself  who  spoke  and  promised  every  thing  by 
the  instrumentality  of  their  mouths  ;  and,  consequently,  that  the 
remission  of  sins  which  they  preached  was  the  true  promise  of 
God,  and  that  the  condemnation  which  they  denounced  was 
the  certain  judgment  of  God.  Now,  this  testification  has  been 
given  to  all  ages,  and  remains  unaltered,  to  certify  and  assure  us 
all,  that  the  word  of  the  gospel,  by  whomsoever  it  may  happen 
to  be  preached,  is  the  very  sentence  of  God  himself,  promulgated 
from  his  heavenly  tribunal,  recorded  in  the  book  of  life,  ratified, 
confirmed,  and  fixed  in  heaven.  Thus  we  see,  that  the  power 
of  the  keys,  in  these  passages,  is  no  other  than  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel,  and  that,  considered  with  regard  to  men,  it  is  not  so 
much  authoritative  as  ministerial ;  for,  strictly  speaking,  Christ 
has  not  given  this  power  to  men,  but  to  his  word,  of  which  he 
has  appointed  men  to  be  the  ministers. 

II.  The  other  passage,  which  we  have  mentioned,  relative 
to  the  power  of  binding  and  loosing,  is  in  the  eighteenth  chapter 
of  Matthew,  where  Christ  says,  "  If  any  brother  neglect  to  hear 
the  Church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a 
publican.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on 
earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven  ;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose 
on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  (t)  This  passage  is  not 
altogether  similar  to  the  first,  but  is  to  be  understood  in  a 
manner  somewhat  different ;  though  I  do  not  conceive  the 
difierence  to  be  so  great,  but  that  there  is  a  considerable  affinity 
between  them.  In  the  first  place,  they  are  both  alike  in  this 
respect,  that  each  contains  a  general  declaration,  the  same  [  o\ver 
of  always  binding  and  loosing,  —  that  is,  by  the  word  of  Gi)d,  — 
the  same  command,  the  same  promise.  But  they  differ  in  this, 
that  the  former  passage  peculiarly  relates  to  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  which  is  performed  by  the  ministers  of  tjio  word ; 
the  latter  relates  to  the  discipline,  which  is  committed  to  the 
Church.  The  Church  binds  him  whom  it  excommunicates; 
not  that  it  consigns  him  to  perpetual  ruin  and  despair,  but  be- 
cause it  condemns  his  life  and  manners,  and  already  warns  him 
of  his  final  condemnation,  unless  he  repent.      The   Church 

(t)  Matt,  xviii.  17,  18. 


398  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

looses  him  whom  it  receives  into  its  communion  ;  because  it 
makes  him,  as  it  were,  a  partaker  of  the  unity  which  it  has  in 
Christ  Jesus.  That  no  man,  therefore,  may  contemn  the  jud^-- 
ment  of  the  Church,  or  consider  it  as  of  httle  consequence  that 
he  is  condemned  by  the  voice  of  believers,  the  Lord  testifies 
that  such  judgment  of  believers  is  no  other  tlian  the  promulga- 
tion of  his  sentence,  and  that  what  they  do  on  earth  shall  ^be 
ratified  in  heaven.  For  they  have  the  word  of  God,  by  which 
they  condemn  the  perverse;  they  have  the  same  word,  by 
which  they  receive  penitents  into  favour  ;  and  they  cannot  err 
or  dissent  from  the  judgment  of  God,  because  they  judge  only 
by  the  Divine  law,  which  is  not  an  uncertain  or  earthly  opinion, 
but  the  holy  will  and  heavenly  oracle  of  God.  From  these  two 
passages,  which  I  think  I  have  familiarly  and  correctly,  as  well 
as  concisely,  explained,  these  unreasonable  men,  without  any 
judgment,  under  the  influence  of  misguided  zeal,  endeavour  to 
estabhsh,  sometimes  auricular  confession,  sometimes  excommu- 
nication, sometimes  jurisdiction,  sometimes  the  right  of  legisla- 
tion, and  sometimes  indulgences.  The  former  passage  ^hey 
allege  to  support  the  primacy  of  the  Roman  see.  They  are  so 
expert  in  fitting  their  keys  to  any  locks  and  doors  they  please, 
that  it  should  seem  as  if  they  had  followed  the  business  of 
locksmiths  all  their  lifetime. 

III.    The  opinion  entertained  by  some  persons,  that  these 
things  were  only  temporary,  while  all  civil  magistrates  were 
strangers  to  the  profession  of  Christianity,  is  a  mistake  for  want 
of  considering  the  great  distinction,  and  the  nature  of  the  difler- 
ence,  between  the  ecclesiastical  and  civil  power.    For  the  Church 
has  no  power  of  the  sword  to  punish  or  to  coerce,  no  authority  to 
compel,  no  prisons,  fines,  or  other  punishments,like  those  inflicted 
by  the  civil  magistrate.     Besides,  the  object  of  this  power  is.  not 
that  he  who  has  transgressed  may  be  punished  against  his  will 
but  that  he  may  profess  his  repentance  by  a  voluntary  submis- 
sion to  chastisement.     The  difference  therefore  is  very  great  • 
because  the  Church  does   not  assume  to  itself  what    belongs 
to  the  magistrate,  nor  can  the  magistrate  execute  that  which 
IS  executed  by  the  Church.     This  will  be  better  understood  by 
an  example.       Is  any  man  intoxicated?     In  a  well  regulated 
city  he  Avill  be  punished  by  imprisonment.     Has  he  committed 
fornication  ?    He  will  receive  the  same  or  a  severer  punishment. 
U  ith  tins,  the  laws,  the  magistrate,  and  the  civil  judgment, 
will  all  be  satisfied  ;  though  it  may  happen  that  he  will  give  no 
sign  of  repentance,  but  will  rather  murmur  and  repine  asjahist  his 
punishment.     Will  the  Church  stop  here  ?    Such  persons  cannot 
be  admitted  to  the  sacred  supper  without  doing  an  injury  to 
Christ  and  to  his  holy  institution.    And  reason  requires,  that  he 
Who  has  oflendcd  the  Church  \vith  an  evil  example,  should 


CHAP.    XT.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  399 

remove,  by  a  solemn  declaration  of  repentance,  the  offence  which 
he  has  excited.  The  argument  adduced  by  those  who  espouse  a 
contrary  opinion,  is  of  no  force.  They  say,  that  Christ  assigned 
this  office  to  the  Church,  when  there  was  no  magistrate  to  execute 
it.  But  it  frequently  happens  that  the  magistrate  is  too  negli- 
gent, and.  sometimes  that  he  even  deserves  to  be  chastised 
himself;  which  was  the  case  with  the  emperor  Theodosius. 
Besides,  the  same  argument  might  be  extended  to  the  whole 
ministry  of  the  word.  Now,  then,  according  to  them,  pastors 
must  no  longer  censure  notorious  crimes ;  they  must  cease  to 
chide,  to  reprove,  to  rebuke  ;  for  there  are  Christian  magistrates, 
whose  duty  it  is  to  correct  such  offences  by  the  civil  sword. 
But  as  it  is  the  duty  of  the  magistrate,  by  punishment  and 
corporeal  coercion,  to  purge  the  Church  from  offences,  so  it  be- 
hoves the  minister  of  the  word,  on  his  part,  to  relieve  the  ma- 
gistrate by  preventing  the  multiplication  of  offenders.  Their 
respective  operations  ought  to  be  so  connected  as  to  be  an  as- 
sistance, and  not  an  obstruction  to  each  other. 

IV.  And,  indeed,  whoever  will  closely  examine  the  words  of 
Christ,  will  easily  perceive  that  they  describe  the  stated  and 
perpetual  order,  and  not  any  temporary  regulation,  of  .the 
Church.  For  it  is  unreasonable  for  us  to  bring  an  accusation 
before  a  magistrate,  against  those  who  refuse  to  submit  to  our 
admonitions;  yet  this  would  be  necessary  if  the  magistrate 
succeeded  to  this  office  of  the  Church.  What  shall  we  say  of 
this  promise,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  whatsoever  ye  shall  bind 
on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven  ?  "  Was  it  only  for  one,  or 
for  a  few  years?  Besides,  Christ  here  instituted  nothing  new, 
but  followed  the  custom  always  observed  in  the  ancient  Church 
of  his  own  nation  ;  thereby  signifying,  that  the  spiritual  juris- 
diction, which  had  been  exercised  from  the  begitming,  was 
indispensable  to  the  Church.  And  this  has  been  confirmed  by 
the  consent  of  all  ages.  For  when  emperors  and  magistrates 
began  to  assume  the  profession  of  Christianity,  the  spiritual 
jurisdiction  was  not  in  consequence  abolished,  but  only  regu- 
lated in  such  a  manner  as  neither  to  derogate  from  the  civil 
power,  nor  to  be  confounded  with  it.  And  that  justly ;  for  a 
pious  magistrate  will  not  wish  to  exempt  himself  from  the 
common  subjection  of  the  children  of  God,  which  in  no  small 
degree  consists  in  submitting  to  the  Church,  when  it  judges  liy 
the  word  of  God  :  so  very  far  is  it  from  being  his  duty  to  abolish 
such  a  judicature.  "  For  what  is  more  honourable,"  says  Am- 
brose, "  than  for  the  emperor  to  be  called  the  son  of  the  Church^? 
For  a  ?ood  emperor  is  within  the  Church,  not  above  the  Church." 
Wherefore  those  who,  to  exalt  the  magistrate,  despoil  the  Church 
of  this  power,  not  only  pervert  the  language  of  Christ  by  a  folse 
interpretation,  but  pass  a  most  severe  censure  on  all  the  holy 


^■00  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

bishops  who  have  hved  since  the  time  of  the  apostles,  for  having 
usurped  to  themselves,  under  a  flilse  pretext,  the  honour  and 
dignity  which  belonged  to  the  magistrate. 

V.    But,  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  also  worth  while  to  examine 
what  was  the  true  and  ancient  use  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Church,  and  what  a  great  abnse  of  it  has  been  introduced  ; 
that  we  may  know  what  ought   to  be   abrogated,  and  what 
ought  to  be  restored  from  antiquity,  if  we  would  overturn  the 
reign  of  Antichrist,  and  reestablish  the  true  kingdom  of  Christ. 
In  the  first  place,  the  object  to  be  secured  is  the  prevention  of 
offences,  or  the  abolition  of  any  that  may  have  arisen.     In  the 
use  of  it,  two  things  require  to  be  considered  ;  first,  that  this 
spn-itual   power  be  entirely  separated  from  the  power  of  the 
6\yord  ;  secondly,  that  it  be  administered,  not  at  the  pleasure 
ol  one  man,  but  by  a  legitimate  assembly.     Both  these  things 
were  observed  in  the  purer  ages  of  the  Church.     For  the  holy 
bishops  never  exercised  their  authority  by  fines,  imprisonments, 
or  other  civil  punishments ;  but,  as  became  them,  employed 
nothing  but  the  word  of  the  Lord.     For  the  severest  vengeance, 
the  ultimate  punishment  of  the  Church,  is  excommunication^ 
which  IS  never  resorted  to  without  absolute  necessity.     Now, 
excommunication  requires  no  external  force,  but  is  content  with 
the  power  of  the  word  of  God.    In  short,  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
primitive  Church  was  no  other  than  a  practical  exposition  of  the 
description  which  Paul  gives  of  the  spiritual  authority  of  pastors. 
This  power  he  represents  as  conferred  for  the  purpose  of  '-casting 
down  imaginations,  and  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itselt^ 
against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  bringing  into  captivity  every 
thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ ;  and  having  in  readiness  to 
revenge  all  disobedience."  (u)     As  this  is  accomplished  by  the 
preaching  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  so  to  preserve  that  doctrine 
Ironi  falhng  into  contempt,  they  who  profess  themselves  of  the 
houseiiold  of  faith  ought  to  be  judged  by  what  that  doctrine 
contains.     That  cannot  be  done,  except  the  ministry  be  accom- 
panied with  the  power  to  take  cognizance  of  those  \vho  are  to 
be  privately  admonished,  or  more  severely  censured,  and  also  to 
exclude  from  the  communion  of  the  Supper  those  who  cannot 
be  admitted  without  a  profanation  of  such  a  solemn  sacrament. 
U  hcrefore  when  he  denies,  m  another  place,  that  we  have  any 
right  'Mo  judge  them  that  are  without,"  (v)  he  makes  the  chil- 
dren of  the  cliurch  subject  to  the  censures  by  which  their  faults 
are  chastised,  and  implies  the  existence  at  that  time  of  judicatures 
Irom  which  none  of  the  believers  were  exempt. 

VI.    This  power,  as  we  have  stated,  was  not  in  the  hands  of 
one  man,  lor  him  to  act  according  to  his  own  pleasure,  but 

(M)  2  Cor.  X.  5,  G.  (r)  1  Cor.  v.  13. 


CHAP.    XI 


]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  401 


resided  in  the  assembly  of  the  elders,  which  was  in  the  Church 
what  a  senate  is  in  a  city.  Cyprian,  when  he  mentions  by 
whom  it  was  exercised  in  his  time,  generally  unites  all  the 
clergy  with  the  bishop  ;  but  in  other  passages  he  also  shows,  that 
the  clergy  presided  in  such  a  maimer,  that  the  people  were  not 
excluded  from  this  cognizance.  For  he  expresses  himself  in 
these  words  :  "  From  the  commencement  of  my  episcopate,  I 
have  determined  to  do  nothing  without  the  counsel  of  the  clergy 
and  the  consent  of  the  people."  But  the  common  and  usual 
custom  was  for  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Church  to  be  exercised 
by  the  council  of  the  presbyters ;  of  whom,  as  1  have  observed, 
there  were  two  classes  ;  for  some  were  ordained  to  the  office  of 
teaching,  others  were  only  censors  of  manners.  This  institu- 
tion gradually  degenerated  from  its  original  establishment  ;  so 
that,  in  the  time  of  Ambrose,  the  judicial  administration  of  the 
Church  was  wholly  in  the  hands  of  the  clergy  ;  of  which  he 
complains  in  the  following  language  :  "  The  ancient  synagogue, 
and  afterwards  the  Church,  had  elders,  without  whose  advice 
nothing  was  done.  I  know  not  by  what  negligence  this  practice 
has  been  discontinued,  except  from  the  indolence  of  the  doctors, 
or  rather  from  their  pride,  while  they  wish  none  but  themselves, 
to  be  seen."  We  perceive  how  indignant  was  that  holy  man, 
that  there  had  been  some  declension  from  a  better  state  of  things, 
though  they  still  retained  an  order  that  was  at  least  tolerable. 
What  would  he  say  now,  if  he  were  to  see  the  present  deformed 
ruins,  which  exhibit  scarcely  a  vestige  of  the  ancient  edifice ! 
What  a  complaint  would  he  make  !  First,  in  opposition  to  law 
and  justice,  that  which  had  been  given  to  the  Church,  the 
bishop  usurped  entirely  to  himself.  This  resembles  the  conduct 
of  a  consul  or  president,  expelling  the  senate,  and  seizing  the 
sole  administration  of  a  government.  But  as  the  bishop  is 
superior  to  other  persons  in  honour,  so  the  assembly  or  congre- 
gation possesses  more  authority  than  one  individual.  It  was  a 
gross  outrage,  therefore,  for  one  man  to  transfer  to  himself  all 
the  power  of  the  community,  and  thereby  to  open  a  door  to 
licentious  tyranny,  to  deprive  the  Church  of  its  rights,  and  to 
suppress  and  abolish  an  assembly  appointed  by  the  Spirit 
of  Christ. 

VII.  But  as  one  evil  always  produces  another,  bishops,  dis- 
daining this  charge  as  unworthy  of  their  attention,  have  delega- 
ted it  to  others.  Hence  the  creation  of  officials,  to  discharge 
that  duty.  I  say  nothing,  at  present,  of  the  characters  of  the 
persons  ;  I  only  assert,  that  they  difier  in  no  respect  from  civil 
nidges ;  yet  they  still  call  it  a  spiritual  jurisdiction,  where  all 
tlie  contention  is  about  secular  atiairs.  Though  there  were  no 
other  evil,  what  eflVontery  must  they  have,  to  call  a  court  full 
of  litigation  the  judicature  of  the  Church  !     But,  it  is  alleged, 

VOL.    II.  51 


402  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    TV. 

it  employs  admonitions,  and  pronounces  excommunication. 
Is  it  thus  that  they  trifle  with  God  ?  Does  a  poor  man  owe  a 
sum  of  money  ?  He  is  cited.  If  he  appear,  he  is  condemned  ; 
after  the  condemnation,  if  he  do  not  pay,  he  is  admonished  ; 
after  the  second  admonition,  they  proceed  to  excomnuuiicalion. 
If  he  do  not  appear  to  the  citation,  he  is  admonished  to  be 
forthcoming:  if  he  delay,  he  is  admonished  a  second  time,  and. 
soon  after  is  excommunicated.  I  ask,  What  is  there  in  this  tliat 
bears  any  resemblance  to  the  institution  of  Christ,  the  ancient 
usage,  or  the  order  of  the  Church  ?  It  is  further  alleged,  that 
this  court  also  corrects  vices.  I  reply,  that  acts  of  fornication, 
lasciviousness,  and  drunkenness,  and  similar  enormities,  they 
not  only  tolerate,  but  sanction  and  encourage,  by  a  kind  of  tacit 
approbation,  and  that  not  only  in  the  people,  but  even  in  the 
clergy  themselves.  Among  multitudes  of  offenders,  they  only 
summon  a  few,  either  to  avoid  too  flagrant  an  appearance  of 
connivance,  or  for  the  purpose  of  extorting  money.  I  say 
nothing  of  the  robbery,  the  rapine,  the  peculation,  the  sacrilege, 
connected  with  this  oflice.  I  say  noMiing  of  the  characters  of 
most  of  the  persons  selected  to  discharge  it.  It  is  more  than 
sufficient  for  us,  that  while  the  Romanists  boast  of  their  spiritual 
jurisdiction,  it  is  easy  to  show  that  nothing  is  more  contrary  to 
the  order  appointed  by  Christ,  and  that  it  has  no  more  resem- 
blance to  the  ancient  practice,  than  darkness  has  to  light. 

VIII.  Though  we  have  not  said  all  that  might  be  adduced 
for  this  purpose,  and  what  we  have  said  has  been  condensed 
within  a  small  compass,  yet  I  trust  we  have  so  refuted  our 
adversaries,  as  to  leave  no  room  for  any  one  to  doubt  that  the 
spiritual  power  arrogated  by  the  pope  and  all  his  hierarchy,  is 
a  tyrannical  usurpation,  chargeable  with  impious  opposition  to 
the  word  of  God,  and  injustice  to  his  people.  Under  the  term 
spiritual  power,  I  include  their  audacity  in  fabricating  new 
doctrines,  by  which  they  have  seduced  the  unhappy  people 
from  the  native  purity  of  the  word  of  God,  the  iniquitous 
traditions  by  which  they  have  insnared  them,  and  the  pretended 
ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  which  they  exercise  by  their  sutlragans, 
vicars,  penitentiaries,  and  officials.  For  if  we  allow  Christ  any 
kingdom  among  us,  all  this  kind  of  domination  must  immedi- 
ately fall  to  the  ground.  The  power  of  the  sword,  which  they 
also  claim,  as  that  is  not  exercised  over  consciences,  but  operates 
on  property,  is  irrelevant  to  our  present  subject  ;  though  in  this 
also  it  is  worth  while  to  remark,  that  they  are  always  consistent 
with  themselves,  and  are  at  the  greatest  possible  distance  from 
the  character  they  would  be  thought  to  sustain,  as  pastors  of 
the  Church.  Here  I  am  not  censuring  the  particular  vices  of 
individuals,  but  the  general  wickedness  and  common  pest  of 
the  whole  order,  which  they  would  cojisider  as  degraded,  if 


CHAP.    XI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  403 

it  were  not  distinguished  by  wealth  and  lofty  titles.  If  we 
consult  the  authority  of  Christ  on  this  subject,  there  is  no  doubt 
that  he  intended  to  exclude  the  ministers  of  his  word  from  civil 
dominiou  and  secular  sovereignty,  when  he  said,  "  The  kings 
of  the  Gentiles  exercise  dominion  over  them ;  but  it  sliall  not 
(oe  so  among  you."  {w)  For  by  these  words  he  signifies,  not 
only  that  the  office  of  a  pastor  is  distinct  from  the  office  of  a 
prince,  but  that  they  are  so  different,  that  they  can  never  be 
properly  united  in  one  man.  For  though  Moses  held  both  these 
offices  at  once,  it  may  be  observed,  first,  that  this  was  the  result 
of  a  special  miracle  ;  secondly,  that  it  was  only  a  temporary 
arrangement,  till  things  should  be  better  regulated.  But,  as 
soon  as  God  prescribed  a  certain  form  of  government.  Moses 
was  left  in  possession  of  the  civil  administration,  and  was  com- 
manded to  resign  the  priesthood  to  his  brother ;  and  that  for  a 
very  sufficient  reason  ;  for  it  is  beyond  the  ability  of  nature 
for  one  man  to  be  capable  of  sustaining  the  burden  of  both. 
And  this  has  been  carefully  observed  in  the  Church  in  all  ages. 
For  as  long  as  any  real  appearance  of  a  Church  remained,  not 
one  of  the  bishops  ever  thought  of  usurping  the  power  of  the 
sword  ;  so  that  it  was  a  common  proverb  in  the  time  of  Ambrose, 
"  That  emperors  rather  coveted  the  priesthood,  than  priests  the 
empire ;  "  for  as  he  afterwards  observes,  it  was  the  firm  and 
universal  opinion,  "  That  palaces  belonged  to  emperors,  and 
churches  to  priests." 

IX.  But  since  a  method  has  been  contrived  for  bishops  to 
retain  the  title,  honour,  and  emoluments  of  their  office  without 
any  burden  or  solicitude,  that  they  might  not  be  left  entirely 
without  occupation,  the  power  of  the  sword  has  been  given  to 
them,  or  rather  they  have  usurped  it  to  themselves.  With  what 
plea  will  they  defend  such  impudence  ?  Was  it  for  bishops 
to  perplex  themselves  with  judicial  proceedings,  to  assume  the 
government  of  cities  and  provinces,  and  to  undertake  various 
other  occupations  so  incompatible  with  their  office,  which  alone 
would  furnish  them  so  much  labour  and  employment,  that  even 
if  they  were  entirely  and  assiduously  devoted  to  it,  without  the 
least  distraction  of  other  avocations,  they  would  scarcely  be 
able  to  discharge  its  functions  ?  But  they  have  the  hardihood 
to  boast,  that  this  causes  the  Church  of  Christ  to  flourish  with  a 
glory  suitable  to  its  dignity,  and  at  the  same  time  that  they 
are  not  too  much  distracted  from  the  duties  of  their  vocation. 
With  respect  to  the  first  point,  if  it  be  a  becoming  ornament 
of  the  sacred  office,  for  those  who  sustain  it  to  be  elevated  to  a 
degree  of  power  formidable  to  the  greatest  monarclis,  they  have 
reason  to  expostulate  with  Christ,  by  whom  their  honour  has 
been  so  grievously  wounded.     For  in  their  opinion,  at  least, 

{id)  Matt.  XX.  25,  2G.     Luke  xxii.  25,  2G. 


404  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

what  could  have  been  said  more  disgraceful  than  the  following 
language  ?  "  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  dominion 
over  them  ;  but  it  shall  not  be  so  among  you."  (x)  Nor  has  he 
prescribed  a  severer  law  to  his  servants  than  he  first  imposed 
upon  himself.  "  Man,"  says  he,  "  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a 
divider  over  you  ?  "  (y)  We  see  he  plainly  refuses  to  act  the 
part  of  a  judge,  which  he  would  not  have  done,  had  it  been  a 
thing  consistent  with  his  office.  Will  not  his  servants  allow 
themselves  to  be  reduced  to  that  rank,  to  which  their  Lord 
voluntarily  submitted  himself?  With  respect  to  the  second 
point,  I  wish  they  could  as  easily  prove  it  by  experience  as 
make  the  assertion.  But  since  the  apostles  thought  it  not 
right  for  them  "  to  leave  the  word  of  God,  and  serv^e  tables,"  (z) 
this  must  confound  those  who  are  reluctant  to  admit,  that  it  is 
not  in  the  power  of  the  same  man  to  be  at  the  same  time  a  good 
bishop  and  a  good  prince.  For  if  they,  who  by  the  extent  of  the 
gifts  with  which  they  were  endued,  were  enabled  to  sustain  far 
more  numerous  and  weighty  cares  than  any  men  who  have  lived 
since  their  time,  after  all  confessed  themselves  incapable  of 
attending  to  the  word  of  God  and  the  service  of  tables  without 
fainting  under  the  burden,  how  should  it  be  possible  for  these 
men,  who  are  by  no  means  to  be  compared  to  the  apostles,  so 
vastly  to  surpass  them  in  industry  ?  The  very  attempt  has 
betrayed  the  most  consummate  eflrontery  and  presumptuous 
confidence.  Yet  we  see  it  has  been  done;  with  what  success, 
is  obvious  ;  the  unavoidable  consequence  has  been  the  desertion 
of  their  own  functions,  and  intrusion  into  those  which  belonged 
to  others. 

X.  It  has,  without  doubt,  been  from  small  beginnings,  that 
they  have  gradually  risen  to  such  eminence.  For  it  was  not  pos- 
sible for  them  to  make  so  great  an  advance  at  one  step.  But 
sometimes  by  fraudulent  and  secret  artifices,  they  exalted  them- 
selves in  a  clandestine  manner,  so  that  no  one  perceived  the  en- 
croachment till  it  had  been  effected  :  sometimes,  when  opportu- 
nity offered,  by  terrifying  and  menacing  princes,  they  extorted 
from  them  some  augmentation  of  their  power  ;  sometimes,  when 
they  saw  princes  inclined  to  favour  them,  they  abused  their  fool- 
ish and  inconsiderate  pliability.  In  early  times,  if  any  contro- 
versy arose,  the  believers,  in  order  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  liti- 
gation, used  to  refer  it  to  the  decision  of  their  bishop,  of  whose 
integrity  they  were  fully  satisfied.  The  ancient  bishops  were 
frequently  embarrassed  with  such  arbitrations,  which  exceed- 
ingly displeased  them,  as" Augustine  somewhere  declares;  but 
to  save  the  parties  from  lawsuits,  they  reluctantly  undertook  this 
troublesome  business.     From  voluntary  arbitrations,  which  were 

(i)  Matt.  XX.  25,  26.     Luke  xsii.  25,  26.  {y)  Luke  xii.  14.  (:)  Acts  vi.  2. 


CHAP.    XI. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  405 

entirely  different  from  the  processes  of  civil  courts,  their  succes- 
ors  have  erected  an  ordniary  jurisdiction.  In  a  subsequent  pe- 
riod, when  cities  and  countries  were  oppressed  with  various  dis- 
tresses, they  had  recourse  to  the  patronage  of  their  bishops,  that 
they  might  be  protected  by  their  influence  ;  succeeding  bishops, 
by  wonderful  artifice,  of  protectors  have  made  themselves  lords. 
Nor  can  it  be  denied,  that  the  principal  accpiisitions  they  have 
made,  have  been  effected  by  faction  and  violence.  The  princes, 
who  voluntarily  invested  the  bishops  with  jurisdiction,  were 
actuated  to  this  by  various  motives.  But  though  their  ir  dul- 
gence  may  have  exhibited  some  appearance  of  piety,  yet  their 
preposterous  liberality  was  by  no  means  adapted  to  promote  the 
benefit  of  the  Church,  the  ancient  and  genuine  discipline  of 
which  they  thereby  corrupted,  or  rather,  to  say  the  truth,  utterly 
annihilated.  But  those  bishops  who  have  abused  such  kindness 
of  princes  to  their  own  profit,  have  sufiiciently  evinced,  by  this 
one  specimen,  that  they  were  in  reality  no  bishops  at  all.  For 
if  they  had  possessed  a  particle  of  the  apostolic  spirit,  they 
would  unquestionably  have  answered,  in  the  language  of  Paul, 
that  "the  weapons  of  our  warfare  are  not  carnal,  but"  (a) 
spiritual.  Instead  of  this,  hurried  away  with  a  blind  cupidity, 
they  have  ruined  themselves,  and  their  successors,  and  the 
Church. 

XI.  At  length  the  Roman  pontiff,  not  content  with  small  pro- 
vinces, first  laid  his  hand  upon  kingdoms,  and  then  seized  upon 
the  empire.  And  to  assign  some  plausible  pretext  for  retaining 
a  possession  acquired  by  mere  robbery,  he  sometimes  boasts 
that  he  holds  it  by  Divine  right,  sometimes  pretends  the  donation 
from  Constantino,  and  sometimes  pleads  some  other  title.  In 
the  first  place,  I  answer  with  Bernard,  that  supposing  he  could 
vindicate  his  claim  by  any  other  reason,  yet  he  cannot  establish 
it  by  any  apostolic  right.  "  For  Peter  could  not  give  what  he 
never  possessed  ;  but  he  left  his  successors,  what  he  did  pos- 
sess, the  care  of  the  churches.  But  as  the  Lord  and  Master 
said  of  himself,  that  he  was  not  constituted  a  judge  between 
two  persons,  the  servant  and  disciple  ought  not  to  think  it  any 
disgrace  not  to  be  judge  of  all  men."  Bernard  is  speaking  here 
of  civil  judgments,  for  he  adds,  addressing  the  pope,  "  There- 
fore your  power  is  over  sins,  and  not  over  possessions,  since  it  is 
for  the  former,  and  not  for  the  latter,  that  you  have  received 
the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  For  which  appears  to  you 
the  superior  dignity,  to  remit  sins,  or  to  divide  lands  ?  Tliere 
is  no  comparison.  These  low  and  earthly  things  are  subject 
to  the  judgment  of  kings  and  princes  of  the  earth.  Why  do 
you  invade  the  province  of  others  ?  "     Again  j  "  You  are  made 

(a)  2  Cor.  x.  4. 


406  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    IV". 


a  superior.  For  what  purpose?  Not  to  exercise  dominion.  I 
apprehend.  However  highly  we  think  of  ourselves,  therefore, 
let  us  remember  that  we  are  appointed  to  a  ministry  not  invest- 
ed with  a  sovereignty.  Learn  that  you  want  no  sceptre,  but  a 
pruning-knife,  to  cultivate  the  Lord's  vineyard."  Again  :  "  It  is 
plain  that  sovereignty  is  forbidden  to  the  apostles.  Go  then,  if 
you  dare,  and  sustaining  the  office  of  a  temporal  sovereign,  usurp 
the  name  of  an  apostle,  or  filling  an  apostolical  office,  usurp  a 
temporal  sovereignty."  And  immediately  after  :  "This  is  the 
apostolic  form :  they  are  forbidden  to  exercise  any  dominion  ; 
they  are  commanded  to  minister  and  serve."  Though  all  these 
observations  of  Bernard  are  evidently  consistent  with  the  truth, 
and  even  though  the  true  state  of  the  case  must  be  obvious  to  all 
without  any  thing  being  said,  yet  the  Roman  pontiff  was  not 
ashamed,  at  the  Council  of  Aries,  to  decree,  that  the  supreme 
power  of  both  swords  belonged  to  him  by  Divine  right. 

XIL  With  respect  to  the  donation  of  Constantine,  persons 
who  have  only  a  moderate  acquaintance  Avith  the  histories  of 
those  times,  need  no  information  how  fabulous,  and  even  ri- 
diculous, this  is.  But  to  leave  the  histories,  Gregory,  who  lived 
above  four  hundred  years  after,  is  alone  a  competent  and  very 
sufficient  witness  of  this  fact.  For,  wherever  he  speaks  of  the 
emperor,  he  gives  him  the  title  of  Most  Serene  Lord,  and  calls 
himself  his  unworthy  servant.  In  one  place  he  says,  "  Let  not 
our  lord,  from  his  earthly  power,  be  too  ready  to  treat  priests 
with  disdain  ;  but  with  excellent  consideration,  for  the  sake  of 
him  whose  servants  they  are,  let  him  rule  over  them  in  such  a 
manner,  as  at  the  same  time  to  pay  them  due  reverence."  We 
see  how,  in  the  common  subjection,  he  wished  to  be  considered 
as  one  of  the  pcoj)le  ;  for  he  is  there  pleading,  not  another 
person's  cause,  but  his  own.  In  another  place  he  says,  "  I  trust 
in  Almighty  God,  that  he  will  grant  a  long  life  to  our  pious 
lords,  and  will  govern  us  under  your  hand  according  to  his 
mercy."  I  have  not  quoted  these  ]iassagcs  with  any  design  to 
discuss  at  large  this  question  of  the  donation  of  Constantine, 
but  merely  to  show  my  readers,  by  the  way,  what  a  puerile 
falsehood  it  is  of  the  Romanists,  to  attempt  to  claim  a  temporal 
sovereignty  for  their  pontiff.  And  so  much  the  more  contempti- 
ble is  the  impudence  of  Augustine  Steuchus,  the  pope's  librarian, 
who  has  had  the  elfrontery  to  prostitute  his  labours  to  serv^e  his 
master  in  such  a  desperate  cause.  Laurentius  Valla  had  amply 
refuted  that  fable,  which  was  no  difficulty  to  a  man  of  learning 
and  an  acute  reasoner ;  yet,  like  a  man  little  conversant  in 
ecclesiastical  affairs,  he  had  not  said  all  that  would  have  corrobo- 
rated the  argument.  Steuchus  sallies  forth,  and  scatters  the 
most  disgusting  trash  to  obscure  the  clear  light.  But,  in  fact,  he 
oleads  the  cause  of  his  master  with  no  more  force  than  if  some 


CHAP.    XI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  407 

facetious  wit,  ironically  professing  the  same  object,  were  in 
reality  supporting  the  opposite  side  of  the  question.  But  this 
cause  is  well  worthy  of  such  advocates  as  the  pope  hires  to 
defend  it ;  and  equally  worthy  are  those  mercenary  scribblers  of 
being  disappointed  in  their  hopes  of  gain,  as  was  the  case  with 
Eugubinus. 

XIII.  But  if  any  one  inquire  the  time  when  this  ficti- 
tious empire  began  to  arise,  there  have  not  yet  elapsed  five 
hundred  years  since  the  pontiffs  were  still  in  subjection  to  the 
emperors,  and  no  pontiff  was  created  without  the  authority  of 
the  emperor.  The  first  occasion  of  innovation  in  this  order 
was  given  to  Gregory  VII.  by  the  emperor  Henry,  the  fourth 
of  that  name,  a  man  of  rash  and  unsteady  disposition,  of  no 
judgment,  great  audacity,  and  dissolute  life.  For  when  he  had 
all  the  bishoprics  of  Germany  in  his  court,  either  exposed  to 
sale,  or  to  be  distributed  as  a  booty,  Hildebrand,  who  had  been 
offended  with  him,  seized  a  plausible  pretext  to  avenge  himself. 
Because  he  appeared  to  advocate  a  good  and  pious  cause,  he 
was  assisted  by  the  favour  of  many  ;  and  Henry,  on  the  other 
hand,  had  rendered  himself  odious  to  the  generality  of  princes, 
by  the  insolence  of  his  government.  At  length  Hildebrand, 
who  assumed  the  name  of  Gregory  VII.,  being  a  man  of  no 
piety  or  integrity,  betrayed  the  wickedness  of  his  heart  ;  in 
consequence  of  which  many,  who  had  concurred  with  him, 
afterwards  deserted  him.  He  so  far  succeeded,  however,  as  to 
enable  his  successors  not  only  to  cast  off  the  imperial  yoke  with 
impunity,  but  even  to  oblige  the  emperors  to  submit  to  them. 
After  that  time  there  were  many  emperors,  more  like  Henry 
than  like  Julius  Caesar,  whom  there  was  no  difficulty  in  over- 
coming while  they  were  sitting  at  home  in  indolence  and 
unconcern,  when  there  was  the  greatest  necessity  for  every 
vigorous  and  legitimate  exertion  to  repress  the  cupidity  of  the 
pontiffs.  Thus  we  see  with  what  plausibility  they  have  repre- 
sented this  admirable  donation  of  Constantine,  by  which  the 
pope  pretends  himself  to  have  been  invested  with  the  sove- 
reignty of  the  Western  empire. 

XIV.  From  that  period  the  pontiffs  have  never  ceased  en- 
croaching on  the  jurisdictions,  and  seizing  on  the  territories,  of 
others,  sometimes  employing  fraud,  sometimes  treachery,  and 
sometimes  open  war  ;  even  the  city  of  Rome  itself,  which  till 
then  was  free,  about  a  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago  was  com- 
Delled  to  submit  to  their  dominion  ;  in  short,  they  proceeded 
to  make  continual  advances,  till  they  attained  the  power  which 
they  at  present  possess,  and  for  the  reteution  or  augmentation 
of  which,  they  have  now,  for  the  space  of  two  hundred  years, 
(for  they  had  begun  before  they  usurped  the  government  of  the 
city,)  so  disturbed  and  distracted  the  Christian  world,  that  they 


408  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

have  brought  it  to  the  brink  of  ruin.  In  the  time  of  Gregory 
the  First,  when  the  guardians  of  the  ecclesiastical  property 
seized  for  themselves  the  lands  which  belonged  to  the  Church, 
and,  according  to  the  custom  of  princes,  set  up  their  titles  and 
armorial  bearings  on  them  in  token  of  their  claim,  Gregory 
assembled  a  provincial  council  of  bishops,  in  which  he  severely 
inveighed  against  that  profane  custom,  and  asked  whether  they 
would  not  excommunicate  any  ecclesiastic  who  should  attempt 
the  seizure  of  property  by  the  inscription  of  a  title,  or  even  any 
bishop  who  should  direct  such  a  thing  to  be  done,  or  if  done 
without  his  direction,  should  not  punish  it.  They  all  pronoun- 
ced that  every  such  offender  should  be  excommunicated.  But 
if  claiming  a  field  by  the  inscription  of  a  title,  be  a  crime  de- 
serving of  excommunication  in  a  priest, —  when  for  two  whole 
centuries  the  pontiffs  have  been  meditating  nothing  but  wars,  ef- 
fusion of  blood,  slaughter  of  armies,  storming  and  pillaging  cities, 
the  destruction  of  nations,  the  devastation  of  kingdoms,  for  the 
sole  purpose  of  seizing  the  dominions  of  others, — what  excommu- 
nications can  be  sufficient  for  the  punishment  of  such  examples  ? 
It  is  clear  beyond  all  doubt,  that  the  glory  of  Christ  is  the  object 
furthest  from  their  pursuit.  For  if  they  voluntarily  resign  all 
the  secular  power  which  they  possess,  no  danger  will  result  to 
the  glory  of  God,  to  sound  doctrine,  or  to  the  safety  of  the 
Church  ;  but  they  are  infatuated,  and  stimulated  by  the  mere 
lust  of  dominion  ;  and  consider  nothing  as  safe,  unless,  as  the 
prophet  says,  "they  rule  with  force  and  with  cruelty."  (b) 

XV.  With  jurisdiction  is  connected  the  immunity  which 
the  Roman  ecclesiastics  arrogate  to  themselves.  For  they 
consider  it  a  degradation  for  them  to  appear  before  a  civil 
judge  in  personal  causes,  and  they  imagine  the  liberty  and 
dignity  of  the  Church  to  consist  in  their  exemption  from  the 
common  judicature  and  laAvs.  But  the  ancient  bishops,  who  in 
other  respects  were  the  most  rigid  assertors  of  the  rights  of  the 
Church,  esteemed  it  no  injury  to  themselves,  or  to  their  order, 
to  be  subject  to  lay  judges  in  civil  causes.  The  pious  empe- 
rors also,  without  any  opposition,  always  summoned  the  clergy 
before  their  tribunals,  whenever  necessity  required  it.  For 
this  is  the  language  of  Constantino,  in  his  epistle  to.  the  bishops 
of  Nicomedia :  "  If  any  bishop  excite  any  disturbance  by  his 
indiscretion,  his  presumption  shall  be  restrained  by  the  author- 
ity of  the  minister  of  God,  that  is,  by  mine."  And  Valentinian 
says,  "  Good  bishops  never  traduce  the  power  of  the  emperor, 
but  sincerely  observe  the  commands  of  God,  the  sovereign  King, 
and  obey  our  laws."  At  that  time  tkis  principle  was  universally 
admitted,  without  any  controversy.     Ecclesiastical  causes  were 

(5)  Ezek.  xxxiv.  4. 


CHAP.    XI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  409 

referred  to  the  judgment  of  the  bishop.  As  for  example,  if  any 
ecclesiastic  had  committed  no  crime  against  the  laws,  but  was 
only  charged  with  offending  against  the  canons,  he  was  not 
summoned  to  the  common  tribunal,  but  was  judged  by  the 
bishop.  In  like  manner,  if  a  question  was  agitated  respecting 
an  article  of  faith,  or  any  other  subject  properly  belonging  to  the 
Church,  to  the  Church  the  cognizance  of  it  was  committed. 
In  this  sense  is  to  be  understood  what  Ambrose  writes  to  the 
emperor  Valentinian  :  "  Your  father,  of  august  memory,  not  only 
answered  verbally,  but  also  ordained  by  edicts,  that,  in  a  cause 
relating  to  faith,  he  ought  to  judge,  who  is  not  disqualified  by 
office  or  dignity."  Again:  "If  we  regard  the  Scriptures  or 
ancient  examples,  who  will  deny  that  in  a  cause  of  faith, —  I 
say,  in  a  cause  of  faith, —  it  is  customary  for  bishops  to  judge  of 
Christian  emperors,  and  not  emperors  of  bishops  ?  "  Agani :  ''  I 
would  have  come  to  your  consistory,  sire,  if  either  the  bishops 
or  the  people  would  have  suffered  me  to  go  ;  but  they  say,  that 
a  cause  of  faith  ought  to  be  discussed  in  the  Church,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  people."  He  contended  that  a  spiritual  cause  — • 
that  is,  a  cause  affecting  religion  —  ought  not  to  be  carried  into  a 
civil  court,  where  secular  controversies  are  agitated  ;  and  his  con- 
stancy in  this  respect  has  been  universally  and  justly  applauded. 
Yet,  nowithstanding  the  goodness  of  his  cause,  he  went  no 
further  than  to  declare,  that  if  the  emperor  proceeded  to  employ 
force,  he  would  submit.  He  says,  "  I  will  not  voluntarily  desert 
the  station  committed  to  me  :  in  case  of  compulsion,  I  know 
not  how  to  resist,  for  our  arms  are  prayers  and  tears."  Let  us 
observe  the  singular  combination  of  moderation  and  prudence 
with  magnanimity  and  confidence  in  this  holy  man.  Justina, 
the  mother  of  the  emperor,  because  she  could  not  induce  him 
to  join  the  Arians,  endeavoured  to  deprive  him  of  his  bishopric. 
And  she  would  have  succeeded  in  her  attempts,  if.  in  compliance 
with  the  summons,  he  had  gone  to  the  palace  of  the  emperor  to 
plead  his  cause.  Therefore  he  denied  the  emperor  to  be  a 
competent  judge  of  so  important  a  controversy  ;  and  this  was 
necessary  both  from  the  circumstances  of  that  time,  and  from 
the  invariable  nature  of  the  subject  itself.  For  he  was  of 
opinion,  that  it  was  his  duty  to  suffer  death  rather  than,  by  his 
consent,  to  permit  such  an  example  to  be  transmitted  to  posterity ; 
and  yet  in  case  of  violence  being  employed,  he  cherished  not  a 
thought  of  resistance.  For  he  denied  it  to  be  compatible  with 
the  character  of  a  bishop  to  defend  the  faith  and  privileges  of 
the  Church  by  arms ;  but  in  other  cases  he  showed  himself 
ready  to  do  whatever  the  emperor  would  command.  "  If  he 
demands  tribute,"  says  he,  "  we  do  not  refuse  it  ;  the  lands 
of  the  Church  pay  tribute.  If  he  demands  the  lands,  he  has 
power  to  take  them ;  none  of  us  will  oppose  him."  Gregory 
VOL.  II.  52 


410  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

also  speaks  in  a  similar  manner,  "  I  am  not  ignorant,"  he  says, 
"  of  the  mind  of  our  most  serene  lord,  that  he  is  not  in  the  habit 
of  interfering  in  sacerdotal  causes,  lest  he  should  in  any  respect 
be  burdened  with  our  sins."  He  does  not  entirely  exclude  the 
emperor  from  judging  priests,  but  observes  that  there  are  certain 
causes  which  he  ought  to  leave  to  the  decision  of  the  Church. 
XVI.  And  even  in  this  exception,  the  sole  object  of  these 
holy  men  was  to  prevent  the  tyrannical  violence  and  caprice  of 
princes  less  favourable  to  religion  from  obstructing  the  Church 
in  the  discharge  of  its  duty.  For  they  did  not  disapprove  of 
the  occasional  interposition  of  princes  in  ecclesiastical  affairs, 
provided  they  would  exert  their  authority  for  the  preservation 
of  the  order  of  the  Church,  and  not  for  the  disturbance  of  it ;  for 
the  establishment  of  discipline,  and  not  for  its  relaxation.  For 
as  the  Church  neither  possesses,  nor  ought  to  desire,  the  power  to 
constrain, — 1  speak  of  civil  coercion, — it  is  the  part  of  pious 
kings  and  princes  to  support  religion  by  laws,  edicts,  and  judicial 
sentences.  For  this  reason,  when  the  emperor  Mauritius  com- 
manded certain  bishops  to  receive  their  neighbouring  colleagues, 
who  had  been  expelled  from  their  sees  by  the  barbarians,  Gre- 
gory confirmed  this  command,  and  exhorted  them  to  obey  it. 
And  when  he  himself  was  admonished  by  the  same  emperor  to 
be  reconciled  to  John,  the  bishop  of  Constantinople,  he  did, 
indeed,  assign  a  reason  why  he  ought  not  to  be  blamed,  yet  he 
boasted  no  immunity  exempting  him  from  the  imperial  authority, 
but  on  the  contrary  promised  compliance  as  far  as  should  be 
consistent  with  a  good  conscience  ;  and  at  the  same  time  ac- 
knowledged that  Mauritius  acted  in  a  manner  becoming  a  reli- 
gious prince  in  giving  such  commands  to  the  bishops. 


CHAPTER  XH. 


THE      DISCIPLINE      OF      THE      CHURCH    ;      ITS      PRINCIPAL      USE      IN 
CENSURES     AND     EXCOMMUNICATION. 

The  discipline  of  the  Church,  the  discussion  of  which  I  have 
deferred  to  this  place,  must  be  despatched  in  a  few  Avords,  that 
we  may  proceed  to  the  remaining  subjects.  Now,  the  discipline 
depends  chiefly  on  the  power  of  the  keys,  and  the  spiritual 
jurisdiction.  To  make  this  more  assily  understood,  let  us  di- 
vide the  Church  into  two  principal  orders  — the  clergy  and  the 
people.  I  use  the  word  clergi/  as  the  common,  though  improper^ 
appellation  of  those  who  execute  the  public  ministry  in  the 


CHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  411 

Church.  We  shall,  first,  speak  of  the  common  discipline  to 
which  all  ought  to  be  subject ;  and  in  the  next  place  we  shall 
proceed  to  the  clergy,  who,  beside  this  common  discipline,  have 
a  discipline  peculiar  to  themselves.  But  as  some  hai^e  such  a 
hatred  of  discipline,  as  to  abhor  the  very  name,  they  should 
attend  to  the  following  consideration :  That  if  no  society,  and 
even  no  house,  though  containing  only  a  small  family,  can  be 
preserved  in  a  proper  state  without  discipline,  this  is  far  more 
necessary  in  the  Church,  the  state  of  which  ought  to  be  the 
most  orderly  of  all.  As  the  saving  doctrine  of  Christ  is  the  soul 
of  the  Church,  so  discipline  forms  the  ligaments  which  connect 
the  members  together,  and  keep  each  in  its  proper  place. 
Whoever,  therefore,  either  desire  the  abolition  of  all  discipline, 
or  obstruct  its  restoration,  whether  they  act  from  design  or 
inadvertency,  they  certainly  promote  the  entire  dissolution  of 
the  Church.  For  what  will  be  the  consequence,  if  every  man 
be  at  liberty  to  follow  his  own  inclinations  ?  But  such  would 
be  the  case,  unless  the  preaching  of  the  doctrine  were  accom- 
panied with  private  admonitions,  reproofs,  and  other  means  to 
enforce  the  doctrine,  and  prevent  it  from  being  altogether 
ineffectual.  Discipline,  therefore,  serves  as  a  bridle  to  curb 
and  restrain  the  refractory,  who  resist  the  doctrine  of  Christ ; 
or  as  a  spur  to  stimulate  the  inactive  ;  and  sometimes  as  a 
father's  rod,  with  which  those  who  have  grievously  fallen  may 
be  chastised  in  mercy,  and  with  the  gentleness  of  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  Now,  when  we  see  the  approach  of  certain  beginnings 
of  a  dreadful  desolation  in  the  Church,  since  there  is  no  solici- 
tude or  means  to  keep  the  people  in  obedience  to  our  Lord,  ne- 
cessity itself  proclaims  the  want  of  a  remedy ;  and  this  is  the 
only  remedy  which  has  been  commanded  by  Christ,  or  which 
has  ever  been  adopted  among  believers. 

II.  The  first  foundation  of  discipline  consists  in  the  use  of 
private  admonitions  ;  that  is  to  say,  that  if  any  one  be  guilty 
of  a  voluntary  omission  of  duty,  or  conduct  himself  in  an 
insolent  manner,  or  discover  a  want  of  virtue  in  his  life,  or 
commit  any  act  deserving  of  reprehension,  he  should  suffer 
himself  to  be  admonished  ;  and  that  every  one  should  study  to 
admonish  his  brother,  whenever  occasion  shall  require  ;  but 
that  pastors  and  presbyters,  beyond  all  others,  should  be  vigilant 
in  the  discharge  of  this  duty,  being  called  by  their  office,  not 
only  to  preach  to  the  congregation,  but  also  to  admonish  and 
exhort  in  private  houses,  if  in  any  instances  their  public  m- 
structions  may  not  have  been  sufficiently  efficacious  ;  as  Paul  in- 
culcates, when  he  says,  that  he  "  taught  ])ublicly  and  from  house 
to  house,"  and  protests  himself  to  be  "  pure  from  the  blood  of 
all  men,"  having  "  ceased  not  to  warn  every  one  night  and  day 


412  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

with  tears."  (c)  For  the  doctrine  then  obtains  its  full  authority, 
and  produces  its  due  effect,  when  the  minister  not  only  declares 
to  all  the  people  together  what  is  their  duty  to  Christ,  but  has 
the  right, and  means  of  enforcing  it  upon  them  whom  he 
observes  to  be  inattentive,  or  not  obedient  to  the  doctrine. 
If  any  one  either  obstinately  reject  such  admonitions,  or  mani- 
fest his  contempt  of  them  by  persisting  in  his  misconduct  ; 
after  he  shall  have  been  admonished  a  second  time  in  the 
presence  of  witnesses,  Christ  directs  him  to  be  summoned 
before  the  tribunal  of  the  Church,  that  is,  the  assembly  of  the 
elders,  and  there  to  be  more  severely  admonished  by  the  public 
authority,  that  if  he  reverence  the  Church,  he  may  submit  and 
obey  ;  but  if  this  do  not  overcome  him,  and  he  still  persevere  in 
his  Iniquity,  our  Lord  then  commands  him,  as  a  despiser  of  the 
Church,  to  be  excluded  from  the  society  of  believers,  {d) 

III.  But  as  Jesus  Christ  in  this  passage  is  speaking  only  of 
private  faults,  it  is  necessary  to  make  this  distinction  —  that 
some  sins  are  private,  and  others  public  or  notorious.  With 
respect  to  the  former,  Christ  says  to  every  private  individual, 
"  Tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him  alone."  (e)  With 
respect  to  those  which  are  notorious,  Paul  says  to  Timothy, 
"  Them  that  sin  rebuke  before  all,  that  others  also  may 
fear."(/)  For  Christ  has  before  said,  "If  thy  brother  shall 
trespass  against  thee  ;"  which  no  person  who  is  not  contentious 
can  understand  in  any  other  sense,  than  if  our  Lord  had  said, 
"  If  any  one  sin  against  thee,  and  thou  alone  know  it,  with- 
out any  other  persons  being  acquainted  with  it."  But  the 
direction  given  by  the  apostle  to  Timothy,  to  rebuke  publicly 
those  whose  transgressions  were  public,  he  himself  exemplified 
in  his  conduct  to  Peter.  For  when  Peter  committed  a  public 
offence,  he  did  not  admonish  him  in  private,  but  brought  him 
forward  before  all  the  Church,  (g)  The  legitimate  course,  then, 
will  be,  —  in  correcting  secret  faults,  to  adopt  the  different 
steps  directed  by  Christ ;  and  in  the  case  of  those  which  are 
notorious,  to  proceed  at  once  to  the  solemn  correction  of  the 
Church,  especially  if  they  be  attended  with  public  offence. 

IV.  It  is  also  necessary  to  make  another  distinction  between 
different  sins  ;  some  are  smaller  delinquencies,  others  are  flagi- 
tious or  enormous  crimes.  For  the  correction  of  atrocious 
crimes,  it  is  not  sufficient  to  employ  admonition  or  reproof; 
recourse  must  be  had  to  a  severer  remedy ;  as  Paul  shows, 
when  he  does  not  content  himself  with  censuring  the  incestu- 
ous Corinthian,  but  pronounces  sentence  of  excommunication 
immediately  on  being  certified  of  hj^s  crime.  Now,  then,  we 
begin  to  have  a  clearer  perception  how  the  spiritual  jurisdiction 

(c)  Acts  XX.  20,  26,  31.  (d)  Matt,  xviii.  15—17.  (e)  Matt,  xviii.  15. 

(/)  1  Tim.  V.  20.  (g)  Gal.  ii.  11,  14. 


CHAP.   XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  413 

of  the  Church,  which  corrects  sins  according  to  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  is  a  most  excellent  preservative  of  health,  foundation 
of  order,  and  bond  of  unity.  Therefore  when  the  Church 
excludes  from  its  society  all  who  are  known  to  -be  guilty 
of  adultery,  fornication,  theft,  robbery,  sedition,  perjury,  false 
witness,  and  other  similar  crimes,  together  with  obstinate  per- 
sons, who,  after  having  been  admonished  even  of  smaller  faults, 
contemn  God  and  his  judgment,  —  it  usurps  no  unreasonable 
authority,  but  only  exercises  the  jurisdiction  which  God  has 
given  it.  And  that  no  one  may  despise  this  judgment  of  the 
Church,  or  consider  it  as  of  little  importance  that  he  is  con- 
demned by  the  voice  of  the  faithful,  God  has  testified  that  it  is 
no  other  than  a  declaration  of  his  sentence,  and  that  what  they 
do  on  earth  shall  be  ratified  in  heaven.  For  they  have  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  to  condemn  the  perverse  ;  they  have  the 
word,  to  receive  the  penitent  into  favour.  Persons  who  believe 
that  the  Church  could  not  subsist  without  this  bond  of  disci- 
pline, are  mistaken  in  their  opinion,  unless  we  could  safely 
dispense  with  that  remedy  which  the  Lord  foresaw  would  be 
necessary  for  us  ;  and  how  very  necessary  it  is,  will  be  better 
discovered  from  its  various  use. 

V.  Now,  there  are  three  ends  proposed  by  the  Church  in 
those  corrections,  and  in  excommunication.  The  first  is,  that 
those  who  lead  scandalous  and  flagitious  lives,  may  not,  to 
the  dishonour  of  God,  be  numbered  among  Christians ;  as  if 
his  holy  Church  were  a  conspiracy  of  wicked  and  abandoned 
men.  For  as  the  Church  is  the  body  of  Christ,  it  cannot  be 
contaminated  with  such  foul  and  putrid  members  without 
some  ignominy  being  reflected  upon  the  Head.  That  nothing 
may  exist  in  the  Church,  therefore,  from  which  any  disgrace 
may  be  thrown  upon  his  venerable  name,  it  is  necessary  to 
expel  from  his  family  all  those  from  whose  turpitude  infamy 
would  redound  to  the  profession  of  Christianity.  Here  it  is 
also  necessary  to  have  particular  regard  to  the  Lord's  supper, 
that  it  may  not  be  profaned  by  a  promiscuous  administration. 
For  it  is  certain  that  he  who  is  intrusted  with  the  dispensation 
of  it,  if  he  knowingly  and  intentionally  admit  an  unworthy 
person,  whom  he  might  justly  reject,  is  as  guilty  of  sacrilege 
as  if  he  were  to  give  the  Lord's  body  to  dogs.  Wherefore, 
Chrysostom  severely  inveighs  against  priests,  who,  from  a  fear 
of  the  great  and  the  powerful,  did  not  dare  to  reject  any  per- 
sons who  presented  themselves.  "  Blood,"  says  lie,  "  shall  be 
required  at  your  hands.  If  you  fear  man,  he  will  deride  you  ; 
if  you  fear  God,  you  will  also  be  honoured  among  men.  Let 
us  not  be  afraid  of  sceptres,  or  diadems,  or  imi)erial  robes;  we 
have  here  a  great  power.  As  for  myself,  I  will  rather  give  up 
my  body  to  death,  and  suffer  my  blood  to  be   shed,  than  I 


414  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

will  be  partaker  of  this  pollution."  To  guard  this  most  sa- 
cred mystery,  therefore,  from  being  reproached,  there  is  need 
of  great  discretion  in  the  administration  of  it,  and  this  requires 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Church.  The  second  end  is,  that  the 
good  may  not  be  corrupted,  as  is  often  the  case,  by  constant 
association  with  the  wicked.  For,  such  is  our  propensity  to 
error,  nothing  is  more  easy  than  for  evil  examples  to  seduce  us 
from  rectitude  of  conduct.  This  use  of  discipline  was  re- 
marked by  the  apostle,  when  he  directed  the  Corinthians  to 
expel  from  their  society  a  person  who  had  been  guilty  of 
incest.  "  A  little  leaven,  "  says  he,  "  leaveneth  the  whole 
lump."  (/i)  And  the  apostle  perceived  such  great  danger 
from  this  quarter,  that  he  even  interdicted  believers  from  all 
social  intercourse  with  the  wicked.  "I  have  written  unto  you, 
not  to  keep  company,  if  any  man  that  is  called  a  brother  be  a 
fornicator,  or  covetous,  or  an  idolater,  or  a  railer,  or  a  drunkard, 
or  an  extortioner ;  with  such  a  one,  no,  not  to  eat."  (^)  The 
third  end  is,  that  those  who  are  censured  or  excommunicated, 
confounded  with  the  shame  of  their  turpitude,  may  be  led  to 
repentance.  Thus  it  is  even  conducive  to  their  own  benefit 
for  their  iniquity  to  be  punished,  that  the  stroke  of  the  rod  may 
arouse  to  a  confession  of  their  guilt,  those  who  would  only  be 
rendered  more  obstinate  by  indulgence.  The  apostle  intends 
the  same  when  he  says,  "  If  any  man  obey  not  our  word,  note 
that  man,  and  have  no  company  with  him,  that  he  may  be 
ashamed  "  (k)  Again,  when  he  says  of  the  incestuous  Corin- 
thian, "I  have  judged  to  deliver  such  a  one  unto  Satan,  that 
the  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  ;  "  (I)  that  is,  as 
I  understand  it.- that  he  had  consigned  him  to  a  temporal  con- 
demnation, that  the  spirit  might  be  eternally  saved.  He  there- 
fore calls  it  delivering  to  Satan,  because  the  devil  is  icithout 
the  Church,  as  Christ  is  in  the  Church.  For  the  opinion  of 
some  persons,  that  it  relates  to  a  certain  torment  of  the  body 
in  the  present  life,  inflicted  by  the  agency  of  Satan,  appears  to 
me  extremely  doubtful. 

VI.  Having  stated  these  ends,  it  remains  for  us  to  examine 
how  the  Church  exercises  this  branch  of  discipline,  which 
consists  in  jurisdiction.  In  the  first  place,  let  us  keep  in  view 
the  distinction  before  mentioned,  that  some  sins  are  public, 
and  others  private,  or  more  concealed.  Public  sins  are  those 
which  are  not  only  known  to  one  or  two  witnesses,  but  are 
committed  openly,  and  to  the  scandal  of  the  whole  Church. 
By  private  sins,  I  mean,  not  such  as  are  entirely  unknown  to 
men,  like  those  of  hypocrites, — for  these  never  come  under  the 
cognizance  of  the  Church,  —  but  those  of  an  intermediate  class, 

Qi)  1  Cor.  V.  6.         (0  1  Cor.  v.  11.         (/.)  2  Thess.  iii.  14.         (/)  1  Cor.  v.  3,  5, 


CHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  415 

which  are  not  without  the  knowledge  of  some  witnesses,  and 
yet  are  not  pubHc.  The  first  sort  requires  not  the  adoption  of 
the  gradual  measures  enumerated  by  Christ ;  but  it  is  the  duty 
of  the  Church,  on  the  occurrence  of  any  notorious  scandal, 
immediately  to  summon  the  offender,  and  to  punish  him  in 
proportion  to  his  crime.  Sins  of  the  second  class,  according 
to  the  rule  of  Christ,  are  not  to  be  brought  before  the  Church, 
unless  they  are  attended  with  contumacy,  in  rejecting  private 
admonition.  When  they  are  submitted  to  the  cognizance  of 
the  Church,  then  attention  is  to  be  paid  to  the  other  distinc- 
tion, between  smaller  delinquencies  and  more  atrocious  crimes. 
For  slighter  otfences  require  not  the  exertion  of  extreme  se- 
verity ;  it  is  sufficient  to  administer  verbal  castigation,  and 
that  with  paternal  gentleness,  not  calculated  to  exasperate  or 
confound  the  offender,  but  to  bring  him  to  himself,  that  his 
correction  may  be  an  occasion  of  joy  rather  than  of  sorrow. 
But  it  is  proper  that  flagitious  crimes  should  receive  severer 
punishment ;  for  it  is  not  enough  for  him  who  has  grievously 
oftended  the  Church  by  the  bad  example  of  an  atrocious  crime, 
merely  to  receive  verbal  castigation  ;  he  ought  to  be  deprived 
of  the  communion  of  the  Lord's  supper  for  a  time,  till  he  shall 
have  given  satisfactory  evidence  of  repentance.  For  Paul  not 
only  employs  verbal  reproof  against  the  Corinthian  transgressor, 
but  excludes  him  from  the  Church,  and  blames  the  Corin- 
thians for  having  tolerated  him  so  long.  This  order  was 
retained  in  the  ancient  and  purer  Church,  while  any  legitimate 
government  continued.  For  if  any  one  had  perpetrated  a 
crime  which  was  productive  of  offence,  he  was  commanded,  in 
the  first  place,  to  abstain  from  the  Lord's  supper,  and,  in  the 
next  place,  to  humble  himself  before  God,  and  to  testify  his 
repentance  before  the  Church.  There  were,  likewise,  certain 
solemn  rites  which  it  was  customary  to  enjoin  upon  those  who 
had  fallen,  as  signs  of  their  repentance.  When  the  sinner  had 
performed  these  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  Church,  he  was 
then,  by  imposition  of  hands,  readmitted  to  the  communion. 
This  readmission  is  frequently  called  peace  by  Cyprian,  who 
briefly  describes  the  ceremony.  "  They  do  penance,"  he  says, 
"for  a  suflicient  time;  then  they  come  to  confession,  and  by 
the  imposition  of  the  hands  of  the  bishop  and  clergy,  are  re- 
stored to  the  privilege  of  communion."  But  though  the  bishop 
and  clergy  presided  in  the  reconciliation  of  offenders,  yet  they 
required  the  consent  of  the  people  ;  as  Cyprian  elsewhere 
states. 

VII.  From  this  discipline  none  were  exempted ;  so  that 
princes  and  plebeians  yielded  the  same  submission  to  it ;  and 
that  with  the  greatest  propriety,  since  it  is  evidently  the  disci- 
pline of  Christ,  to  whom  it  is  reasonable  that  all  the  sceptrea 


416  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

and  diadems  of  kings  should  be  subject.  Thus  TheodosiuS; 
when  Ambrose  excluded  him  from  the  privilege  of  communion, 
on  account  of  a  massacre  perpetrated  at  Tiiessalonica,  laid  aside 
the  ensigns  of  royalty  with  which  he  was  invested,  publicly 
in  the  Church  bewailed  his  sin,  which  the  deceitful  suggestions 
of  others  had  tempted  him  to  commit,  and  implored^pardon 
with  groans  and  tears.  For  great  kings  ought  not  to  think  it 
any  dishonour  to  prostrate  themselves  as  suppliants  before 
Christ  the  King  of  kings,  nor  ought  they  to  be  displeased  at 
bemg  judged  by  the  Church.  As  they  hear  scarcely  any  thing 
in  their  courts  but  mere  flatteries,  it  is  the  more  highly  neces- 
sary for  them  to  receive  correction  from  the  Lord  by  the 
mouth  of  his  ministers ;  they  ought  even  to  wish  not  to  be 
spared  by  the  pastors,  that  they  may  be  spared  by  the  Lord. 
I  forbear  to  mention  here  by  whom  this  jurisdiction  is  to  be 
exercised,  having  spoken  of  this  in  another  place.  I  will  only 
add,  that  the  legitimate  process  in  excommunicating  an  of- 
fender, which  is  pointed  out  by  Paul,  requires  it  to  be  done, 
not  by  the  elders  alone,  but  with  the  knowledge  and  approba- 
tion of  the  Church :  in  such  a  manner,  however,  that  the 
multitude  of  the  people  may  not  direct  the  proceeding,  but 
may  watch  over  it  as  witnesses  and  guardians,  that  nothing 
may  be  done  by  a  few  persons  from  any  improper  motive. 
Beside  the  invocation  of  the  name  of  God,  the  whole  of  the 
proceeding  ought  to  be  conducted  with  a  gravity  declarative 
of  the  presence  of  Christ,  that  there  may  be  no  doubt  of  his 
presiding  over  the  sentence. 

VIIL  But  it  ought  not  to  be  forgotten,  that  the  severity 
becoming  the  Church  must  be  tempered  with  a  spirit  of  gentle- 
ness. For  there  is  constant  need  of  the  greatest  caution, 
according  to  the  injunction  of  Paul  respecting  a  person  who 
may  have  been  censured,  "lest  perhaps  such  a  one  should 
be  swallowed  up  with  overmuch  sorrow ; "  (m)  for  thus  a 
remedy  would  become  a  poison.  But  the  rule  of  moderation 
may  be  better  deduced  from  the  end  intended  to  be  accom- 
plished ;  for  as  the  design  of  excommunication  is,  that  the 
sinner  may  be  brought  to  repentance,  and  evil  examples  taken 
away,  to  prevent  the  name  of  Christ  from  being  blasphemed 
and  ,-)ther  persons  being  tempted  to  imitation,  —  if  we  keep  these 
things  in  view,  it  will  be  easy  to  judge  how  far  severity  ought 
to  proceed,  and  where  it  ought  to  stop.  Therefore,  when 
the  sinner  gives  the  Church  a  testimony  of  his  repentance, 
and  by  this  testimony,  as  far  as  in  him  lies,  obliterates 
the  oflence,  he  is  by  no  means  to  be  pressed  any  further :  and 
if  he  be  pressed  any  further,  the  rigour  is  carried  beyond  its 

(m)  2  Cor.  ii.  7. 


CHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  41*7 

proper  limits.  In  this  respect,  it  is  impossible  to  excuse  the  ex- 
cessive austerity  of  the  ancients,  which  was  utterly  at  variance 
with  the  directions  of  the  Lord,  and  led  to  the  most  dangerous 
consequences.  For  when  they  sentenced  an  offender  to  solemn 
repentance,  and  exclusion  from  the  holy  communion,  some- 
times for  three,  sometimes  for  four,  sometimes  for  seven  years, 
and  sometimes  for  the  remainder  of  life,  —  what  other  conse- 
quence could  result  from  it,  but  either  great  hypocrisy  or  extreme 
despair  ?  In  like  manner,  when  any  one  had  fallen  a  second 
time,  the  refusal  to  admit  him  to  a  second  repentance,  and  his 
exclusion  from  the  Church  to  the  end  of  his  life,  was  neither  use- 
ful nor  reasonable.  Whoever  considers  the  subject  with  sound 
judgment,  therefore,  will  discover  their  want  of  prudence  in  this 
instance.  But  I  would  rather  reprobate  the  general  custom, 
than  accuse  all  those  who  practised  it ;  among  whom  it  is 
certain  that  some  were  not  satisfied,  but  they  complied  with 
it  because  it  was  not  in  their  power  to  effect  a  reformation. 
Cyprian  declares  that  it  was  not  from  his  own  choice  that  he 
was  so  rigorous.  "  Our  patience,"  he  says,  "  and  kindness 
and  tenderness,  is  ready  for  all  who  come.  I  wish  all  to  return 
into  the  Church :  I  wish  all  our  fellow-soldiers  to  be  assembled 
in  the  camp  of  Christ,  and  all  our  brethren  to  be  received  into 
the  house  of  God  our  Father.  I  forgive  every  thing  ;  I  conceal 
much ;  from  a  zealous  wish  to  collect  all  the  brotherhood 
together,  even  the  sins  committed  against  God  I  examine  not 
with  rigid  severity ;  and  am  scarcely  free  from  fault  myself, 
in  forgiving  faults  more  easily  than  I  ought.  With  ready  and 
entire  affection  I  embrace  those  who  return  with  penitence, 
confessing  their  sin  with  humble  and  sincere  satisfaction." 
Chrysostom  is  rather  more  severe ;  yet  he  expresses  himself  thus : 
"  If  God  is  so  kind,  why  is  his  priest  determined  to  be  so 
austere  ?  "  We  know,  likewise,  what  kindness  Augustine  ex- 
ercised towards  the  Donatists,  so  that  he  hesitated  not  to 
receive  into  the  bishoprics  those  who  renounced  their  error ; 
and  that  immediately  after  their  repentance.  But  because  a 
contrary  system  had  prevailed,  they  were  obliged  to  relinquish 
their  own  judgment,  in  order  to  follow  the  established  custom. 
IX.  Now,  as  it  is  required  of  the  whole  body  of  the  Church, 
in  chastising  any  one  who  has  fallen,  to  manifest  such  gentle- 
ness and  clemency  as  not  to  proceed  to  the  extremity  of  rigour, 
but  rather,  according  to  the  injunction  of  Paul,  to  "  confirm 
their  love  toward  him,"  (?/)  so  it  is  the  duty  of  every  indi- 
vidual to  moderate  himself  to  the  like  tenderness  and  clemency. 
Such  as  are  expelled  from  the  Church,  therefore,  it  is  not  for 
us  to  expunge  from  the  Jiumber  of  the  elect,  or  to  despair  of 

(n)  2  Cor.  ii.  8. 

VOL.  ji.  53 


418  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

them  as  already  lost.  It  is  proper  to  consider  them  as  strangers 
to  the  Church,  and  consequently  from  Christ,  but  this  only  as 
long  as  they  remain  in  a  state  of  exclusion.  And  even  then, 
if  they  exhibit  more  appearance  of  obstinacy  than  of  humility, 
still  let  us  leave  them  to  the  judgment  of  God,  hoping  better 
things  of  them  for  the  future  than  we  discover  at  present,  and 
not  ceasing  to  pray  to  God  on  their  behalf.  And  to  compre- 
hend all  in  a  word,  let  us  not  condemn  to  eternal  death  the 
person  himself,  who  is  in  the  hand  and  power  of  God  alone, 
but  let  us  content  ourselves  with  judging  of  the  nature  of  his 
works  according  to  the  law  of  the  Lord.  While  we  follow  this 
rule,  we  rather  adhere  to  the  judgment  of  God  than  pronounce 
our  own.  Let  us  not  arrogate  to  ourselves  any  greater  latitude 
of  judging,  unless  we  would  limit  the  power  and  prescribe  laws 
to  the  mercy  of  God ;  for,  whenever  it  seems  good  to  him, 
the  worst  of  men  are  changed  into  the  best,  strangers  are  in- 
troduced, and  foreigners  are  admitted  into  the  Church.  And 
this  the  Lord  does,  to  frustrate  the  opinion  and  repress  the 
presumption  of  men,  which  would  usurp  the  most  unwarrant- 
able liberty  of  judging,  if  it  were  left  without  any  restraint. 

X.  When  Christ  promises  that  what  his  ministers  bind  on 
earth  shall  be  bound  in  heaven,  he  limits  the  power  of  binding 
to  the  censure  of  the  Church  ;  by  which  those  who  are  excom- 
municated are  not  cast  into  eternal  ruin  and  condemnation,  but, 
by  hearing  their  life  and  conduct  condemned,  are  also  certified 
of  their  final  condemnation,  unless  they  repent.  For  excom- 
munication diifers  from  anathema ;  the  latter,  which  ought  to 
be  very  rarely  or  never  resorted  to,  precluding  all  pardon, 
execrates  a  person,  and  devotes  him  to  eternal  perdition ; 
whereas  excommunication  rather  censures  and  punishes  his 
conduct.  And  though  it  does,  at  the  same  time,  punish  the 
person,  yet  it  is  in  such  a  manner,  that,  by  warning  him  of  his 
future  condemnation,  it  recalls  him  to  salvation.  If  he  obey,  the 
Church  is  ready  to  re-admit  him  to  its  friendship,  and  to  restore 
him  to  its  conmiunion.  Therefore,  though  the  discipline  of 
the  Church  admits  not  of  our  friendly  association  and  familiar 
intercourse  with  excommunicated  persons,  yet  we  ought  to 
exert  all  the  means  in  our  power  to  promote  their  reformation, 
and  their  return  to  the  society  and  communion  of  the  Church  ; 
as  we  are  taught  by  the  apostle,  who  says,  "  Yet  count  him  not 
as  an  enemy,  but  admonish  him  as  a  brother."  (o)  Uidess  this 
tenderness  be  observed  by  the  individual  members,  as  well  as 
by  tiie  Churcii  collectively,  our  discipline  will  be-in  danger  of 
speedily  degenerating  into  cruelty. 

XI.  It  is  also  particularly  requisite  to  the  moderation  of  dis< 

(o)  2  Thess.  iii.  15. 


JHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  419 

cipline,  as  Augustine  observes  in  disputing  with  the  Donatists, 
that  private  persons,  if  they  see  faults  corrected  with  too  little 
diligence  by  the  council  of  elders,  should  not  on  that  account 
immediately  withdraw  from  the  Church  ;  and  that  the  pastors 
themselves,  if  they  cannot  succeed  according  to  the  wishes  of 
their  hearts  in  reforming  every  thing  that  needs  correction, 
should  not,  in  consequence  of  this,  desert  the  ministry,  or 
disturb  the  whole  Church  with  unaccustomed  asperity.  For 
there  is  much  truth  in  his  observation,  that  "  whoever  either 
corrects  what  he  can  by  reproof;  or  what  he  cannot  correct, 
excludes,  without  breaking  the  bond  of  peace  ;  or  what  he 
cannot  exclude,  without  breaking  the  bond  of  peace,  censures 
with  moderation  and  bears  with  firmness ;  he  is  free  from  the 
curse,  and  chargeable  with  no  blame."  In  another  passage  he 
assigns  the  reason  ;  because  "  all  the  pious  order  and  method  of 
ecclesiastical  discipline  ought  constantly  to  regard  the  unity  of 
the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace  ;  which  the  apostle  commands 
to  be  kept  by  mutual  forbearance  ;  and  without  the  preservation 
of  which,  the  medicine  of  chastisement  is  not  only  superfluous, 
but  even  becomes  pernicious,  and  consequently  is  no  longer  a 
medicine."  Again  :  "  He  who  attentively  considers  these  things 
neither  neglects  severity  of  discipline  for  the  preservation  of 
unity,  nor  breaks  the  bond  of  fellowship  by  an  intemperance  of 
correction."  He  acknowledges  indeed  that  it  is  not  only  the 
duty  of  the  pastors  to  endeavour  to  purify  the  Church  from 
every  fault,  but  that  it  is  likewise  incumbent  on  every  indi- 
vidual to  exert  all  his  influence  for  the  same  purpose  ;  and  he 
fully  admits,  that  a  person  who  neglects  to  admonish,  reprove, 
and  correct  the  wicked,  though  he  neither  favours  them  nor 
unites  in  their  sins,  is  nevertheless  culpable  in  the  sight  of  the 
Lord  ;  but  that  he  who  sustains  such  an  office  as  to  have 
power  to  exclude  them  from  a  participation  of  the  sacraments, 
and  does  it  not,  is  chargeable,  in  that  case,  not  with  the  guilt 
of  another,  but  with  a  sin  of  his  own  ;  he  only  recommends 
it  10  be  done  with  the  prudence  required  by  our  Lord,  "  lest 
while  "  they  "  gather  up  the  tares,"  they  "  root  up  also  the  wheat 
with  them."(^)  Hence  he  concludes  with  Cyprian,  "Let  a 
man,  therefore,  in  mercy  correct  what  he  can  ;  what  he  cannot, 
let  him  patiently  bear  and  aftectionately  lament." 

Xn.  These  remarks  of  Augustine  were  made  in  consequence 
of  the  rigour  of  the  Donatists,  who,  seeing  vices  in  the  Church, 
which  the  bishops  condemned  by  verbal  reproofs,  but  did  not 
punish  with  excommunication,  which  they  thought  not  adapted 
to  produce  any  good  effects,  inveighed  in  a  most  outrageous 
manner  against  the  bishops,  as  betrayers  of  discipline,  and  by 
ail   impious   schism   separated  themselves  from  the  flock  of 

(p)  Matt.  xiii.  29. 


420  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Christ.  The  same  conduct  is  pursued  in  the  present  day  by 
the  Anabaptists,  who,  acknowledging  no  congregation  to  belong 
to  Christ,  unless  it  be,  in  all  respects,  consjncuous  for  angelic 
perfection,  under  the  pretext  of  zeal,  destroy  all  edification. 
"  Such  persons,"  says  Augustine,  "  not  actuated  by  hatred 
against  the  iniquity  of  others,  but  stimulated  by  fondness  for 
their  own  disputes,  desire  either  wholly  to  pervert,  or  at  least 
to  divide  the  weak  multitude  by  insnaring  them  with  their 
boastful  pretensions ;  inflated  with  pride,  infuriated  with  obsti- 
nacy, insidious  with  calumnies,  turbulent  with  seditions,  that 
their  destitution  of  the  light  of  truth  may  not  be  detected,  they 
conceal  themselves  under  the  covert  of  a  rigorous  severity  ; 
and  those  things  which  the  Scripture  commands  to  be  done 
for  the  correction  of  the  faults  of  our  brethren,  without  viola- 
ting the  sincerity  of  love,  or  disturbing  the  unity  of  peace,  but 
with  the  moderation  of  a  remedial  process,  they  abuse,  to  an 
occasion  of  dissension  and  to  the  sacrilege  of  schism.  Thus 
Satan  transforms  himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  when  from 
just  severity  he  takes  occasion  to  persuade  men  to  inhuman 
cruelty,  with  no  other  object  than  to  corrupt  and  break  the 
bond  of  peace  and  unity ;  by  the  preservation  of  which  among 
Christians,  all  his  power  to  injure  them  is  weakened,  his  insi- 
dious snares  are  broken,  and  his  schemes  for  their  ruin  come  to 
nothing." 

XIII.  There  is  one  thing  which  this  father  particularly 
recommends  —  that  if  the  contagion  of  any  sin  has  infected  a 
whole  people,  there  is  a  necessity  for  the  severity  and  mercy 
which  are  combined  in  strict  discipline.  "  For  schemes  of 
separation,"  he  says,  "  are  pernicious  and  sacrilegious,  because 
they  proceed  from  pride  and  impiety,  and  disturb  the  good  who 
are  weak,  more  than  they  correct  the  wicked  who  are  bold." 
And  what  he  here  prescribes  to  others,  he  faithfully  followed 
himself.  For  writing  to  Aurelius,  bishop  of  Carthage,  he  com- 
plained that  drunkenness,  which  is  so  severely  condemned  in 
the  Scripture,  prevailed  with  impunity  in  Africa,  and  persuaded 
him  to  endeavour  to  remedy  it  by  calling  a  provincial  council. 
He  immediately  adds,  "  I  believe  these  things  are  suppressed 
not  by  harshness,  severity,  or  imperiousness,  but  by  teaching 
rather  than  commanding,  by  admonitions  rather  than  by  me- 
naces. For  this  is  the  conduct  to  be  pursued  with  a  multitude 
of  offenders  ;  but  severity  is  to  be  exercised  against  the  sins  of 
a  few."  Yet  he  does  not  mean  that  bishops  should  connive  or 
be  silent,  because  they  cannot  inflict  severe  punishments  for 
public  crimes,  as  he  afterwards  explains  ;  but  he  means  that  the 
correction  should  be  tempered  with  such  moderation,  as  to  be 
salutary  rather  than  injurious  to  the  body.  And  therefore  he  at 
length  concludes  in  the  following  manner  :  "  Wherefore,  also, 


CHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  421 

that  command  of  the  apostle,  to  put  away  the  wicked,  (q)  ought 
by  no  means  to  be  neglected,  when  it  can  be  done  without 
danger  of  disturbing  the  peace  ;  for  in  this  case  alone  did  he 
intend  that  it  should  be  enforced  ;  and  we  are  also  to  observe 
his  other  injunction,  to  forbear  one  another  in  love,  endeavour- 
ing to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace."  (r) 

XIV.  The  remaining  part  of  discipline,  which  is  not  strictly 
included  in  the  power  of  the  keys,  consists  in  this  —  that  the 
pastors,  according  to  the  necessity  of  the  times,  should  exhort 
the  people  either  to  fastings  or  solemn  supplications,  or  to  other 
exercises  of  humility,  repentance,  and  faith,  of  which  the  word 
of  God  prescribes  neither  the  time,  the  extent,  nor  the  form, 
but  leaves  all  this  to  the  judgment  of  the  Church.  The  ob- 
servation of  these  things,  also,  which  are  highly  useful,  was 
always  practised  by  the  ancient  Church  from  the  days  of  the 
apostles ;  though  the  apostles  themselves  were  not  the  first 
authors  of  them,  but  derived  the  example  from  the  law  and  the 
prophets.  For  there  we  find,  that  whenever  any  important 
business  occurred,  the  people  were  assembled,  supplications 
commanded,  and  fasting  enjoined.  The  apostles,  therefore,  fol- 
lowed what  was  not  new  to  the  people  of  God,  and  what  they 
foresaw  would  be  useful.  The  same  reasoning  is  applicable  to 
other  exercises  by  which  the  people  may  be  excited  to  duty,  or 
preserved  in  obedience.  Examples  abound  in  the  sacred  history, 
which  it  is  unnecessary  to  enumerate.  The  conclusion  to  be 
deduced  from  the  whole  is,  that  whenever  a  controversy  arises 
respecting  religion,  which  requires  to  be  decided  by  a  council  or 
ecclesiastical  judgment ;  whenever  a  minister  is  to  be  chosen  ; 
in  short,  whenever  any  thing  of  ditficully  or  great  importance 
is  transacting  ;  and  also  when  any  tokens  of  tlie  Divine  wrath 
are  discovered,  such  as  famine,  pestilence,  or  war  ;  — it  is  a  pious 
custom,  and  beneficial  in  all  ages,  for  the  pastors  to  exhort  the 
people  to  public  fasts  and  extraordinary  prayers.  If  the  testimo- 
nies which  may  be  adduced  from  the  Old  Testament  be  reject- 
ed, as  inapplicable  to  the  Christian  church,  it  is  evident  that  the 
apostles  practised  the  same.  Respecting  prayers,  however,  I  sup- 
pose scarcely  a  person  will  be  found  disposed  to  raise  any  dispute. 
Therefore  let  us  say  something  of  fasting  ;  because  many,  for 
want  of  knowing  its  usefulness,  undervalue  its  necessity,  and 
some  reject  it  as  altogether  superfluous ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  wiiere  the  use  of  it  is  not  well  understood,  it  easily  de- 
generates into  superstition. 

XY.  Holy  and  legitimate  fasting  is  directed  to  three  ends. 
For  we  practise  it,  either  as  a  restraint  on  the  flesh,  to  preserve 
it  from  licentiousness,  or  as  a  preparation  for  prayers  and  pious 

(j)  1  Cor.  V.  13.  (r)  Eph.  iv.  2,  3. 


422  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

meditations,  or  as  a  testimony  of  our  humiliation  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God,  when  we  are  desirous  of  confessing  our  guilt 
before  him.  The  first  is  not  often  contemplated  in  public 
fasting,  because  all  men  have  not  the  same  constitution  or  health 
of  body ;  therefore  it  is  rather  more  applicable  to  private  fasting. 
The  second  end  is  common  to  both,  such  preparation  for  prayer 
being  necessary  to  the  whole  Church,  as  well  as  to  every  one  of 
the  faithful  in  particular.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  third. 
For  it  will  sometimes  happen  that  God  will  afflict  a  whole  nation 
with  war,  pestilence,  or  some  other  calamity ;  under  such  a 
common  scourge,  it  behoves  all  the  people  to  make  a  confession 
of  their  guilt.  When  the  hand  of  the  Lord  chastises  an  indi- 
vidual, he  ought  to  make  a  similar  confession,  either  alone  or 
with  his  family.  It  is  true  that  this  acknowledgment  lies  prin- 
cipally in  the  disposition  of  the  heart ;  but  when  the  heart  is  af- 
fected as  it  ought  to  be,  it  can  scarcely  avoid  breaking  out  into 
the  external  expression,  and  most  especially  when  it  promotes  the 
general  edification ;  in  order  that  all,  by  a  public  confession  of 
their  sin,  may  unitedly  acknowledge  the  justice  of  God,  and 
may  mutually  animate  each  other  by  the  influence  of  example. 
XVI.  Wherefore  fasting,  as  it  is  a  sign  of  humiliation,  is 
of  more  frequent  use  in  public,  than  among  individuals  in 
private ;  though  it  is  common  to  both,  as  we  have  already 
observed.  With  regard  to  the  discipline,  therefore,  of  which 
we  are  now  treating,  whenever  supplications  are  to  be  presented 
to  God  on  any  important  occasion,  it  would  be  right  to  enjoin 
the  union  of  fasting  with  prayer.  Thus  when  the  believers 
at  Antioch  "laid  their  hands  on  Paul  and  Barnabas,"  the 
better  to  recommend  their  very  important  ministry  to  God, 
they  "fasted"  as  well  as  "  prayed."  (s)  So  also  when  Paul 
and  Barnabas  afterwards  "  ordained  elders  in  every  Church," 
they  used  to  "pray  with  fasting."  (t)  In  this  kind  of  fasting, 
their  only  object  was,  that  they  might  be  more  lively  and  un- 
embarrassed in  prayer.  And  we  find  by  experience,  that  after  a 
full  meal,  the  mind  does  not  aspire  towards  God  so  as  to  be  able 
to  enter  on  prayer,  and  to  continue  in  it  with  seriousness  and 
ardour  of  afi'ection.  So  we  are  to  understand  what  Luke  says 
of  Anna,  that  she  "served  God  with  fastings  and  prayers."  (?t) 
For  he  does  not  place  the  worship  of  God  in  fasting,  but 
signifies  that  by  such  means  that  holy  woman  habituated  her- 
self to  a  constancy  in  prayer.  Such  was  the  fasting  of  Nehe- 
miah,  when  he  prayed  to  God  with  more  than  common  fervour 
for  the  deliverance  of  his  people,  (v)  For  this  cause  Paul 
declares  it  to  be  expedient  for  believers  to  practise  a  temporary 


(5)  Acts  xiii.  2,  3.  («)  Luke  ii.  37. 

(0  Acts  xiv.  -j-.i.  (v)  Neh.  i.  4. 


CHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RF.LIGION.  423 

abstinence  from  lawful  enjoyments,  that  they  may  be  more  at 
liberty  to  "  give  themselves  to  fasting  and  prayer."  (w)  For 
by  connecting  fasting  with  prayer  as.  an  assistance  to  it,  he 
signifies  that  fasting  is  of  no  importance  in  itself,  any  further 
than  as  it  is  directed  to  this  end.  Besides,  from  the  direction 
which  he  gives  in  that  place  to  husbands  and  wives,  to  "  ren- 
der to  "  each  other  "  due  benevolence,"  it  is  clear  that  he  is 
not  speaking  of  daily  prayers,  but  of  such  as  require  peculiar 
earnestness  of  attention. 

XVII.  In  like  manner,  when  war,  pestilence,  or  famine 
begins  to  rage,  or  when  any  other  calamity  appears  to  threaten 
a  country  and  people,  then  also  it  is  tlie  duty  of  pastors  to 
exhort  the  Church  to  fasting,  that  with  humble  supplications 
they  may  deprecate  the  wrath  of  the  Lord ;  for  when  he 
causes  danger  to  appear,  he  announces  himself  as  prepared  and 
armed  for  vengeance.  Therefore,  as  it  was  anciently  the  cus- 
tom for  criminals  to  appear  with  long  beards,  dishevelled  hair, 
and  mourning  apparel,  in  order  to  excite  the  pity  of  the  judge ; 
so  when  we  stand  as  criminals  before  the  tribunal  of  God.  it 
is  conducive  to  his  glory  and  the  general  edification,  as  well 
as  expedient  and  salutary  for  ourselves,  to  deprecate  his  se- 
verity by  external  demonstrations  of  sorrow.  That  this  was 
customary  among  the  people  of  Israel,  it  is  easy  to  infer  from 
the  language  of  Joel  ;  for  when  he  commands  to  "  blow  the 
trumpet,  sanctify  a  fast,  and  call  a  solemn  assembly,"  (x)  and 
proceeds  to  give  other  directions,  he  speaks  as  of  things  com- 
monly practised.  He  had  just  before  said  that  inquisition  was 
made  respecting  the  crimes  of  the  people,  had  announced  that 
the  day  of  the  Lord  was  at  hand,  and  had  cited  them,  as  crim- 
inals, to  appear  and  answer  for  themselves ;  afterwards,  he 
warns  them  to  have  recourse  to  sackcloth  and  ashes,  to  weep- 
ing and  fasting,  that  is,  to  prostrate  themselves  before  the 
Lord  with  external  demonstrations  of  humility.  Sackcloth 
and  ashes,  perhaps,  were  more  suitable  to  those  times  ;  but 
there  is  no  doubt  that  assembling,  and  weeping,  and  fastings, 
and  similar  acts,  are  equally  proper  for  us  in  the  present  age, 
whenever  the  state  of  our  affairs  requires  them.  For  as  it  is  a 
holy  exercise,  adapted  both  to  humble  men  and  to  confess 
their  humility,  why  should  it  be  less  used  by  us  than  by  the 
ancients  in  similar  necessities?  We  read  that  fasting  in  token 
of  sorrow  was  not  only  practised  by  the  Israelitish  Church, 
which  was  formed  and  regulated  by  the  word  of  God,  but  also 
by  the  inhabitants  of  Nineveh,  who  had  no  instruction  except 
the  preaching  of  Jonah,  (i/)  What  cause,  then,  is  there,  why 
we  should  not  practise  the  same  ?     But,  it  will  be  said,  it  is 

(wj)  1  Cor.  vii.  5.  (x)  Joel  ii.  15.  (?/)  Jonah  iii.  5. 


424  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

an  external  ceremony,  which,  with  all  the  rest,  terminated  in 
Christ.  I  reply,  that  even  at  this  day  it  is,  as  it  always  has 
been,  a  most  excellent  assistance  and  useful  admonition  to 
believers  to  stimulate  them,  and  guard  them  against  further 
provocations  of  God  by  their  carelessness  and  inattention,  when 
they  are  chastised  by  his  scourges.  Therefore,  when  Ciirist 
excuses  his  apostles  for  not  fasting,  he  does  not  say  that  fast- 
ing is  abolished,  but  appoints  it  for  seasons  of  calamity,  and 
connects  it  with  sorrow.  "  The  days  will  come,"  says  he, 
"  when  the  bridegroom  shall  be  taken  away  from  them."  (z) 

XVIII.  That  there  may  be  no  mistake  respecting  the  term, 
let  us  define  what  fasting  is.  For  we  do  not  understand  it  to 
denote  mere  temperance  and  abstinence  in  eating  and  drmking, 
but  something  more.  The  life  of  believers,  indeed,  ought  to 
be  so  regulated  by  frugality  and  sobriety,  as  to  exhibit,  as  far 
as  possible,  the  appearance  of  a  perpetual  fast.  But  beside 
this,  there  is  another  temporary  fast,  when  we  retrench  any 
thing  from  our  customary  mode  of  living,  either  for  a  day  or 
for  any  certain  time,  and  prescribe  to  ourselves  a  more  than 
commonly  rigid  and  severe  abstinence  in  food.  This  restriction 
consists  in  three  things,  — in  time,  in  quality,  and  in  quantity 
of  food.  By  time,  I  mean  that  we  should  perform,  while  fast- 
ing, those  exercises  on  account  of  which  fasts  are  instituted. 
As,  for  example,  if  any  one  fast  for  solemn  prayer,  he  should 
not  break  his  fast  till  he  has  attended  to  it.  The  quality 
consists  in  an  entire  abstinence  from  dainties,  and  contentment 
with  simpler  and  humbler  fare,  that  our  appetite  may  not  be 
stimulated  by  delicacies.  The  rule  of  quantity  is,  that  we  eat 
more  sparingly  and  slightly  than  usual,  only  for  necessity,  and 
not  for  pleasure. 

XIX.  But  it  is  necessary  for  us,  above  all  things,  to  be  par- 
ticularly on  our  guard  against  the  approaches  of  superstition, 
which  has  heretofore  been  a  source  of  great  injury  to  the 
Church.  For  it  were  far  better  that  fasting  should  be  entirely 
disused,  than  that  the  practice  should  be  diligently  observed, 
and  at  the  same  time  corrupted  with  false  and  pernicious  oi)in- 
ions,  into  which  the  world  is  continually  falling,  unless  it  be 
prevented  by  the  greatest  fidelity  and  prudence  of  the  pastors. 
The  first  caution  necessary,  and  wiiich  they  should  be  con- 
stantly urging,  is  that  suggested  by  Joel  :  "Rend  your  heart, 
and  not  your  garments ;"  (a)  that  is,  they  should  admonish 
the  people,  that  God  sets  no  value  on  fasting,  unless  it  be 
accompanied  with  a  correspondent  disposition  of  heart,  a  real 
displeasure  against  sin,  sincere  self-abhorrence,  true  humiliation, 
and  unfeigned  grief  arising  from  a  fear  of  God  ;  and  that  fast- 

(:)  Matt.  ix.  15.    Luke  v.  34,  35.  (a)  Joel  ii.  13 


CHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  425 

ing  is  of  no  use  on  any  other  account  than  as  an  additional 
and  subordinate  assistance  to  these  things.  For  nothing  is 
more  abominable  to  God,  than  when  men  attempt  to  impose 
upon  him  by  the  presentation  of  signs  and  external  appearances 
instead  of  purity  of  heart.  Therefore  he  severely  reprobates 
this  hypocrisy  in  the  Jews,  who  imagined  they  had  satisfied 
God  merely  by  having  fasted,  while  they  cherished  impious 
and  impure  thoughts  in  their  hearts.  "  Is  it  such  a  fast,  saith 
the  Lord,  that  I  have  chosen?  "(i)  The  fasting  of  hypo- 
crites, therefore,  is  not  only  superfluous  and  useless  fatigue,  but 
the  greatest  abomination.  Allied  to  this  is  another  evil,  which 
requires  the  most  vigilant  caution,  lest  it  be  considered  as  a 
meritorious  act,  or  a  species  of  divine  service.  For  as  it  is  a 
thing  indifferent  in  itself,  and  possesses  no  other  value  than  it 
derives  from  those  ends  to  which  it  ought  to  be  directed,  it  is 
most  pernicious  superstition  to  confound  it  with  works  com- 
manded by  God,  and  necessary  in  themselves,  without  refer- 
ence to  any  ulterior  object.  Such  was  formerly  the  folly  of  the 
Manichffians,  in  the  refutation  of  whom  Augustine  most  clearly 
shows,  that  fasting  is  to  be  held  in  no  other  estimation  than 
on  account  of  those  ends  which  I  here  mention,  and  that  it 
receives  no  approbation  from  God,  unless  it  be  practised  for 
their  sake.  The  third  error  is  not  so  impious,  indeed,  yet  it  is 
pregnant  with  danger,  to  enforce  it  with  extreme  rigour  as 
one  of  the  principal  duties,  and  to  extol  it  with  extravagant 
encomiums,  so  that  men  imagine  themselves  to  have  per- 
formed a  work  of  peculiar  excellence  when  they  have  fasted. 
In  this  respect,  I  dare  not  wholly  excuse  the  ancient  fathers 
from  having  sown  some  seeds  of  superstition,  and  given  occa- 
sion to  the  tyranny  which  afterwards  arose.  Their  writings 
contain  some  sound  and  judicious  sentiments  on  the  subject 
of  fasting  ;  but  they  also  contain  extravagant  praises,  which 
elevate  it  to  a  rank  among  the  principal  virtues. 

XX.  And  the  superstitious  observance  of  Lent  had  at  that 
time  generally  prevailed,  because  the  common  people  consi- 
dered themselves  as  performing  an  eminent  act  of  obedience  to 
God,  and  the  pastors  commended  it  as  a  holy  imitation  of 
Christ ;  whereas  it  is  plain  that  Christ  fasted,  not  to  set  an  ex- 
ample to  others,  but  in  order  that  by  such  an  introduction  to 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  he  might  prove  the  doctrine  not 
to  be  a  human  invention,  but  a  revelation  from  heaven.  And 
it  is  surprising  that  men  of  acute  discernment  could  ever  enter- 
tain such  a  gross  error,  which  is  disproved  by  such  numerous 
and  satisfactory  arguments.  For  Christ  did  not  fast  often, 
which  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  do,  if  he  intended  to  estab- 

(6)  Isaiah  Iviii.  5. 

VOL.  II.  54 


426  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK  IV 

lish  a  law  for  anniversary  fasts,  but  only  once,  while  he  was 
preparing  to  enter  on  the  promulgation  of  the  gospel.  Nor  did 
he  fast  in  the  manner  of  men,  as  it  behoved  him  to  do,  if  he 
intended  to  stimulate  men  to  an  imitation  of  him  :  on  the  con- 
trary, he  exhibited  an  example  calculated  to  attract  the  admira- 
tion of  all,  rather  than  to  excite  them  to  a  desire  of  emulating 
his  example.  In  short,  there  was  no  other  reason  for  his  fast- 
ing than  for  that  of  Moses,  when  he  received  the  law  from  the 
hand  of  the  Lord.  For  as  that  miracle  was  exhibited  in  Mo- 
ses, to  establish  the  authority  of  the  law,  it  was  necessary  that 
it  should  not  be  omitted  in  Christ,  lest  the  gospel  should  seem 
to  be  inferior  to  the  law.  But  from  that  time,  it  never  entered 
into  any  man's  mind  to  introduce  such  a  form  of  fasting  among 
the  people  of  Israel,  under  the  pretext  of  imitating  Moses;  nor 
was  it  followed  by  any  of  the  holy  prophets  and  fathers,  not- 
withstanding their  inclination  and  zeal  for  all  pious  exercises. 
For  the  account  of  Elijah,  that  he  lived  forty  days  without 
meat  and  drink,  was  only  intended  to  teach  the  people  that 
he  was  raised  up  to  be  the  restorer  of  the  law,  from  which 
almost  all  Israel  had  departed.  It  was  nothing  but  a  vain  and 
superstitious  affectation,  therefore,  to  dignify  the  fasting  of 
Lent  with  the  title  and  pretext  of  an  imitation  of  Christ.  In 
the  manner  of  fasting,  however,  there  was  at  that  time  a  great 
diversity,  as  Cassiodorus  relates  from  Socrates,  in  the  ninth 
book  of  his  history.  "  For  the  Romans,"  he  says,  "  had  no 
more  than  three  weeks  ;  but  during  these  there  was  a  continual 
fast,  except  on  the  Sunday  and  Saturday.  The  lUyrians  and 
Greeks  had  six  weeks,  and  others  had  seven ;  but  they  fasted 
at  intervals.  Nor  did  they  differ  less  as  to  the  nature  of  their 
food.  Some  made  use  of  nothing  but  bread  and  water  ;  others 
added  vegetables  to  fish ;  some  did  not  abstain  from  fowl ; 
others  made  no  distinction  at  all  betAveen  any  kinds  of  food." 
This  diversity  is  also  mentioned  by  Augustine,  in  his  second 
epistle  to  Januarius. 

XXI.  The  times  which  followed  were  still  worse  ;  to  the 
preposterous  zeal  of  the  multitude  was  added  the  ignorance 
and  stupidity  of  the  bishops,  with  their  lust  of  dominion  and 
tyrannical  rigour.  Impious  laws  were  enacted  to  bind  men's 
consciences  with  fatal  chains.  The  eating  of  animal  food  was 
interdicted,  as  though  it  would  contaminate  them.  Sacrile- 
gious opinions  were  added  one  after  another,  till  they  arrived 
at  an  ocean  of  errors.  And  that  no  corruption  mi^ht  be  omit- 
tfd,  they  have  begun  to  trifle  with  God  by  the  most  ridiculous 
pietensions  to  abstinence.  For  in  the  midst  of  all  the  most 
exquisite  delicacies,  they  seek  the  praise  of  fasting  ;  no  dain- 
ties are  then  sufiicient ;  they  never  have  food  in  greater  plenty, 
or  variety,  or  deliciousness.     Such  splendid  provision  they  call 


CHAP.    XII 


]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  427 


fasting,  and  imagine  it  to  be  the  legitimate  service  of  God.  I 
say  nothing  of  the  base  gkittony  practised  at  that  season,  more 
than  at  any  other  time,  by  those  who  wish  to  pass  for  the 
greatest  saints.  In  short  they  esteem  it  the  highest  worship 
of  God  to  abstain  from  animal  food,  and  with  this  exception, 
to  indulge  themselves  in  every  kind  of  dainties.  On  the  other 
hand,  to  taste  the  least  morsel  of  bacon  or  salted  meat  and 
brown  bread,  they  deem  an  act  of  the  vilest  impiety,  and  de- 
serving of  worse  than  death.  Jerome  relates,  that  there  were 
some  persons,  even  in  his  time,  who  trifled  with  God  by  such 
fooleries  ;  who,  to  avoid  making  use  of  oil,  procured  the  most 
delicate  kinds  of  food  to  be  brought  from  every  country  ;  and 
who,  to  do  violence  to  nature,  abstained  from  drinking  water, 
but  procured  delicious  and  costly  liquors  to  be  made  for  them, 
wjiich  they  drank,  not  from  a  cup,  but  from  a  shell.  What 
was  then  the  vice  of  a  few,  is  now  become  common  among  all 
wealthy  persons;  they  fast  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  feast 
with  more  than  common  sumptuousness  and  delicacy.  But  I 
have  no  inclination  to  waste  many  words  on  a  thing  so  notori- 
ous. I  only  assert,  that  neither  in  their  fastings,  no,r  in  any 
other  parts  of  their  discipline,  have  the  Papists  any  thing  so 
correct,  sincere,  or  well  regulated,  as  to  have  the  least  occasion 
to  pride  themselves  upon  any  thing  being  left  among  them 
worthy  of  praise. 

XXII.  There  remains  the  second  part  of  the  discipline  of 
the  Church,  which  particularly  relates  to  the  clergy.  It  is  con- 
tained in  the  canons  which  the  ancient  bishops  imposed  on 
themselves  and  their  order  ;  such  as  these  :  That  no  ecclesias- 
tic should  employ  his  time  in  hunting,  gambling,  or  feasting  ; 
that  no  one  should  engage  in  usury  or  commerce  ;  that  no  one 
should  be  present  at  dissolute  dances  ;  and  other  similar  injunc- 
tions. Penalties  were  likewise  annexed,  to  confirm  the  authority 
of  the  canons,  and  to  prevent  their  being  violated  with  impunity. 
For  this  end,  to  every  bishop  was  committed  the  government  of 
his  clergy,  to  rule  them  according  to  the  canons,  and  to  oblige 
them  to  do  their  duty.  For  this  purpose  were  instituted  annual 
visitations  and  synods,  that  if  any  one  were  negligent  in  his 
duty,  he  might  be  admonished,  and  that  any  one  who  commit- 
ted a  fault  might  be  corrected  liccording  to  his  oifence.  The 
bishops  also  had  their  provincial  councils,  once  every  year,  and 
anciently  even  twice  a  year,  by  which  they  were  judged,  if 
they  had  committed  any  breach  of  their  duty.  For  if  a  bishop 
was  too  severe  or  violent  against  his  clergy,  there  was  a  right  of 
appeal  to  the  provincial  councils,  even  though  there  was  only  a 
single  complainant.  The  severest  punishment  was  the  deposi- 
tion of  the  otTender  from  his  office,  and  his  exclusion  for  a  time 
from  the  communion.    And  because  this  was  a  perpetual  regula- 


428  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

tion,  they  never  used  to  dissolve  a  provincial  council  without  ap- 
pointing a  time  and  place  for  the  next.  For,  to  summon  a  uni- 
versal council,  was  the  exclusive  prerogative  of  the  emperor,  as 
all  the  ancient  records  testify.  As  long  as  this  severity  conti- 
nued, the  clergy  required  nothing  more  from  the  people  than 
they  exemplified  in  their  own  conduct.  Indeed,  they  were  far 
more  severe  to  themselves  than  to  the  laity  ;  and  it  is  reasonable 
that  the  people  should  be  ruled  with  a  milder  and  less  rigid  dis- 
cipline ;  and  that  the  clergy  should  inflict  heavier  censures,  and 
exercise  far  less  indulgence  to  themselves  than  to  other  persons. 
How  all  this  has  become  obsolete,  it  is  unnecessary  to  relate, 
when  nothing  can  be  imagined  more  licentious  and  dissolute 
than  this  order  of  men  in  the  present  day ;  and  their  profligacy 
has  gone  to  such  a  length,  that  the  whole  world  is  exclaiming 
against  them.  That  all  antiquity  may  not  appear  to  have  been 
entirely  forgotten  by  them,  I  confess,  they  deceive  the  eyes  of  the 
simple  with  certain  shadows,  but  these  bear  no  more  resemblance 
to  the  ancient  usages,  than  the  mimicry  of  an  ape  to  the  rational 
and  considerate  conduct  of  men.  There  is  a  remarkable  passage 
in  Xenophon,  where  he  states  how  shamefully  the  Persians  had 
degenerated  from  the  virtues  of  their  ancestors,  and,  from  an 
austere  course  of  life,  had  sunk  into  delicacy  and  eff'eminacy, 
but  that,  to  conceal  their  shame,  they  sedulously  observed  the 
ancient  forms.  For  whereas,  in  the  time  of  Cyrus,  sobriety  and 
temperance  were  carried  so  far,  that  it  was  unnecessary,  and  was 
even  considered  as  a  disgrace  for  any  one  to  blow  his  nose,  their 
posterity  continued  scrupulously  to  refrain  from  this  act  ;  but  to 
absorb  the  mucus,  and  retain  the  fetid  humours  produced  by  their 
gluttony,  even  till  they  almost  putrefied,  was  held  quite  allowable. 
So,  according  to  the  ancient  rule,  it  was  unlawful  to  bring  cups 
to  the  table ;  but  they  had  no  objection  to  drink  wine  till  they 
were  obliged  to  be  carried  away  drunk.  It  had  been  an  estab- 
lished custom  to  eat  only  one  meal  a  day  ;  these  good  successors 
had  not  abolished  this  custom,  but  they  had  continued  their 
banquets  from  noon  to  midnight.  Because  their  ancient  law  en- 
joined men  to  finish  their  day's  journey  fasting,  it  continued  to 
be  a  permanent  custom  among  them  ;  but  they  were  at  liberty, 
and  it  was  the  general  practice,  for  the  sake  of  avoiding  fatigue,  to 
contract  the  journey  to  two  hours.  Whenever  the  Papists  bring 
forward  their  degenerate  rules,  for  the  purpose  of  showing  their 
resemblance  to  the  holy  fathers,  this  example  will  sufliciently 
expose  their  ridiculous  imitation,  of  which  no  painter  could  draw 
a  more  striking  likeness. 

XXIII.  In  one  instance,  they  are  too  rigorous  and  inflexible, 
that  is,  in  not  permitting  priests  to  marry.  With  what  impunity 
fornication  rages  among  them,  it  is  unnecessary  to  remark  ; 
imboldened  by  their  polluted  celibacy,  they  have  become  hard- 


CHAP.    XII.]  CHRISTIAN   RELIGION.  429 

ened  to  every  crime.  Yet  this  prohibition  clearly  shows  how 
pestilent  are  all  their  traditions;  since  it  has  not  only  dejirived 
the  Church  of  upright  and  able  pastors,  but  has  formed  a  horrible 
gulf  of  enormities,  and  precipitated  many  souls  into  the  abyss 
of  despair.  The  interdiction  of  marriage  to  priests  was  certainly 
an  act  of  impious  tyranny,  not  only  contrary  to  the  word  of  God, 
but  at  variance  with  every  principle  of  justice.  In  the  first 
place,  it  was  on  no  account  lawful  for  men  to  prohibit  that 
which  the  Lord  had  left  free.  Secondly,  that  God  had  ex- 
pressly provided  in  his  word  that  this  liberty  should  not  be  in- 
fringed, is  too  clear  to  require  much  proof.  I  say  nothing  of  the 
direction,  repeatedly  given  by  Paul,  that  a  bishop  should  be 
"  the  husband  of  one  wife  ; "  {d)  but  what  could  be  expressed 
with  greater  force,  than  where  he  announces  a  revelation 
from  the  Holy  Spirit,  "  that  in  the  latter  times  some  shall  depart 
from  the  faith,  forbidding  to  marry,"  and  represents  these  not 
only  as  impostors,  but  as  disseminating  "doctrines  of  devils."  (e) 
This,  therefore,  was  a  prophecy,  a  sacred  oracle  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  by  which  he  intended  from  the  beginning  to  forearm 
the  Church  against  dangers  —  that  the  prohibition  of  marriage  is 
a  doctrine  of  devils.  But  our  adversaries  imagine  themselves  to 
have  admirably  evaded  this  charge,  when  they  misapply  it  to 
Montanus,  the  Tatianists,  Encratites,  and  other  ancient  heretics. 
It  refers,  say  they,  to  those  who  have  condenmed  marriage 
altogether ;  we  by  no  means  condemn  it  ;  we  merely  prohibit 
it  to  the  clergy,  from  an  opinion  that  it  is  not  proper  for  them. 
As  if,  though  this  prophecy  had  once  been  accomplished  in  those 
ancient  heretics,  it  might  not  also  be  applicable  to  them  ;  or  as 
if  this  puerile  cavil,  that  they  do  not  prohibit  marriage,  because 
they  do  not  prohibit  it  to  all,  were  deserving  of  the  least  attention. 
This  is  just  as  if  a  tyrant  should  contend  that  there  can  be  no 
injustice  in  a  law,  the  injustice  of  which  only  oppresses  one 
part  of  a  nation. 

XXIV.  They  object,  that  there  ought  to  be  some  mark  to 
distinguish  the  clergy  from  the  laity.  As  though  the  Lord 
did  not  foresee  what  are  the  true  ornaments  in  which  priests 
ought  to  excel.  By  this  pica,  they  charge  the  apostle  with 
disturbing  the  order  and  violating  the  decorum  of  the  Church, 
who,  in  delineating  the  perfect  model  of  a  good  bishop,  among 
the  other  virtues  which  he  required  in  him,  dared  to  mention 
marriage.  I  know  that  they  interpret  this  to  mean,  that  no 
one  is  chosen  a  bishop  who  shall  have  had  a  second  wife. 
And  I  grant  that  this  interpretation  is  not  new ;  but  that  it  is 
erroneous,  is  evident  from  the  context  itself;  because  he  imme- 
diately after  prescribes  what  characters  the  wives  of  bishops 
and  deacons  ought  to   possess.     Paul  places  marriage  among 

id)  1  Tim.  iii.  2.    Titus  i.  6.  (e)  1  Tim.  iv.  1,  3. 


430  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    IV. 


the  virtues  of  a  bishop  ;  these  men  teach  that  it  is  a  vice  not 
to  be  tolerated  in  the  clergy ;  and  not  content  with  this  gene- 
ral censure,  they  call  it  carnal  pollution  and  impurity,  which 
is  the  language  of  Syricius,  one  of  the  pontiffs,  recited  in  tiieir 
canons.  Let  every  man  reflect  from  what  source  these  things 
can  hav^e  proceeded.  Christ  has  been  pleased  to  put  such 
honour  upon  marriage,  as  to  make  it  an  image  of  his  sacred 
union  with  the  Church.  What  could  be  said  more,  in  com- 
mendation of  the  dignity  of  marriage  ?  AVith  what  face  can 
that  be  called  impure  and  polluted,  which  exhibits  a  similitude 
of  the  spiritual  grace  of  Christ  ? 

XXV.  Now,  though  their  prohibition  is  so  clearly  repugnant 
to  the  word  of  God,  yet  they  find  something  in  the  Scriptures  to 
urge  in  its  defence.  The  Levitical  priests,  whenever  it  came 
to  their  turn  to  minister  at  the  altar,  were  required  not  to  co- 
habit with  their  wives,  that  they  might  be  pure  and  immacu- 
late to  perform  the  sacrifices  ;  it  would  therefore  be  exceedingly 
unbecoming  for  our  sacraments,  which  are  far  more  excellent 
and  of  daily  recurrence,  to  be  administered  by  married  men. 
As  though  the  evangelical  ministry  and  the  Levitical  priest- 
hood were  one  and  the  same  oflice.  On  the  contrary,  the 
Levitical  priests  were  antitypes,  representing  Christ,  who,  as 
the  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  was  to  reconcile  the 
Father  to  us  by  his  perfect  purity.  Now,  as  it  was  impossible 
for  sinners  to  exhibit  in  every  respect  a  type  of  his  sanctity, 
yet  in  order  to  display  some  faint  shadows  of  it,  they  were 
commanded  to  purify  themselves  in  a  manner  beyond  what  is 
common  among  men,  whenever  they  approached  the  sanctuary; 
because  on  those  occasions  they  properly  represented  Christ,  in 
appearing  at  the  tabernacle,  which  was  a  type  of  the  heavenly 
tribunal,  as  mediators  to  reconcile  the  people  to  God.  As  the 
pastors  of  the  Church  now  sustain  no  such  office,  the  comparison 
is  nothing  to  the  purpose.  Wherefore  the  apostle,  without  any 
exception,  confidently  pronounces,  that  "marriage  is  honourable 
in  all  ;  but  whoremongers  and  adulterers  God  will  judge."'  (/) 
And  the  apostles  themselves  have  proved  by  their  own  exanif)le 
that  marriage  is  not  unbecoming  the  sanctity  of  any  ofiice, 
however  excellent ;  for  Paul  testifies  that  they  not  only  retained 
their  wives,  but  took  them  about  with  them,  (g) 

XXVL  It  has  also  betrayed  egregious  impudence,  to  insist 
on  this  appearance  of  chastity  as  a  necessary  thing,  to  the  great 
disgrace  of  the  ancient  Church,  which  abounded  with  such 
peculiar  Divine  knowledge,  but  was  still  more  eminent  for 
sanctity.  For  if  they  pay  no  regard  to  the  apostles,  whom 
they  often  have  the  hardihood  to  treat   with  contempt,  what 

(/)  Heb.  Tiii.  4.  C?)  1  Cor.  ix.  5. 


CHAP.  XTI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  431 

will  they  say  of  all  the  ancient  fathers,  who,  it  is  certain,  not 
only  tolerated  marriage  in  bishops,  but  likewise  ajiproved  of 
it  ?  It  would  follow  that  they  must  have  practised  a  foul 
profanation  of  sacred  things,  since,  according  to  the  notion  we 
are  opposing,  they  did  not  celebrate  the  mysteries  of  the  Lord 
with  the  requisite  purity.  The  injunction  of  celibacy  was 
agitated  in  the  council  of  Nice  ;  for  there  are  never  wanting 
little  minds,  absorbed  in  superstition,  who  endeavour  to  make 
themselves  admired  by  the  invention  of  some  novelty.  But 
what  was  the  decision  ?  The  council  coincided  in  the  opinion 
of  Paphnutius,  who  pronounced  that  "  a  man's  cohabitation 
with  his  own  wife  is  chastity."  Therefore  marriage  con- 
tinued to  be  held  sacred  among  them,  nor  Avas  it  esteemed 
any  disgrace  to  them,  or  considered  as  casting  any  blemish  on 
the  ministry. 

XXVII.  Afterwards  followed  times  distinguished  by  a  too 
superstitious  admiration  of  celibacy.  Hence  those  frequent 
and  extravagant  encomiums  on  virginity,  with  which  scarcely 
any  other  virtue  was  in  general  deemed  worthy  to  be  compared. 
And  though  marriage  was  not  condemned  as  impure,  yet  its 
dignity  was  so  diminished,  and  its  sanctity  obscured,  that  he 
who  did  not  refrain  from  it  was  not  considered  as  aspiring  to 
perfection  with  sufficient  fortitude  of  mind.  Hence  those 
canons,  which  prohibited  the  contraction  of  marriage  by  those 
who  had  already  entered  on  the  office  of  priests  ;  and  succeed- 
ing ones,  which  prohibited  the  admission  to  that  office  of  any 
but  those  who  had  never  been  married,  or  who  had  abjured  all 
cohabitation  with  their  wives.  Because  these  things  seemed 
to  add  respectability  to  the  priesthood,  they  were  received,  I 
confess,  even  in  early  times,  with  great  applause.  But  our 
adversaries  object  antiquity  against  us.  I  answer.  In  the 
first  place,  in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  and  for  several  ages 
after,  the  bishops  were  at  liberty  to  marry  ;  and  the  apostles 
themselves,  as  well  as  other  pastors  of  the  highest  reputation 
who  succeeded  them,  made  use  of  this  liberty  without  any 
difficulty.  The  example  of  the  primitive  Church  we  ought  to 
hold  in  higher  estimation  than  to  deem  that  unlawful  or  un- 
becoming which  was  then  received  and  practised  with  appro- 
bation. Secondly ;  even  that  age,  which,  from  a  superstitious 
attachment  to  virginity,  began  to  be  more  unfavourable  to 
marriage,  did  not  impose  the  law  of  celibacy  upon  the  priests  as 
if  it  were  absolutely  necessary,  but  because  they  preferred 
celibacy  to  marriage.  Lastly ;  this  law  did  not  require  the 
compulsion  of  continence  in  those  who  were  not  able  to  keep 
it ;  for  while  the  severest  punishments  were  denounced  on 
priests  who  were  guilty  of  fornication,  those  who  married  were 
merely  dismissed  from  their  office. 


432  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

XXVIII.  Therefore,  whenever  the  advocates  of  this  modern 
tyranny  attempt  to  defend  their  ceHbacy  with  the  pretext  of 
antiqnity,  we  shall  not  fail  to  reply,  that  they  ought  to  restore 
the  ancient  chastity  in  their  priests,  to  remove  all  adulterers 
and  fornicators,  not  to  suffer  those,  whom  they  forbid  the  vir- 
tuous and  chaste  society  of  a  wife,  to  abandon  themselves  with 
impunity  to  every  kind  of  debauchery,  to  revive  the  obsolete 
discipline  by  which  all  indecencies  may  be  repressed,  to  deliver 
the  Church  from  this  flagitious  turpitude,  by  which  it  has  been 
so  long  deformed.  When  they  shall  have  granted  this,  it  will 
still  be  necessary  to  admonish  them  not  to  impose  that  as  ne- 
cessary, which,  being  free  in  itself,  depends  on  the  convenience 
of  the  Church.  Yet  I  have  not  made  these  observations  from 
an  opinion  that  we  ought  on  any  condition  to  admit  those 
canons  which  impose  the  obligation  of  celibacy  on  the  clergy, 
but  to  enable  the  more  judicious  to  perceive  the  effrontery  of 
our  adversaries  in  alleging  the  authority  of  antiquity  to  bring 
disgrace  on  holy  marriage  in  priests.  With  respect  to  the  fa- 
thers, whose  writings  are  extant,  with  the  exception  of  Jerome, 
they  have  not  so  malignantly  detracted  from  the  virtue  of  mar- 
riage, when  they  have  been  expressing  their  own  sentiments. 
We  shall  content  ourselves  with  one  testimony  of  Chrysostom, 
because  he,  who  was  a  principal  admirer  of  virginity,  cannot 
be  supposed  to  have  been  more  lavish  than  others  in  commen- 
dation of  marriage.  He  says,  "  The  first  degree  of  chastity  is 
pure  virginity  ;  the  second  is  faithful  marriage.  Therefore  the 
second  species  of  virginity  is  the  chaste  love  of  matrimony." 


CHAPTER    XIH. 

vows  :    THE    MISERY    OF    RASHLY    MAKING    THEM. 

It  is  a  thing  truly  to  be  deplored,  that  the  Church,  after  its 
liberty  had  been  purchased  by  the  inestimable  price  of  the 
blood  of  Christ,  should  have  been  so  oppressed  with  a  cruel 
tyranny,  and  almost  overwhelmed  with  an  immense  mass  of 
traditions ;  but  the  general  frenzy  of  individuals  shows  that  it 
has  not  been  without  the  justest  cause,  that  God  has  permitted 
so  much  to  be  done  by  Satan  and  his  ministers.  For  it  was 
not  sufficient  for  them  to  neglect  the  command  of  Christ,  and 
to  endure  every  burden  imposed  on  them  by  false  teachers, 
unless  they  respectively  added  some  of  their  own,  and  so  sunk 
themselves  deeper  in  pits  of  their  own  digging.     This  was  the 


CHAP.    XIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  433 

consequence  of  their  rivalling  each  other  in  the  contrivance  of 
vows  to  add  a  stronger  and  stricter  obligation  to  the  common 
bonds.  As  we  have  shown  that  the  service  of  God  was  corrupt- 
ed by  the  audacity  of  those  who  domineered  over  the  Church 
under  the  title  of  pastors,  insnaring  unhappy  consciences 
with  their  unjust  laws ;  it  will  not  be  irrelevant  here  to  expose 
a  kindred  evil,  in  order  to  show  that  men,  in  the  depravity 
of  their  hearts,  have  opposed  every  possible  obstacle  to  those 
means  by  which  they  ought  to  have  been  conducted  to  God. 
Now,  to  make  it  more  evident  that  vows  have  been  productive 
of  the  most  serious  mischiefs,  it  is  necessary  to  remind  the 
readers  of  the  principles  already  stated.  In  the  first  place,  we 
have  shown  that  every  thing  necessary  to  the  regulation  of  a 
pious  and  holy  life  is  comprehended  in  the  law.  We  have  also 
shown,  that  the  Lord,  m  order  to  call  us  off  more  effectually 
from  the  contrivance  of  new  works,  has  included  all  the  praise 
of  righteousness  in  simple  obedience  to  his  will.  If  these 
things  be  true,  the  conclusion  is  obvious,  that  all  the  services 
which  we  invent  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  the  favour  of  God, 
are  not  at  all  acceptable  to  him,  whatever  pleasure  they  may 
afford  to  ourselves ;  and,  in  fact,  the  Lord  himself,  in  various 
places,  not  only  openly  rejects  them,  but  declares  them  to  be 
objects  of  his  utter  abomination.  Hence  arises  a  doubt  respect- 
ing vows  which  are  made  without  the  authority  of  the  express 
word  of  God,  in  what  light  they  are  to  be  considered  ;  whether 
they  may  be  rightly  made  by  Christian  men,  and  how  far  they 
are  obligatory  upon  them.  For  what  is  styled  a  promise  among 
men,  in  reference  to  God  is  called  a  voio.  Now,  we  promise  to 
men  either  such  things  as  we  think  will  be  agreeable  to  them, 
or  such  as  we  owe  them  on  the  ground  of  duty.  There  is 
need,  therefore,  of  far  greater  care  respecting  voavs,  which  are 
addressed  to  God  himself,  towards  whom  we  ought  to  act  with 
the  utmost  seriousness.  But  here  superstition  has  prevailed,  in 
all  ages,  to  a  wonderful  degree,  so  that,  without  judgment  or 
discretion,  men  have  precipitately  vowed  to  God  whatever  was 
uppermost  in  their  minds,  or  even  on  their  lips.  Hence  those 
fooleries,  and  even  monstrous  absurdities  of  vows,  by  which  , 
the  heathen  insolently  trifled  with  their  gods.  And  I  sincerely 
wish  that  Christians  had  not  imitated  them  in  such  audacity. 
This  ought  never  to  have  been  the  case  ;  but  we  see,  that  for 
several  ages  nothing  has  been  more  common  than  this  pre- 
sumption ;  amidst  the  general  contempt  of  the  law  of  God,  peo- 
ple have  been  all  inflamed  with  a  mad  passion  for  vowing 
whatever  had  delighted  them  in  their  dreams.  I  have  no  wish 
to  proceed  to  an  odious  exaggeration,  or  a  particular  enumera- 
tion of  the  enormity  and  varieties  of  this  oflence  ;  but  I  have 
thought  it  proper  to  make  these  remarks  by  the  way,  to  show 


^ 


434  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

that  we  are  not   instituting  an  unnecessary  discussion,  when 
we  treat  of  vows. 

II.  If  we  would  avoid  any  error  in  judging  what  vows  are  legit- 
imate, and  what  are  preposterous,  it  is  necessary  to  consider  three 
thhigs  —  first,  to  whom  vows  are  to  be  addressed;  secondly, 
who  we  are  that  make  vows ;  lastly,  with  what  intention  vows 
are  made.  The  first  consideration  calls  us  to  reflect,  that  we 
have  to  do  with  God ;  who  takes  such  pleasure  in  our  obedi- 
ence, that  he  pronounces  a  curse  on  all  acts  of  will-worship, 
however  specious  and  splendid  they  may  be  in  the  eyes  of  men. 
If  God  abominates  all  voluntary  services  invented  by  us  with- 
out his  command;  it  follows,  that  nothing  can  be  acceptable  to 
him,  except  what  is  approved  by  his  word.  Let  us  not,  there- 
fore, assume  to  ourselves  such  a  great  liberty,  as  to  presume  to 
vow  to  God  any  thing  that  has  no  testimony  of  his  approbation. 
For  the  maxim  of  Paul,  that  "  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is 
sin,"  (a)  while  it  extends  to  every  action,  is  without  doubt 
principally  applicable  when  a  man  addresses  his  thoughts  di- 
rectly to  God.  Paul  is  there  arguing  respecting  the  difierence 
of  meats ;  and  if  we  err  and  fall  even  in  things  of  the  least 
moment,  where  we  are  not  enlightened  by  the  certainty  of 
faith,  how  much  greater  modesty  is  requisite  when  we  are  un- 
dertaking a  business  of  the  greatest  importance  !  For  nothing 
ought  to  be  of  greater  importance  to  us  than  the  duties  of 
religion.  Let  this,  then,  be  our  first  rule  in  regard  to  vows  — 
never  to  attempt  vowing  any  thing  without  a  previous  convic- 
tion of  conscience,  that  we  are  attempting  nothing  rashly. 
And  our  conscience  will  be  secure  from  all  danger  of  rashness, 
when  it  shall  have  God  for  its  guide,  dictating,  as  it  were,  by 
his  word,  what  it  is  proper  or  useless  to  do. 

III.  The  second  consideration  which  we  have  mentioned, 
calls  us  to  measure  our  strength,  to  contemplate  our  calling, 
and  not  to  neglect  the  liberty  which  God  has  conferred  on  us. 
For  he  who  vows  what  is  not  in  his  power,  or  is  repugnant  to 
his  calling,  is  chargeable  with  rashness ;  and  he  who  despises 
the  favour  of  God,  by  which  he  is  constituted  lord  of  all  things, 
is  guilty  of  ingratitude.  By  this  remark,  I  do  not  intend  that 
we  have  any  thing  in  our  power,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  promise 
it  to  God  in  a  reliance  on  our  own  strength.  For,  Avith  the 
strictest  regard  to  truth,  it  was  decreed  in  the  council  of 
Arausium,  that  nothing  is  rightly  vowed  to  God  but  what  we 
have  received  from  his  hand,  seeing  that  all  the  things  which  are 
presented  to  him  are  merely  gifts  which  he  has  imparted.  But 
as  some  things  are  given  to  us  by  the  goodness  of  God,  and 
other  things  are  denied  to  us  by  his  justice,  let  every  man 

(a)  Rom.  .Tiv.  23. 


CHAP.    XTII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  435 

follow  the  admonition  of  Paul,  and  consider  the  measure  of 
grace  which  he  has  received,  (b)  My  only  meaning  here, 
therefore,  is,  that  vows  ought  to  be  regulated  by  that  measure 
which  the  Lord  prescribes  to  us,  by  what  he  has  given  us  ;  lest, 
by  attempting  more  than  he  permits,  we  precipitate  ourselves 
into  danger,  by  arrogating  too  much  to  ourselves.  Luke  gives 
Us  an  example  in  those  assassins  who  vowed  "  that  they  would 
neither  eat  nor  drink  till  they  had  killed  Paul :  "  (c)  even  though 
the  design  itself  had  not  been  criminal,  yet  it  would  have  be- 
trayed intolerable  rashness,  to  make  a  man's  life  and  death 
subject  to  their  power.  So  Jephthah  suffered  the  punishment 
of  his  folly,  when,  in  the  fervour  of  precipitation,  he  made  an 
inconsiderate  vow.  (d)  In  vows  of  this  class,  distinguished 
by  mad  presumption,  that  of  celibacy  holds  the  preeminence. 
Priests,  monks,  and  nuns,  forgetting  their  infirmity,  think  them- 
selves capable  of  celibacy.  But  by  what  revelation  have  they 
been  taught  that  they  shall  preserve  their  chastity  all  their  life- 
time, to  the  end  of  which  their  vow  reaches  ?  They  hear  the 
declaration  of  God  concerning  the  universal  condition  of  man ; 
"It  is  not  good  for  man  to  be  alone."  (e)  They  understand, 
and  I  wish  they  did  not  feel,  that  sin  remaining  in  us  is  attended 
with  the  most  powerful  stimulants.  With  what  confidence 
can  they  dare  to  reject  that  general  calling  for  their  whole 
life-time,  whereas  the  gift  of  continence  is  frequently  bestowed 
for  a  certain  time,  as  opportunity  requires?  In  such  obstinacy 
let  them  not  expect  God  to  assist  them,  but  rather  let  them 
remember  what  is  written  :  "Thou  shalt  not  tempt  the  Lord 
thy  God."  (/)  Now,  it  is  tempting  God,  to  strive  against  the 
nature  which  he  has  implanted  in  us,  and  to  despise  the  gifts 
which  he  presents,  as  though  they  were  not  at  all  suitable  for 
us.  And  they  not  only  "do  this,  but  even  marriage  itself, 
which  God  has  deemed  it  no  degradation  of  his  majesty  to 
institute,  which  he  has  pronounced  to  be  "  honourable  in  all," 
which  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  sanctified  with  his  presence, 
which  he  deigned  to  dignify  with  his  first  miracle,  they  are 
not  ashamed  to  stigmatize  as  pollution,  for  the  mere  purpose 
of  extolling  celibacy,  however  it  may  be  spent,  with  the  most 
extravagant  encomiums.  As  though  they  did  not  exhibit  a 
striking  proof  in  their  own  lives,  that  celibacy  is  one  thing,  and 
that  virginity  is  another ;  and  yet  they  have  the  consummate 
.  impudence  to  call  such  a  life  angelic.  This  is  certainly  doing 
a  great  injury  to  the  angels  of  God,  to  whom  they  compare 
persons  guilty  of  fornication,  adultery,  and  other  crimes  far  more 
atrocious  and  imjmn?.  And  there  is  not  the  least  need  of  argu- 
ments, when  they  are  clearly  convicted  by  the  fiict  itself     For 

(b)  Rom.  xii.  3.     1  Cor.  xii.  11.  (c)  Acts  xxiii.  12.  (d)  Judges  x..  30-40 

(c)  Gen.  ii.  18.  (/)  Deut.  vi.  16.     Matt.  iv.  7. 


436  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

it  is  very  evident  what  dreadful  punishments  the  Lord  generally 
inflicts  on  such  an-ogancc,  self-confidence,  and  contempt  of 
his  gifts.  Modesty  forbids  me  to  animadvert  on  those  things 
which  are  more  secret,  of  which  too  much  is  already  known. 
That  we  are  not  at  liberty  to  vow  any  thing  which  may  hinder 
ITS  from  serving  God  in  our  vocation,  is  beyond  all  controversy  ; 
as  if  a  father  of  a  family  should  vow  that  he  will  desert  his 
wife  and  children,  to  undertake  some  other  charge  ;  or  as  if  a 
person  qualified  to  fill  the  office  of  magistrate,  on  being  chosen 
to  it,  should  vow  that  he  would  remain  in  a  private  station. 
But  the  observation  we  have  made,  that  our  liberty  ought  not 
to  be  despised,  has  some  difficulty,  which  requires  a  further 
explication.  Now,  the  meaning  may  be  briefly  explained  in 
the  following  manner :  As  God  has  constituted  us  lords  of  all 
things,  and  has  placed  them  in  subjection  to  us,  in  order  that 
we  might  use  them  all  for  our  accommodation,  we  have  no 
reason  to  hope  that  we  should  perform  a  service  acceptable  to 
God,  by  making  ourselves  slaves  to  external  things,  which 
ought  to  be  subservient  to  our  assistance.  I  say  this,  because 
some  persons  consider  themselves  entitled  to  the  praise  of 
humility,  if  they  entangle  themselves  with  many  observances, 
from  which  the  Lord,  for  the  best  of  reasons,  intended  we  should 
be  exempt.  Therefore,  if  Ave  would  escape  this  danger,  let  us 
always  remember,  that  we  are  never  to  depart  from  that  econo- 
my which  the  Lord  has  instituted  in  the  Christian  Church. 

IV.  I  proceed  now  to  the  third  consideration  which  I  men- 
tioned ;  that  it  is  of  great  importance  with  what  intention  a 
vow  is  made,  if  we  wish  it  to  be  approved  by  God.  For  as 
the  Lord  regards  the  heart,  and  not  the  external  appearance,  it 
happens  that  the  same  action,  performed  with  diflerent  designs, 
is  sometimes  acceptable  to  him,  and  sometimes  highly  displeas- 
ing. If  any  one  vow  abstinence  from  wine,  as  if  there  were 
any  holiness  in  such  abstinence,  he  is  chargeable  with  supersti- 
tion; if  this  be  done  for  any  other  end  which  is  not  improper, 
no  one  can  disapprove  of  it.  Now,  as  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge, 
there  are  four  ends  to  which  our  vows  may  be  rightly  directed. 
For  the  sake  of  further  elucidation,  I  refer  two  of  them  to  the 
time  past,  and  the  other  two  to  the  future.  To  the  time  past 
belong  those  vows  by  which  we  either  testify  our  gratitude  to 
God  for  benefits  received,  or,  in  order  to  deprecate  his  wrath,  in- 
flict punishment  on  ourselves  for  sins  that  we  have  committed. 
The  former  may  be  called  vows  of  thanksgiving  ;  the  latter, 
vows  of  penitence.  Of  the  former  we  have  an  example  in 
Jacob,  who  vowed  to  give  to  God  the  tentii  of  all  he  shoujd 
acquire,  if  the  Lord  would  bring  him  again  from  his  exile  to 
tiis  father's  house  in  peace,  (g)     We  have  other  examples  of 

(g)  Gen.  xxviii.  20—22. 


CHAP.    XIII.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  437 

the  same  kind  in  the  ancient  peace-ofFerings,  which  used  to  be 
vowed  by  pious  kings  and  generals,  entering  on  just  wars,  to 
be  offered  in  case  they  should  obtain  the  victory  ;  or  by  per- 
sons labouring  under  more  than  common  difficulty,  in  case  the 
Lord  would  deliver  them.  Thus  we  are  to  understand  al: 
those  places  in  the  Psalms  which  speak  of  vows,  [h)  Vows 
of  this  kind  may  also  be  now  used  among  us,  whenever  God 
delivers  us  from  any  great  calamity,  from  a  severe  disease,  or 
from  any  other  danger.  For  on  such  occasions,  it  is  not  in- 
consistent with  the  duty  of  a  pious  man  to  consecrate  to  God 
some  oblation  that  he  has  vowed,  merely  as  a  solemn  token  of 
grateful  acknowledgment,  that  he  may  not  appear  unthankful 
for  his  goodness.  The  nature  of  the  second  species  of  vows 
will  sufficiently  appear  from  only  one  familiar  example.  If  a 
person  has  fallen  into  any  crime  through  the  vice  of  intem- 
perance, nothing  prevents  him  from  correcting  that  vice  by 
a  temporary  renunciation  of  all  delicacies,  and  enforcing  this 
abstinence  by  a  vow,  to  lay  himself  under  the  stronger  obli- 
gation. Yet  I  impose  no  perpetual  law  on  those  who  have 
been  guilty  of  such  an  offence;  I  only  point  out  what  they  are 
at  liberty  to  do,  if  they  think  that  such  a  vow  would  be  useful 
to  them.  I  consider  a  vow  of  this  kind,  therefore,  as  lawful, 
but,  at  the  same  time,  as  left  to  the  free  choice  of  every 
individual. 

V.  Vows  which  regard  the  future,  as  I  have  observed,  have 
for  tlieir  object,  partly  to  render  us  more  cautious  of  danger, 
partly  to  stimulate  us  to  the  performance  of  duty.  For  ex- 
ample ;  a  person  perceives  himself  to  be  so  prone  to  a  certain 
vice,  that,  in  something  not  otherwise  evil,  he  cannot  restrain 
himself  from  falling  into  sin  ;  he  will  commit  no  absurdity,  if 
he  should  deny  himself  the  use  of  that  thing  for  a  season 
by  a  vow.  If  any  one  be  convinced  that  this  or  the  other 
ornament  of  dress  is  dangerous  to  him,  and  yet  feel  excessive 
desire  for  it,  he  cannot  do  better  than  restrain  himself  by  im- 
posing a  necessity  of  abstinence,  in  order  to  free  himself  from 
all  hesitation.  So,  if  any  one  be  forgetful  or  negligent  of 
the  necessary  duties  of  piety,  why  may  he  not  arouse  his 
memory,  and  shake  off  his  negligence  by  the  imposition  of  a 
vow  ?  In  both  cases,  I  confess,  there  is  an  appearance  of  pupil- 
age;  but,  considered  as  helps  of  infirmity,  such  vows  may 
be  used  with  advantage  by  the  inexperienced  and  unperfect. 
Vows,  therefore,  which  respect  one  of  these  ends,  especially 
those  relating  to  external  things,  we  shall  affirm  to  be  lawful,  if 
they  be  supported  by  the  approbation  of  God,  if  tliey  be 
suitable  to  our  calling,  and  if  they  be  limited  by  the  ability  of 
grace  which  God  has  given  us. 

(A)  Psalm  xxii.  25;  Ivi.  12;  cxvi.  14,  18. 


438  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

VI.  It  will  not  DOW  be  difficult  to  conclude  what  ideas 
ought  to  be  entertained  of  vows  universally.  There  is  one 
vow  common  to  all  believers,  which  is  made  in  baptism,  and 
confn-med  and  established  by  us  in  the  profession  of  our  faith 
in  the  Catechism,  and  in  the  reception  of  the  Lord's  supper. 
For  the  sacraments  resemble  covenants,  or  instruments  of 
agreement,  by  which  God  conveys  his  mercy  to  us,  and  in  it 
eternal  life  ;  and  we,  on  the  other  hand,  promise  him  obedi- 
ence. Now,  the  form,  or  at  least  the  sum  of  the  vow  is,  that, 
renouncing  Satan,  we  devote  ourselves  to  the  service  of  God, 
to  obey  his  holy  commands,  and  not  to  follow  the  corrupt 
inclinations  of  the  flesh.  This  vow  being  sanctioned  by  the 
Scripture,  and  even  required  of  all  the  children  of  God,  it 
ought  not  to  be  doubted  that  it  is  holy  and  useful.  It  is  no 
objection  to  this,  that  no  man  in  the  present  life  performs  the 
perfect  obedience  which  God  requires  of  us;  for  as  this  stipu- 
lation is  included  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  contains 
both  remission  of  sins  and  the  spirit  of  sanctification,  the 
promise  which  we  then  make  is  connected  with,  and  pre- 
supposes our  supplication  for  mercy,  and  our  solicitation  for 
assistance.  In  judging  of  particular  vows,  it  is  necessary  to 
remember  the  three  rules  which  we  have  given,  which  will 
enable  us  to  form  a  correct  estimate  of  the  nature  of  every 
vow.  Yet  I  would  not  be  thought  to  carry  my  recommenda- 
tion, even  of  those  vows  which  I  maintain  to  be  holy,  so  far  as 
to  wish  their  daily  use.  For  though  I  venture  to  determine 
nothing  respecting  the  number  or  time,  yet,  if  any  person 
would  follow  my  advice,  he  will  make  none  but  such  as  are 
sober,  and  of  short  duration.  For  if  any  one  often  recur  to 
the  making  of  many  vows,  all  religion  will  be  injured  by  their 
frequency,  and  there  will  be  great  danger  of  falling  into  super- 
stition. If  any  one  bind  himself  by  a  perpetual  vow,  he  will 
not  discharge  it  without  great  trouble  and  difficulty  ;  or,  wea- 
ried by  its  long  continuance,  he  will  at  length  violate  it  al- 
together. 

VII.  Now,  it  is  evident  what  great  superstition  has  for  some 
ages  prevailed  in  the  world  on  this  subject.  One  person  vowed 
that  he  would  drink  no  wine  ;  as  though  abstinence  from  wine 
were  a  service  in  itself  acceptable  to  God.  Another  obliged  him- 
self to  fast ;  another  to  abstain  from  meat  on  certain  days,  which 
he  had  falsely  imagined  to  possess  some  peculiar  sanctity  beyond 
others.  There  were  some  vows  far  more  puerile,  though  not 
made  by  children.  For  it  was  esteemed  great  wisdom  to  vow 
pilgrimages  to  places  of  more  than  common  holiness,  and  to 
perform  the  journey  either  on  foot,  or"  with  the  body  half 
naked,  that  the  merit  might  be  augmented  by  the  fatigue. 
These,  and  similar  vows,  with  an  incredible  rage  for  which  the 


CHAP.    XIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  439 

world  has  long  been  inflamed,  examined  according  to  the  rules 
which  we  have  laid  down,  will  not  only  be  found  to  be  vain 
and  luigatory,  but  replete  with  manifest  impiety.  For  whatever 
may  be  the  judgment  of  the  flesli,  God  holds  nothing  in  greater 
abomination  than  services  of  human  invention.  The  following 
pernicious  and  execrable  opinions  are  also  entertained ;  hypo- 
crites, when  they  have  performed  these  fooleries,  suppose 
themselves  to  have  attained  a  high  degree  of  righteousness ; 
they  place  the  whole  substance  of  piety  in  external  obser- 
vances; and  they  despise  all  who  discover  less  concern  about 
these  things  than  themselves. 

VIII.  To  enumerate  all  the  particular  kinds  of  vows,  would 
answer  no  good  purpose.  But,  because  monastic  vows  are  held 
m  very  high  veneration,  as  they  seemed  to  be  sanctioned  by  the 
public  authority  of  the  Church,  it  is  proper  to  make  a  few 
brief  remarks  respecting  them.  In  the  first  place,  that  no  one 
may  defend  monachism.  as  it  exists  in  the  present  day,  under 
the  pretence  of  ancient  and  long-continued  prescription,  it  must 
be  observed,  that  the  mode  of  life  in  monasteries,  in  ancient 
times,  was  very  different  from  what  it  is  now.  They  were  the 
retreats  of  those  who  wished  to  habituate  themselves  to  the 
greatest  austerity  and  patience  ;  for  the  discipline  attributed  to 
the  Lacedasmonians,  under  the  laws  of  Lycurgus,  was  equalled, 
and  even  considerably  exceeded  in  rigour,  by  that  which  was 
then  practised  among  the  monks.  They  slept  on  the  ground 
without  any  beds  or  couches  ;  they  drank  nothing  but  water  ; 
their  food  consisted  entirely  of  bread,  herbs,  and  roots  ;  their 
principal  dainties  were  oil,  pease,  and  beans.  They  abstained 
from  all  delicacy  of  victuals  and  ornaments  of  the  body.  These 
things  might  be  thought  incredible,  if  they  were  not  attested 
by  persons  who  saw  and  experienced  them,  Gregory  of  Nazian- 
zum,  Basil,  and  Chrysostom.  But  it  was  by  such  probationary 
discipline  that  they  prepared  themselves  for  higher  oflices.  For 
that  the  monastic  colleges  were  at  that  time  the  seminaries, 
from  which  the  Church  was  furnished  with  ministers,  is  suffi- 
ciently evident  from  the  examples  of  those  whom  we  have 
mentioned,  who  were  all  educated  in  monasteries,  and  from 
that  situation  were  called  to  the  episcopal  office,  as  well  as  of 
many  other  great  and  excellent  men  of  their  age.  And  Augus- 
tine shows  that  the  same  custom  of  supplying  ministers  for  the 
Church  from  the  monasteries  contimied  in  his  time  ;  for  the 
monks  of  the  Island  of  Capraria  are  addressed  by  hnn  in  the 
following  manner :  "  We  exhort  you  in  the  Lord,  brethren, 
that  you  keep  your  purpose,  and  persevere  to  the  end  ;  and 
that,  if  at  any  time  your  mother  the  Church  shall  have  need 
of  your  labour,  you  neither  undertake  the  charge  with  eager 
pride,  nor  refuse  it  with  flattering  indolence  ;  but  tliat  you  obey 


440  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

God  with  gentleness  of  heart ;  not  pi-eferring  your  leisure  to  the 
necessities  of  the  Church,  whom,  if  no  good  men  had  been 
disposed  to  assist  in  the  production  of  her  children,  you  cannot 
discover  how  you  could  yourselves  have  been  born."  He  here 
speaks  of  the  ministry,  which  is  the  means  of  the  regeneration 
of  believers.  Again,  in  an  epistle  to  Aurelius,  he  says  :  ''  It 
causes  an  occasion  of  falling  to  themselves,  and  a  most  injurious 
indignity  to  the  ecclesiastical  order,  if  the  deserters  of  monas- 
teries are  chosen  to  clerical  offices  ;  while  of  those  who  remain 
in  the  monastery,  we  are  accustomed  to  promote  to  such  ofHces 
only  the  best  and  most  approved.  Unless,  perhaps,  as  the 
common  people  say,  A  bad  dancer  is  a  good  musician,  so  it 
should  be  jocularly  said  of  us,  A  bad  monk  will  be  a  good  minis- 
ter. It  is  too  much  to  be  lamented,  if  we  stimulate  monks  to  such 
ruinous  pride,  and  think  the  clergy  deserving  of  such  heavy 
disgrace  ;  whereas,  sometimes  even  a  good  monk  will  hardly 
make  a  good  priest,  if  he  has  sufficient  continence,  and  yet 
IS  deficient  in  necessary  learning."  From  these  passages  it 
appears  that  pious  men  were  accustomed  to  prepare  themselves, 
by  monastic  discipline,  for  the  government  of  the  Church, 
that  they  might  be  the  better  qualified  to  undertake  such 
an  important  office.  Not  that  all  monks  attained  this  end ; 
or  even  aimed  at  it ;  for  they  were  in  general  illiterate  men, 
but  those  who  were  qualified  were  selected. 

IX.  But  Augustine  has  given  us  a  portraiture  of  the  ancient 
monachism,  principally  in  two  places ;  in  his  treatise  On  the 
Manners  of  the  Catholic  Church,  in  which  he  defends  the 
sanctity  of  that  profession  against  the  calumnies  of  the  Manichas- 
ans  ;  and  in  another  book,  On  the  Labour  of  Monks,  in  which 
he  inveighs  against  some  degenerate  monks,  who  had  begun  to 
corrupt  that  order.  The  diflerent  things  which  he  states,  I 
shall  here  collect  in  a  brief  summary,  using,  as  far  as  possible, 
his  own  words.  "  Despising  the  aUurements  of  this  world, 
united  in  a  common  life  of  the  strictest  chastity  and  holiness, 
they  spend  their  time  together,  living  in  prayers,  in  readings, 
and  in  conferences,  neither  inflated  with  pride,  nor  turbulent 
with  obstinacy,  nor  pale  with  envy.  No  one  possesses  any 
thing  of  his  own  ;  no  one  is  burdensome  to  another.  By  the 
labour  of  tlieir  hands,  they  procure  those  things  which  are 
sufficient  to  support  the  body,  without  hindering  the  mind  from 
devotion  to  God.  Their  work  they  deliver  to  those  who  are 
called  Deans.  These  Deans  dispose  of  every  thing  with  great 
care,  and  render  an  account  to  one,  whom  they  call  Father. 
Most  holy  in  their  manners,  preeminent  in  divine  learning,  and 
excelling  in  every  virtue,  these  Fathers,  without  any  pride, 
consult  the  welfare  of  those  whom  they  call  children,  com- 
manding them  with  great  authority,  and  obeyed  by  them  with 


CHAP.    XIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGIOX,  441 

great  cheerfulness.  At  the  close  of  the  day,  while  yet  fasting, 
every  one  comes  forth  from  his  cell,  and  they  all  assemble  to 
hear  the  Father ;  and  each  of  these  Fathers  is  surrounded  by 
at  least  three  thousand  men,"  (he  is  speaking  chiefly  of  Egypt 
and  the  East  ,•)  "there  they  take  some  bodily  refreshment,  as 
much  as  is  sufficient  for  life  and  health  ;  everyone  restraining 
his  appetite  that  he  may  make  but  a  sparing  use  even  of  tlie 
provisions  placed  before  him,  which  are  in  small  quantities,  and 
of  the  plainest  description.  That  they  not  only  abstain  from 
animal  food  and  from  wine,  in  order  to  repress  libidinous 
desires,  but  from  such  things  as  stimulate  the  appetite  with 
greater  power,  in  proportion  to  the  opinion  entertained  by 
some  persons  of  their  purity ;  under  which  pretence  a  vile 
longing  after  exquisite  meats,  with  the  exception  of  animal 
food,  is  wont  to  be  ridiculously  and  shamefully  defended. 
Whatever  remains  beyond  their  necessary  food,  (and  the  sur- 
plus is  considerable,  both  from  the  diligence  of  their  hands, 
and  from  the  abstemiousness  of  their  meals,)  is  distributed 
to  the  poor,  with  greater  care  than  if  it  had  been  earned  by 
those  who  distribute  it.  For  they  are  not  anxious  to  have 
an  abundance  of  these  things,  but  all  their  concern  is,  that  none 
of  their  abundance  may  remain  with  them."  Afterwards, 
having  mentioned  their  austerity,  of  which  he  had  seen  exam- 
ples at  Milan  and  other  places,  he  says,  "In  these  circum- 
stances, no  one  is  urged  to  austerities  Avhich  he  is  unable  to 
bear  ;  there  is  no  imposition  on  any  one,  of  that  which  he  re- 
fuses ;  nor  is  he  condemned  by  the  rest,  because  he  confesses 
himself  too  weak  to  imitate  them  ;  for  they  remember  the  high 
commendations  given  of  charity  ;  they  remember  that  to  the 
pure,  all  things  are  pure,  (i)  Therefore  all  their  industry  is 
exerted,  not  in  rejecting  certain  kinds  of  food  as  polluted,  but  in 
subduing  concupiscence  and  preserving  the  love  of  the  brethren. 
They  remember  that  it  is  said.  Meats  for  the  belly,  and  the 
belly  for  meats;  but  God  shall  destroy  both  it  and  them,  (k) 
Yet  many  strong  persons  abstain  on  account  of  the  weak. 
Many  have  a  different  reason  for  doing  it ;  they  are  fond  of 
living  on  meaner  and  less  sumptuous  food.  These  persons, 
therefore,  who  are  abstemious  when  in  perfect  health,  if  a  state 
of  indisposition  requires,  partake,  without  any  fear,  when  they 
are  sick.  Many  drink  no  wine  ;  but  this  is  not  from  an  appre- 
hension of  being  defiled  with  it ;  for  they  most  humanely  cause 
it  to  be  given  to  those  who  are  languid,  and  cannot  obtain 
health  of  body  without  it  ;  and  some,  who  foolishly  refuse  it, 
they  admonish,  with  brotherly  alTection,  to  beware  lest  tiieir 
vain  superstition  debilitate  them  rather  than  promote  their  holi- 

(i)  Titus  i.  15.  (k)  1  Cor.  vi.  13. 

VOL.  II.  56 


442  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

ness.  Thus  they  iihgently  exercise  themselves  in  piety  :  but 
they  know  that  the  exercise  of  the  body  extends  only  to  a 
short  time.  Charity  is  principally  observed  ;  to  charity  the 
food,  the  conversation,  the  apparel,  the  countenance,  are  sub- 
servient. They  all  assemble  and  combine  into  one  charity  ; 
to  violate  this,  is  accounted  unlawful,  and  a  sin  against  God  ; 
if  any  one  resist  charity,  he  is  expelled  and  shunned  ;  if  any 
one  otfend  against  it,  he  is  not  suffered  to  remain  a  single  day." 
As  Augustine  appears,  in  these  passages,  to  have  exhibited  a 
portraiture  of  the  true  character  of  ancient  monachism,  1  have 
thought  proper,  notwithstanding  their  length,  to  insert  them 
here  ;  for  I  saw  that,  however  I  might  study  brevity,  yet  I 
should  go  into  still  greater  length,  if  I  were  to  collect  the  same 
things  from  different  authors. 

X.  My  design  here  is  not  to  pursue  the  whole  argument, 
but  merely  to  point  out,  by  the  way,  the  characters  of  the 
monks  who  belonged  to  the  ancient  Church,  and  the  nature  of 
the  monastic  profession  at  that  period,  that  the  judicious  readers 
may  be  able,  from  a  comparison,  to  judge  of  the  effrontery  of 
those  who  plead  antiquity  in  support  of  the  monachism  of  the 
present  day.  When  Augustine  gives  us  a  description  of  holy 
and  legitimate  monachism,  he  excludes  from  it  all  rigid  exac- 
tion or  imposition  of  those  things  which  the  Lord  in  his  word 
has  left  free.  But  there  is  nothing  at  the  present  day  more 
severely  enforced.  For  they  consider  it  a  crime,  never  to  be 
expiated,  for  any  one  to  deviate  in  the  minutest  particular  from 
the  rules  prescribed  in  the  colour  or  shape  of  their  apparel,  the 
kind  of  food,  or  other  frivolous  and  uninteresting  ceremonies. 
Augustine  strenuously  contends,  that  it  is  not  lawful  for  monks 
to  live  in  idleness  at  the  expense  of  others.  He  denies  that 
there  was  such  an  example  to  be  found  in  his  time  in  any  well 
regulated  monastery.  The  present  monks  place  the  principal 
part  of  their  sanctity  in  idleness.  For  if  they  were  divested 
of  idleness,  what  would  become  of  that  contemplative  life,  in 
which  they  boast  of  excelling  other  men,  and  of  making  near 
approaches  to  the  life  of  angels?  In  fine,  Augustine  requires 
a  monachism  which  would  be  no  other  than  an  exercise  and 
assistance  in  the  duties  of  piety,  which  are  enjoined  on  all 
Christians.  What!  when  he  represents  charity  as  the  principal 
and  almost  only  rule  of  it,  can  we  supjiosc  him  to  be  conmiend- 
ing  a  conspiracy,  by  which  a  few  men  are  closely  united  to 
each  other,  and  sej>aratcd  from  the  whole  body  of  the  Church  ? 
On  the  contrary,  he  would  have  them  to  enlighten  others  by 
their  example,  in  order  to  the  preservation  of  the  unity  of  the 
Church.  In  both  these  respects,  the  nature  of  modern  mona- 
chism is  so  diflcrent,  that  it  is  scarcely  possible  to  find  any 
thing  more  dissimilar  or  opposite.     For,  not  content  with  that 


CHAP.    XIII. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  443 

piety,  to  the  study  of  which  Jesus  Christ  commands  his  ser- 
vants constantly  to  devote  themselves,  our  present  monks  ima- 
gine I  know  not  what  new  kind  of  piety,  in  the  meditation  of 
which  they  are  become  more  perfect  than  all  others. 

XI.  If  they  deny  this,  I  would  wish  them  to  inform  me 
why  they  dignify  their  order  alone  with  the  title  of  perfection, 
and  deny  this  character  to  all  the  callings  appointed  by  God.  I 
am  not  unacquainted  with  their  sophistical  solution,  that  it  is 
so  called,  not  as  containing  perfection  in  it,  but  because  it  is 
the  best  calculated  of  all  callings  for  the  attainment  of  perfec- 
tion. When  they  wish  to  elevate  themselves  in  the  estimation 
of  the  people,  to  entrap  inexperienced  and  ignorant  youths,  to 
assert  their  privileges,  to  extol  their  own  dignity  to  the  de- 
gradation of  others,  they  boast  of  being  in  a  state  of  perfec- 
tion. When  they  are  so  closely  pressed,  that  they  cannot 
defend  such  empty  arrogance,  they  have  recourse  to  this  sub- 
terfuge—  that  they  have  not  yet  attained  perfection,  but  that 
they  are  in  a  condition  more  favourable  than  any  others 
for  aspiring  towards  it.  In  the  mean  time  they  retain  the 
admiration  of  the  people,  as  though  the  monastic  life,  and 
that  alone,  were  angelic,  perfect,  and  purified  from  every 
blemish.  Under  this  pretext  they  carry  on  a  most  lucrative 
traffic  ;  but  their  moderation  lies  buried  in  a  few  books.  Who 
does  not  see  that  this  is  an  intolerable  mockery  ?  But  let  us 
argue  the  case  as  if  they  really  attributed  no  higher  honour  to 
their  profession,  than  to  call  it  a  state  adapted  to  the  attainment 
of  perfection.  Still,  by  giving  it  this  designation,  they  dis- 
tinguish it,  as  by  a  peculiar  mark,  from  all  other  modes  of  life. 
And  who  can  bear  that  such  honour  should  be  transferred  to 
an  institution,  which  has  never  received  from  God  even  a  single 
syllable  of  approbation,  and  that  such  indignity  should  be  cast 
on  all  the  other  callings  of  God,  which  have  not  only  been 
enjoined,  but  adorned  with  signal  commendations  by  his  most 
holy  word  ?  And  what  an  outrageous  insult  is  ottered  to  God, 
when  a  mere  human  invention  is  preferred  beyond  all  tlie  kinds 
of  life  which  he  has  appointed  and  celebrated  by  his  own 
testimony ! 

XII.  Now,  let  them  charge  me  with  a  calumny  in  what  I 
have  already  alleged,  that  they  are  not  content  with  the  rule 
which  God  has  prescribed  to  his  servants.  Though  I  were 
silent  on  the  subject,  they  furnish  more  than  suilicient  ground 
for  their  own  accusation ;  for  they  openly  teach  that  they 
take  upon  themselves  a  greater  burden  than  Christ  laid  upon 
his  disciples,  because  they  promise  to  keep  the  evangelical 
counsels,  which  inculcate  the  love  of  our  enemies,  and  pro- 
hibit the  desire  of  revenge  and  profane  swearing,  and  which, 


444  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

they  say,  are  not  binding  on  Christians  at  large.  What  anti- 
quity will  they  plead  here  ?  This  notion  never  entered  into 
the  mind  of  one  of  the  ancients.  They  all,  with  one  consent, 
declare  that  there  was  not  a  syllable  uttered  by  Christ  which 
we  are  not  bound  to  obey ;  and  without  any  hesitation  they 
uniformly  and  expressly  represent  the  passages  in  question  as 
commands,  which  these  sagacious  interpreters  pretend  to  have 
been  delivered  by  Christ  merely  as  counsels.  But  as  we  have 
already  shown  that  this  is  a  most  pestilent  error,  it  may  suffice 
to  have  briefly  remarked  here,  that  the  monachism  which 
exists  at  present,  is  founded  on  the  opinion,  which  justly  de- 
serves to  be  execrated  by  all  believers,  that  some  rule  of  life 
may  be  imagined  more  perfect  than  the  common  one  given  by 
God  to  all  the  Church.  Whatever  superstructure  is  raised  on 
this  foundation,  cannot  but  be  abominable. 

XIII.  But  they  adduce  another  argument  in  proof  of  their 
perfection,  which  they  consider  as  most  conclusive ;  our  Lord 
said  to  the  young  man  who  inquired  what  was  the  perfection 
of  righteousness,  "  If  thou  wilt  be  perfect,  go  and  sell  that  thou 
hast,  and  give  to  the  poor."(Z)  Whether  they  do  this,  I  shall 
not  now  dispute  ;  let  us  at  present  put  the  case  that  they  do. 
They  boast,  therefore,  that  they  have  been  made  perfect  by 
forsaking  all  that  they  have.  If  the  whole  of  perfection  con- 
sist in  this,  what  does  Paul  mean,  when  he  says,  "  Though  I 
bestow  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  have  not  charity,  I 
am  nothing  ?  "  (m)  What  kind  of  perfection  is  that  which  is 
reduced  to  nothing  by  the  absence  of  charity  ?  Here  they 
will  be  obliged  to  answer,  that  though  this  is  the  principal,  yet 
it  is  not  the  only  work  of  perfection.  But  here  also  they  are 
contradicted  by  Paul,  who  hesitates  not  to  make  "  charity," 
without  any  such  renunciation,  "  the  bond  of  perfection."  («) 
If  it  is  certain,  that  there  is  no  discordance  between  the  Master 
and  the  disciple, — and  Paul  explicitly  denies  the  perfection  of 
a  man  to  consist  in  the  renunciation  of  his  property,  and,  on 
the  other  hand,  asserts  that  it  may  exist  without  that  relinquish- 
ment,—  it  is  necessary  to  examine  in  what  sense  we  are  to 
understand  the  declaration  of  Christ,  "If  thou  wilt  be  perfect, 
go  and  sell  that  thou  hast."  Now,  there  will  be  no  ob- 
scurity in  the  sense,  if  we  consider,  what  ought  always  to  be 
considered  in  all  the  discourses  of  Christ,  to  whom  the  words 
are  addressed.  A  young  man  inquires,  "  What  good  thing 
shall  I  do,  that  I  may  inherit  eternal  life?"(o)  As  the  ques- 
tion related  to  works,  Christ  refers  him  to  the  law ;  and  that 
justly;  for,  considered  in  itself,  it  is  the  way  of  eternal  life, 


(l)     Matt.  xix.  21.  (n)  Col.  iii.  14. 

(?»)  1  Cor.  xiii.  3.  (o)  Matt.  xix.  16. 


CHAP.    XIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  445 

and  is  no  otherwise  insufficient  to  conduct  ns  to  salvation, 
than  in  consequence  of  our  depravity.  By  this  answer  Christ 
declared,  that  he  taught  no  other  system  of  life  than  that 
which  had  anciently  been  delivered  in  the  law  of  God.  Thus 
he  at  the  same  time  gave  a  testimony  to  the  divine  law  as  the 
doctrine  of  perfect  righteousness,  and  precluded  all  calumnies, 
that  he  might  not  appear,  by  inculcating  a  new  rule  of  life,  to 
incite  the  people  to  a  departure  from  the  law.  The  young 
man,  not  indeed  from  badness  of  heart,  but  infected  with  vain 
confidence,  replies  respecting  the  precepts  of  the  law,  "  All 
these  things  have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up."  {p)  It  is  certain 
beyond  all  doubt,  that  he  was  at  an  immense  distance  from 
that  which  he  boasted  of  having  attained  ;  and  had  his  boast 
been  true,  he  would  have  wanted  nothing  necessary  to  com- 
plete perfection.  For  it  has  been  already  proved  that  the 
law  contains  in  itself  a  perfect  righteousness  ;  and  it  appears 
from  this  passage  that  the  observance  of  it  is  called  the  entrance 
into  eternal  life.  To  teach  him  how  little  proficiency  he  had 
made  in  that  righteousness,  which  he  too  confidently  replied 
that  he  had  fulfilled,  it  was  necessary  to  investigate  and  ex- 
pose a  vice  which  lay  concealed  in  his  heart.  He  abounded 
in  riches,  and  his  heart  was  fixed  on  them.  Because  he  \vas 
not  sensible  of  this  secret  wound,  therefore,  Christ  probes  it. 
"  Go,"  says  he,  "  sell  all  that  thou  hast."  If  he  had  been  so 
good  an  observer  of  the  law  as  he  imagined,  he  would  not  have 
gone  away  sorrowful  on  hearing  this  answer.  For  he  who 
loves  God  with  all  his  heart,  not  only  esteems  as  worthless 
whatever  is  inconsistent  with  his  love,  but  also  abominates  it 
as  pernicious.  Therefore,  when  Christ  commands  a  rich  and 
avaricious  man  to  relinquish  all  his  wealth,  it  is  just  the 
same  as  if  he  commanded  an  ambitious  man  to  renounce  all 
his  honours,  a  voluptuous  man  to  abandon  all  his  delicacies, 
and  an  unchaste  man  to  forsake  all  the  instruments  of  tempta- 
tion. Thus  consciences,  which  receive  no  impression  from  gen- 
eral admonitions,  require  to  be  recalled  to  a  particular  sense  of 
their  own  guilt.  It  is  in  vain,  therefore,  to  extend  this  particular 
argument  to  a  general  maxim,  as  though  Christ  placed  all  the  per- 
fection of  man  in  the  renunciation  of  his  possessions,  whereas 
he  only  meant  by  this  direction  to  drive  this  young  man,  who 
betrayed  such  excessive  self-complacency,  into  a  sense  of  his 
malady,  that  he  might  perceive  himself  to  be  still  very  far 
from  the  perfect  obedience  of  the  law,  to  which  he  arrogantly 
and  falsely  pretended.  I  confess  that  this  passage  was  mis- 
understood by  some  of  the  fathers,  and  that  their  misconstruc- 
tion gave  rise  to  an  affectation  of  voluntary  poverty  ;  so  that 

(p)  Matt.  xix.  20. 


446  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

they  were  supposed  to  be  the  only  happy  persons,  who  re- 
nounced all  earthly  things,  and  devoted  themselves  entirely 
to  Christ.  Bnt  I  trust  that  the  explication  which  I  have  given 
will  be  satisfactory  to  all  good  and  peaceable  persons,  so  as  to 
leave  them  in  no  doubt  of  the  true  meaning  of  Christ. 

XIV.  Nothing,  however,  was  further  from  the  intention  of 
the  fathers,  than  to  establish  such  a  perfection  as  has  since 
been  fabricated  by  these  hooded  sophisters,  which  goes  to  set 
up  two  kinds  of  Christianity.  For  no  one  had  then  given  birth 
to  that  sacrilegious  dogma,  which  compares  the  monastic  pro- 
fession to  baptism,  and  even  openly  asserts  it  to  be  a  species 
of  second  baptism.  Who  can  doubt  that  the  fathers  would 
have  sincerely  abhorred  such  blasphemy?  As  to  the  conclu- 
ding observation  of  Augustine,  respecting  the  ancient  monks, 
that  they  devoted  themselves  wholly  to  charity,  what  need  is 
there  for  a  word  to  be  said  to  demonstrate  it  to  be  altogether 
inapplicable  to  this  modern  profession  ?  The  fact  itself  de- 
clares, that  all  who  retire  into  monasteries  separate  themselves 
from  the  Church.  For  do  they  not  separate  themselves  from 
the  legitimate  society  of  believers,  by  taking  to  themselves  a 
peculiar  ministry  and  a  private  administration  of  the  sacra- 
ments? What  is  a  disruption  of  the  communion  of  the 
Church,  if  this  be  not?  And  to  pursue  the  comparison  which 
I  have  commenced,  and  to  conclude  it  at  once,  what  resem- 
blance have  they  in  this  respect  to  the  monks  of  ancient  times  ? 
Though  they  lived  in  a  state  of  seclusion  from  other  men,  they 
had  no  separate  Church  ;  they  received  the  sacraments  with 
others ;  they  attended  the  solemn  assemblies  to  hear  preach- 
ing, and  to  unite  in  prayers  with  the  company  of  believers  ; 
and  there  they  formed  a  part  of  the  people.  In  erecting  a 
private  altar  for  themselves,  what  have  the  present  monks 
done,  but  broken  the  bond  of  unity?  For  they  have  excom- 
municated themselves  from  the  general  body  of  the  Church, 
and  have  shown  contempt  of  the  ordinary  ministry,  by  which 
it  has  pleased  God  that  peace  and  charity  should  be  preserved 
among  his  servants.  All  the  present  monasteries,  therefore,  I 
maintam  to  be  so  many  conventicles  of  schismatics,  who  disturb 
the  order  of  the  Church,  and  have  been  cut  otF  from  the  legiti- 
mate society  of  believers.  And  to  place  this  division  beyond 
all  doubt,  they  Iiave  assumed  various  names  of  sects;  and 
have  not  been  ashamed  to  glory  in  that  which  Paul  execrates 
beyond  all  possibility  of  exaggeration.  Unless  we  suppose  that 
Christ  was  divided  by  the  Corinthians,  when  every  one  boasted 
of  his  particular  teacher;  (7)  and  that  it  is  now  no  deroga- 
tion from  the  honour  of  Christ,  when,  instead  of  the  name  of 

(?)  1  Cor.  i.  12,  13 ;  iii.  4. 


CHAP,    XIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  447 

Christians,  some  are  called  Benedictines,  others  Franciscans, 
others  Dominicans;  and  when  they  haughtily  assume  these 
titles  to  themselves  as  the  badges  of  their  religious  profession, 
from  an  affectation  of  being  distinguished  from  the  general 
body  of  Christians. 

XV.  The  differences  which  I  have  stated,  between  the  an- 
cient monks  and  those  of  the  present  age,  relate  not  to  manners, 
but  to  the  profession  itself.  Let  it,  therefore,  be  remembered  by 
the  readers,  that  I  have  spoken  of  monachism  rather  than  of 
monks,  and  have  censured  those  faults  which  are  not  merely 
chargeable  on  the  lives  of  a  few,  but  which  are  inseparable 
from  the  life  itself.  The  great  dissimilarity  of  their  manners 
can  hardly  require  a  particular  representation.  It  is  obvious, 
that  there  is  no  order  of  men  more  polluted  with  all  the  turpi- 
tude of  vice  ;  none  more  disgraced  by  factions,  animosities, 
cabals,  and  intrigues.  In  some  few  convents,  indeed,  they  live 
in  chastity;  if  chastity  it  must  be  called,  where  concupiscence 
is  so  far  restrained  as  not  to  be  publicly  infamous ;  but  it  is 
scarcely  possible  to  find  one  convent  in  ten,  which  is  not 
rather  a  brothel  than  a  sanctuary  of  chastity.  What  frugality 
is  there  in  their  food?  They  are  exactly  like  so  many  swine 
fattening  in  a  sty.  But  lest  they  should  complain  that  I 
handle  them  too  roughly,  I  proceed  no  further ;  though  in  the 
few  particulars  upon  which  I  have  touched,  whoever  knows 
the  matter  of  fact  will  acknowledge  that  I  have  confined  my- 
self to  the  simple  truth.  Augustine,  at  a  time  when,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  testimony,  monks  were  so  eminent  for  the 
strictest  chastity,  yet  complains  that  there  were  many  vaga- 
bonds among  them,  who,  by  wicked  arts  and  impostures,  ex- 
torted money  from  the  unwary,  who  exercised  a  scandalous 
traffic  by  carrying  about  the  relics  of  martyrs,  and  even  sold 
the  bones  of  any  dead  men  as  the  bones  of  martyrs,  and  who 
brought  disgrace  on  the  order  by  a  great  number  of  similar 
crimes.  As  he  declares  that  he  had  seen  no  better  men  than 
those  who  had  been  improved  in  monasteries,  so  he  complains 
that  he  had  seen  no  worse  men  than  those  who  had  been  cor- 
rupted in  monasteries.  What  would  he  say,  at  the  present  day, 
to  see  almost  all  monasteries,  not  only  filled,  but  overflowing, 
with  so  many  and  such  desperate  vices  ?  I  say  nothing  but  what 
is  notorious  to  every  person  ;  though  this  censure  is  not  apjili- 
cable  to  all  without  any  exception.  For  as  the  rule  and  disci- 
pline of  holy  living  has  never  been  so  well  established  in  mon- 
asteries, but  that  there  were  always  some  drones  very  ditferent 
from  the  rest,  so  I  do  not  say  that  the  monks  of  the  present 
day  have  so  far  degenerated  from  that  holy  antiquity,  that  there 
are  not  still  some  good  men  among  their  body  ;  but  they  are 


^^  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

few,  dispersed  and  concealed  among  a  vast  multitude  of  the 
wicked  and  abandoned  ;  and  they  are  not  only  held  in  con- 
tempt, but  insulted  and  molested,  and  sometimes  even  treated 
with  cruelty  by  the  rest  ;  who,  according  to  a  proverb  of  the 
Milesians,  think  that  no  good  man  ought  to  be  suffered  to  re- 
main among  them. 

XVI.  By  this  comparison  of  ancient  and  modern  monachism 
I  trust  I  have  succeeded  in  my  design  of  evincing  the  fallacy 
of  the  plea,  which  the  present  men  of  the  hood  allege  in  de- 
fence of  their  profession,  from  the  example  of  the  primitive 
Church ;  as  they  differ  from  the  early  monks  just  as  apes  do 
from  men.  At  the  same  time,  I  admit  that  even  in  the  ancient 
system  which  Augustine  commends,  there  is  something  which 
I  cannot  altogether  approve.  I  grant,  they  discovered  no 
superstition  in  the  external  exercises  of  a  too  rigid  discipline  ; 
but  I  maintain  that  they  were  not  free  from  excessive  affecta- 
tion and  misguided  zeal.  It  seemed  a  good  thing  to  forsake 
then-  property  in  order  to  exempt  themselves  from  all  earthly 
solicitude  ;  but  God  sets  a  higher  value  on  pious  exertions  for 
the  government  of  a  family,  when  a  holy  father  of  a  family, 
free  from  all  avarice,  ambition,  and  other  corrupt  passions^ 
devotes  himself  to  this  object,  that  he  may  serve  God  in  a 
particular  calling.  It  is  a  beautiful  thing  to  live  the  life  of  a 
philosopher  in  retirement,  at  a  distance  from  the  society  of 
men  ;  but  it  is  not  the  part  of  Christian  charity  for  a  man  to 
act  as  if  he  hated  all  mankind,  withdrawing  to  the  solitude 
of  a  desert,  and  abandoning  the  principal  duties  which  the 
Lord  has  commanded.  Though  we  should  grant  that  there 
was  no  other  evil  in  this  profession,  yet  certainly  this  was  not 
a  small  one,  that  it  introduced  a  useless  and  pernicious  example 
into  the  Church. 

XVII.  Let  us  now  examine  the  nature  of  the  vows  by 
which  monks  in  the  present  day  are  initiated  into  this  cele- 
brated order.  In  the  first  place,  their  design  is  to  institute  a 
new  service,  in  order  to  merit  the  favour  of  God ;  therefore 
I  conclude,  from  the  principles  already  established,  that  what- 
ever they  vow  is  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God.  Se- 
condly, without  any  regard  to  the  calling  of  God,  and  without 
any  approbation  from  him,  they  invent  for  themselves  a  new 
mode  of  life,  in  conformity  with  their  own  inclinations ;  therefore 
I  maintain  it  to  be  a  rash  and  unlawful  attempt,  because  their 
consciences  have  nothing  to  rest  ujion  before  God,- and  "whatso- 
ever is  not  of  faith,  is  sin."  (r)  Thirdly,  they  bind  themselves 
to  many  corrupt  and  impious  services,  comprehended  in  the 
monachism  of  the  present  day ;  therefore  I  contend,  that  they 

(r)  Rom.  xiv.  23. 


CHAP.    XIII.]  CHKISTIAN    RELIGION.  449 

are  not  consecrated  to  God,  but  to  the  devil.  For  why  was  it 
lawful  for  the  prophet  to  say  of  tlie  Israelites,  that  "  they  sacri- 
ficed unto  devils,  not  to  God,"  (s)  only  because  they  had  corrupt- 
ed the  true  worship  of  God  with  profane  ceremonies  ;  and  why 
shall  it  not  be  lawful  for  us  to  say  the  same  of  the  monks, 
whose  assumption  of  the  hood  is  accompanied  with  the  yoke 
of  a  thousand  impious  superstitions  ?  Now,  what  is  the  nature 
of  their  vows?  They  promise  to  God  to  maintain  perpetual 
virginity,  as  if  they  had  previously  stipulated  with  him  that 
he  should  exempt  them  from  the  necessity  of  marriage.  They 
have  no  room  to  plead,  that  they  make  this  vow  merely  in  a 
reliance  on  the  grace  of  God ;  for  as  he  declares  that  it  is  not 
given  to  all  men,  (t)  we  have  no  right  to  entertain  a  confidence 
that  we  shall  receive  the  special  gift.  Let  those  who  possess 
it  use  it :  if  they  experience  disquietude  from  the  stimulations 
of  passion,  let  them  have  recourse  to  his  aid  by  whom  alone 
they  can  be  strengthened  to  resist.  If  they  are  unsuccessful,  let 
them  not  despise  the  remedy  which  is  ofi"ered  to  them.  For 
those  who  are  denied  the  gift  of  continence,  are  undoubtedly 
called  to  marriage  by  the  voice  of  God.  By  continence  I  mean, 
not  a  mere  abstinence  of  the  body  from  fornication,  but  an  un- 
polluted chastity  of  mind.  For  Paul  enjoins  the  avoidance  not 
only  of  external  impurity,  but  also  of  the  internal  burning  of  libi- 
dinous desire,  (v)  It  has  been  a  custom,  they  say,  from  time 
immemorial,  for  persons  who  intended  to  devote  themselves  en- 
tirely to  the  Lord,  to  bind  themselves  by  a  vow  of  continence. 
I  confess  that  this  custom  was  practised  in  the  early  ages  ;  but 
I  cannot  admit  those  ages  to  have  been  so  free  from  every  fault, 
that  whatever  was  done  then  must  be  received  as  a  rule.  And 
it  was  only  by  degrees  that  in  process  of  time  things  were  carried 
to  such  an  extreme  of  rigour  that  no  one,  after  having  made  the 
vow,  was  permitted  to  recall  it.  This  is  evident  from  Cyprian. 
"  If  virgins  have  faithfully  dedicated  themselves  to  God,  let 
them  persevere  in  modesty  and  chastity  without  any  disguise. 
Thus,  being  firm  and  constant,  they  may  expect  the  reward  of 
virginity.  But  if  they  will  not,  or  cannot  persevere,  it  is  better 
for  them  to  be  married,  than  with  their  pleasure  to  fall  into 
the  fire."  With  what  reproaches  would  they  now  hesitate  to 
stigmatize  a  person  who  would  wish  to  introduce  such  a  rea- 
sonable limitation  of  the  vow  of  continence  ?  They  have 
widely  departed,  therefore,  from  the  ancient  custom,  in  refusing 
to  admit  the  least  moderation  or  relaxation,  if  any  one  be  found 
incapable  of  performing  the  vow ;  and  not  only  so,  but  they 
are  not  ashamed  to  pronounce  that  he  commits  a  greater  sin 


(s)  Dent,  xxxii.  17.  (t)  Matt.  xix.  11.  (v)  1  Cor.  vii.  9. 

VOL.  II.  57 


450  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

if  he  remedies  his  intemperance  by  taking  a  wife,  than  if  he 
contaminates  his  body  and  soul  with  fornication. 

XVIII.  Bat  they  still  pnrsne  the  argument,  and  endeavour 
to  show  that  vows  of  this  kind  were  in  use  in  the  times  of  the 
apostles ;  because  Paul  says  that  widows  who,  after  iiaving 
been  received  into  the  public  service  of  the  church,  married, 
had  "cast  off  their  first  faith."  (w)  I  do  not  deny  that  widows 
who  dedicated  themselves  and  their  services  to  the  Church, 
thereby  entered  into  a  tacit  obligation  never  to  marry  again ; 
not  because  they  placed  any  religion  in  such  abstinence,  as 
began  to  be  the  case  afterwards ;  but  because  they  could  not 
discharge  that  office  without  being  at  their  own  disposal,  free 
from  the  restraint  of  marriage.  But  if,  after  having  pledged 
their  faith,  they  contemplated  a  second  marriage,  what  was 
this  but  renouncing  the  calling  of  God  ?  It  is  no  wonder, 
therefore,  if  he  says  that  with  such  desires  "  they  wax  wanton 
against  Christ."  Afterwards,  by  way  of  amplification,  he  sub- 
joins, that  they  failed  of  performing  what  they  had  promised 
to  the  Church,  so  that  they  even  violated  and  annulled  their 
first  faith  pledged  in  baptism  ;  which  includes  an  engagement 
from  every  one  to  fulfil  the  duties  of  his  calling.  Unless  it  be 
thought  better  to  understand  the  meaning  to  be,  that  having, 
as  it  were,  lost  all  shame,  they  vi^ould  thenceforward  have  no 
longer  any  regard  for  virtue,  but  would  abandon  themselves  to 
every  kind  of  profligacy,  and  in  a  licentious  and  dissolute  life 
exhibit  the  greatest  contrariety  to  the  character  of  Christian 
women  —  an  interpretation  which  I  much  approve.  We  reply, 
therefore,  that  those  widows,  who  were  then  received  into  the 
service  of  the  Church,  imposed  on  themselves  the  condition  of 
perpetual  widowhood  ;  if  they  afterwards  married,  we  easily 
understand  their  situation  to  have  been  as  Paul  states,  that, 
casting  off  shame,  they  betrayed  an  insolence  unbecoming 
Christian  women  ;  and  that  thus  they  not  only  sinned  in  break- 
ing their  faith  pledged  to  the  Church,  but  in  departing  from 
the  common  obligations  of  pious  females.  But  first,  I  deny 
that  they  engaged  to  remain  in  a  state  of  widowhood  for  any 
other  reason  than  because  marriage  would  be  altogether  incom- 
patible with  the  office  which  they  undertook  ;  or  that  they 
bound  themselves  to  widowhood  at  all,  except  as  far  as  the 
necessity  of  their  vocation  should  require.  Secondly,  I  do  not 
admit  that  their  profession  was  so  binding,  but  that  even  then 
it  was  better  for  them  to  marry  than  to  be  inflamed  with  con- 
cupiscence, or  to  be  guilty  of  any  impurity  of  conduct.  Thirdly, 
I  observe  that  Paul  prescribes  that  age  which  is  generally  be- 
yond all  danger,  forbidding  any  to  be  received  under  threescore 

(tc)  I  Tim.  V.  12. 


CHAP.   XIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  451 

years  old ;  and  especially  when  he  directs  that  the  choice  shall 
be  limited  to  those  who  have  been  content  with  one  marriage, 
and  have  thus  already  given  proof  of  their  continence.  And 
we  condemn  the  vow  of  celibacy  for  no  other  reason,  but 
because  it  is  unjustly  considered  as  a  service  acceptable  to 
God,  and  is  rashly  made  by  those  who  have  not  the  power  to 
keep  it. 

XIX.  But  how  was  it  possible  to  apply  this  passage  of  Paul 
to  nuns  ?  For  widows  were  appointed  deaconesses,  not  to 
charm  God  by  songs  or  unintelligible  murmurs,  and  to  spend 
the  rest  of  their  time  it)  idleness  ;  but  to  serve  the  poor  on 
behalf  of  the  whole  Church,  and  to  employ  themselves  with 
all  attention,  earnestness,  and  diligence,  in  the  duties  of  charity. 
They  made  a  vow  of  widowhood,  not  with  a  view  of  perform- 
ing any  service  to  God  in  abstaining  from  marriage,  but  merely 
that  they  might  be  more  at  liberty  for  the  discharge  of  their 
office.  Lastly,  they  made  this  vow,  not  in  their  youth,  nor  in 
the  flower  of  their  age,  to  learn  afterwards,  by  late  experience, 
over  what  a  precipice  they  had  thrown  themselves :  but,  when 
they  appeared  to  have  passed  all  danger,  they  made  a  vow 
equally  consistent  with  safety  and  with  piety.  But,  not  to 
urge  the  two  former  considerations,  it  is  sufficient  to  observe, 
that  it  was  not  allowable  for  women  to  be  admitted  to  make 
vows  of  continence  before  the  age  of  sixty  years ;  since  the 
apostle  says,  "  Let  not  a  widow  be  taken  into  the  number 
under  threescore  years  old."  "  I  will  that  the  younger  women 
marry  and  bear  children."  {.c)  The  subsequent  admission  of 
this  vow  at  the  age  of  forty-eight  years,  then  forty  years,  and 
then  thirty,  can  by  no  means  be  excused  ;  and  it  is  still  more 
intolerable  that  unhappy  girls,  before  they  are  old  enough  to 
be  capable  of  knowing  or  having  any  experience  of  themselves, 
should  be  inveigled  by  fraud  and  compelled  by  threats  to  en- 
tangle themselves  in  those  execrable  snares.  I  shall  not  stay 
to  oppose  the  other  two  vows,  made  by  monks  and  nuns,  of 
poverty  and  obedience.  I  will  only  observe,  that  beside  the 
many  superstitions  with  vv^hicli,  under  existing  circumstances, 
they  are  interwoven,  they  appear  to  be  framed  for  the  purpose 
of  mocking  both  God  and  men.  But  that  we  may  not  seem 
too  severe  in  agitating  every  particular  point,  we  shall  content 
ourselves  with  the  general  repetition  already  given. 

XX.  The  nature  of  those  vows  which  are  legitimate  and 
acceptable  to  God,  I  think,  has  been  sufficiently  declared. 
Yet  as  timid  and  inexperienced  consciences,  even  after  they 
are  dissatisfied  with  a  vow,  and  convinced  of  its  impropriety, 
nevertheless  feel  doubts  respecting  the  obligation,  and  are  gricv- 

(t)  1  Tim.  V.  9,  14. 


452  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

ously  distressed,  on  the  one  hand,  from  a  dread  of  violating 
their  promise  to  God,  and,  on  the  other,  from  a  fear  of  incurring 
greater  guilt  by  observing  it,  it  is  necessary  here  to  offer  them 
some  assistance  to  enable  them  to  extricate  themselves  from 
this  difficulty.  Now,  to  remove  every  scruple  at  once,  I  re- 
mark, that  all  vows,  not  legitimate  or  rightly  made,  as  they 
are  of  no  value  with  God,  so  they  ought  to  have  no  force  with 
us.  For  if  in  human  contracts  no  promises  are  obligatory  upon 
us,  but  those  to  which  the  party  with  whom  we  contract 
wishes  to  bind  us,  it  is  absurd  to  consider  ourselves  con- 
strained to  the  performance  of  those  things  which  God  never 
requires  of  us ;  especially  as  our  works  cannot  be  good  unless 
they  please  God,  and  are  accompanied  with  the  testimony  of 
our  conscience  that  he  accepts  them.  For  this  remains  a  fixed 
principle,  that  ''  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin  ;  "  {y)  by 
which  Paul  intends,  that  whatever  work  is  undertaken  with 
doubts,  is  consequently  sinful,  because  all  good  works  spring 
from  faith,  by  which  we  are  assured  of  their  acceptance  with 
God.  Therefore,  if  it  be  not  lawful  for  a  Christian  man  to  at- 
tempt any  thing  without  this  assurance,  and  if  any  one  through 
ignorance  has  made  a  rash  vow,  and  afterwards  discovered  his 
error,  why  should  he  not  desist  from  the  performance  of  it  ? 
since  vows  inconsiderately  made,  not  only  are  not  binding,  but 
ought  of  necessity  to  be  cancelled ;  and,  also,  as  they  are  not 
only  of  no  value  in  the  sight  of  God,  but  are  an  abomination 
to  him,  as  we  have  already  demonstrated.  It  is  useless  to  argue 
any  longer  on  a  subject  which  does  not  require  it.  This  one 
argument  appears  to  me  sufficient  to  tranquillize  pious  con- 
sciences, and  to  liberate  them  from  every  scruple  —  That  all 
works  not  proceeding  from  a  pure  source,  and  directed  to  a  le- 
gitimate end,  are  rejected  by  God,  and  rejected  in  such  a  manner 
that  he  forbids  our  continuance,  as  much  as  our  commence- 
ment, of  them.  Hence  we  may  conclude,  that  vows  which 
have  originated  in  error  and  superstition,  are  of  no  value  with 
God,  and  ought  to  be  relinquished  by  us. 

XXI.  This  solution  will  furnish  an  answer  to  the  calumnies 
of  the  wicked,  in  defence  of  those  who  leave  monachism  for 
some  honovn-able  way  of  life.  They  are  heavily  accused  of 
breach  of  faith  and  perjury  ;  having  broken,  as  it  is  commonly 
supposed,  the  indissoluble  bond  which  held  them  to  God  and 
the  Church.  But  I  maintain  that  there  is  no  bond,  where  that 
which  man  confirms  is  abrogated  by  God.  Besides,  though  we 
should  grant  that  they  were  bound  while  they  were  invoh^ed  in 
error  and  ignorance  of  God,  —  now,  since  they  have  been  en- 
lightened with  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  I  maintain  that  the 

(y)  Rom.  xiv.  23. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  453 

grace  of  Christ  has  delivered  them  from  the  obligation.  For  if 
the  cross  of  Christ  possesses  such  efficacy  as  to  deliver  us  from 
the  curse,  under  which  we  were  held  by  the  law  of  God,  how 
much  more,  then,  shall  it  extricate  us  from  other  bonds,  which 
are  nothing  but  delnsive  snares  of  Satan  !  Whomsoever,  there- 
fore, Christ  illuminates  with  the  light  of  his  gospel,  there  is  no 
doubt  that  he  liberates  them  from  all  the  snares  in  which  they 
had  entangled  themselves  by  superstition.  Though  they  are 
not  at  a  loss  for  another  defence,  if  they  are  not  qualified  to 
live  in  celibacy.  For  if  an  impossible  vow  be  the  ruin  of  souls, 
which  it  is  the  will  of  the  Lord  to  save  and  not  to  destroy,  —  it 
follows  that  it  is  not  right  to  persevere  in  it.  But  the  impossi- 
bility of  an  observance  of  the  vow  of  continence  by  those  who 
are  not  endued  with  a  special  gift,  we  have  already  shown, 
and  without  my  saying  a  word,  experience  itself  declares  ;  for 
it  is  notorious  what  extreme  impurity  prevails  in  almost  all 
monasteries ;  and  if  any  of  them  appear  more  virtuous  and 
modest  than  the  rest,  it  doas  not  follow  that  they  are  really 
more  chaste,  because  they  conceal  the  vice  of  unchastity. 
Thus  God  inflicts  awful  punishments  on  the  audacity  of  men, 
when,  forgetting  their  weakness,  they  covet,  in  opposition  to 
nature,  that  which  is  denied  them,  and,  despising  the  remedies 
which  God  had  put  into  their  hands,  indulge  a  contumacious 
and  obstinate  presumption  that  they  are  able  to  overcome  the 
vice  of  incontinence.  For  what  shall  we  call  it  but  contu- 
macy, when  any  one  who  is  admonished  that  he  stands  in 
need  of  marriage,  and  that  it  has  been  given  to  him  by  the 
Lord  as  a  remedy,  not  only  contemns  it,  but  binds  himself  by 
an  oath  to  persevere  in  that  contempt  ? 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

THE    SACRAMENTS. 


Connected  with  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  another  assist- 
ance and  support  for  our  faith  is  presented  to  us  in  the  sacra- 
ments ;  on  the  subject  of  which  it  is  highly  important  to  lay 
down  some  certain  doctrine,  that  we  may  learn  for  what  end 
they  were  instituted,  and  how  they  ought  to  be  used.  In  the 
first  place,  it  is  necessary  to  consider  what  a  sacrament  is. 
Now,  I  think  it  will  be  a  simple  and  appropriate  definition,  if 
we  say  that  it  is  an  outward  sign,  by  which  the  Lord  seals  in 
our  consciences  the  promises  of  his  good-will  towards  us,  to 


454  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

support  the  weakness  of  our  faith  ;  and  we  on  our  part  testify 
our  piety  towards  him,  in  his  presence  and  that  of  angels,  as 
well  as  before  men.  It  may,  however,  be  more  briefly  defined, 
in  other  words,  by  calling  it  a  testimony  of  the  grace  of  God 
towards  us,  confirmed  by  an  outward  sign,  with  a  reciprocal 
attestation  of  our  piety  towards  him.  Whichever  of  these  defi- 
nitions be  chosen,  it  conveys  exactly  the  same  meaning  as  that 
of  Augustine,  which  states  a  sacrament  to  be  "  a  visible  sign 
of  a  sacred  thing,"  or  "  a  visible  form  of  invisible  grace  ;  "  but 
it  expresses  the  thing  itself  with  more  clearness  and  precision  ; 
for  as  his  conciseness  leaves  some  obscurity,  by  which  many 
inexperienced  persons  may  be  misled.  I  have  endeavoured  to 
render  the  subject  plainer  by  more  words,  that  no  room  might 
be  left  for  any  doubt. 

II.  The  reason  why  the  ancient  fathers  used  this  word  in 
such  a  sense  is  very  evident.  For  whenever  the  author  of  the 
old  common  version  of  the  New  Testament  wanted  to  render 
the  Greek  word  fxurfTrjpiov,  mystery,  into  Latin,  especially  where 
it  related  to  Divine  things,  he  used  the  word  sacramcntnni, 
"  sacrament."  Thus,  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  "  Having 
made  known  unto  us  the  mystery  of  his  will."  {a)  Again  : 
"  If  ye  have  heard  of  the  dispensation  of  the  grace  of  God 
which  is  given  me  to  you-ward ;  how  that  by  revelation  he 
made  known  unto  me  the  mystery.'^  (b)  In  the  Epistle  to  the 
Colossians  :  "  The  mystery  which  hath  been  hid  from  ages  and 
from  generations,  but  now  is  made  manifest  to  his  saints;  to 
whom  God  would  make  known  what  is  the  riches  of  the  glory 
of  this  mystery."  (c)  Again,  to  Timothy  :  "  Great  is  the  mys- 
tery of  godliness  ;  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh."  {d)  In  all 
these  places,  where  the  word  mystery  is  used,  the  author  of 
that  version  has  rendered  it  sacrament.  He  would  not  say 
arcanum,  or  secret,  lest  he  should  appear  to  degrade  the  majesty 
of  the  subject.  Therefore  he  has  used  the  word  sacrament  for 
a  sacred  or  Divine  secret.  In  this  signification  it  frequently 
occurs  in  the  writings  of  the  fathers.  And  it  is  well  known, 
that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  which  the  Latins  denomi- 
nate sacraments,  are  called  mysteries  by  the  Greeks  ;  a  synony- 
mous use  of  the  terms,  which  removes  every  doubt.  And 
hence  the  word  sacrament  came  to  be  applied  to  those  signs 
which  contained  a  representation  of  sublime  and  spiritual 
things  ;  which  is  also  remarked  by  Augustine,  who  says,  "  It 
would  be  tedious  to  dispute  respecting  the  diversity  of  signs, 
which,  when  they  pertain  to  Divine  things,  are  called  sacra 
ments.^^ 


(a)  Eph.  i.  0.  (0  Col.  i.  2(1,  27. 

(i)  Epl».  iii.  2,  3.  {,d)  1  Tim.  iii.  16. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  455 

III.  Now,  from  the  definition  which  we  have  estabhshed,  we 
see  that  there  is  never  any  sacrament  without  an  antecedent 
promise  of  God,  to  which  it  is  subjoined  as  an  appendix,  in 
order  to  confirm  and  seal  the  promise  itself,  and  to  certify  and 
ratify  it  to  us ;  which  means  God  foresees  to  be  necessary,  in 
the  first  place  on  account  of  our  ignorance  and  dulness,  and  in  the 
next  place  on  account  of  our  weakness  ;  and  yet,  strictly  speak- 
ing, not  so  much  for  the  confirmation  of  his  sacred  word,  as 
for  our  establishment  in  the  faith  of  it.  For  the  truth  of  God 
is  sufficiently  solid  and  certain  in  itself,  and  can  receive  no 
better  confirmation  from  any  other  quarter  than  from  itself; 
but  our  faith  being  slender  and  weak,  unless  it  be  supported 
on  every  side,  and  sustained  by  every  assistance,  immediately 
shakes,  fluctuates,  totters,  aud  falls.  And  as  we  are  corporeal, 
always  creeping  on  the  ground,  cleaving  to  terrestrial  and 
carnal  objects,  and  incapable  of  understanding  or  conceiving  of 
any  thing  of  a  spiritual  nature,  our  merciful  Lord,  in  his  infinite 
indulgence,  accommodates  himself  to  our  capacity,  condescend- 
ing to  lead  us  to  himself  even  by  these  earthly  elements,  and 
in  the  flesh  itself  to  present  to  us  a  mirror  of  spiritual  bless- 
ings. "  For  if  we  were  incorporeal,"  as  Chrysostom  says,  "  he 
would  have  given  us  these  things  pure  and  incorporeal.  Now 
because  we  have  souls  enclosed  in  bodies,  he  gives  us  spi- 
ritual things  under  visible  emblems ;  not  because  there  are 
such  qualities  in  the  nature  of  the  things  presented  to  us  in  the 
sacraments,  but  because  they  have  been  designated  by  God  to 
this  signification." 

IV.  This  is  what  is  commonly  said,  that  a  sacrament  consists 
of  the  word  and  the  outward  sign.  For  we  ought  to  under- 
stand the  toord^  not  of  a  murmur  uttered  without  any  meaning  or 
faith,  a  mere  whisper  like  a  magical  incantation,  supposed  to  pos- 
sess the  power  of  consecrating  the  elements,  but  of  the  gospel 
preached,  which  instructs  us  in  the  signification  of  the  visible 
sign.  That  which  is  commonly  practised  under  the  tyranny  of 
the  pope,  therefore,  involves  a  gross  profanation  of  the  myste- 
ries ;  for  they  have  thought  it  sufficient  for  the  priest  to  mutter 
over  the  form  of  consecration,  while  the  people  are  gazing  in 
ignorance.  Indeed,  they  have  taken  effectual  care  that  it 
should  be  all  unintelligible  to  the  people ;  for  they  have  pro- 
nounced the  consecration  in  Latin,  before  flliterate  men  ;  and 
have  at  length  carried  superstition  to  such  a  pitch,  as  to  con- 
sider it  not  rightly  performed,  unless  it  be  done  in  a  hoarse 
murmur,  which  few  could  hear.  But  Augustine  speaks  in  a 
very  different  manner  of  the  sacramental  word.  "  Let  the 
word,"  says  he,  "  be  added  to  the  element,  and  it  will  become 
a  sacrament.  For  whence  does  the  water  derive  such  great 
virtue,   as  at  once  to  touch  the   body  and   purify  the  heart, 


456  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

except  from  the  word  ?  not  because  it  is  spoken,  but  because 
it  is  believed.  For  in  the  word  itself  the  transient  sound  is 
one  thing,  the  permanent  virtue  is  another.  '  This  is  the 
word  of  faith  which  we  preach,'  (e)  says  the  apostle.  Whence 
it  is  said  of  the  Gentiles,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  that  '  God 
purifies  their  hearts  by  faith.'  (/)  And  the  apostle  Peter  says, 
'  Baptism  doth  also  now  save  us,  (not  the  putting  away  of  the 
filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards 
God.)'  (g)  'This  is  the  word  of  faith  which  we  preach,' 
by  which  baptism  is  consecrated  to  endue  it  with  a  purifying 
virtue."  We  see  how  he  makes  the  preaching  of  the  word 
necessary  to  the  production  of  faith.  And  we  need  not  labour 
much  to  prove  this,  because  it  is  very  plain  what  Christ  did, 
what  he  commanded  us  to  do,  what  the  apostles  followed,  and 
what  the  purer  Church  observed.  Even  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  whenever  God  gave  the  holy  fathers  any  sign, 
it  is  well  known  to  have  been  inseparably  connected  with  some 
doctrine,  without  which  our  senses  would  only  be  astonished 
with  the  mere  view  of  it.  Therefore,  when  we  hear  men- 
tion made  of  the  sacramental  word,  let  us  understand  it  of  the 
promise,  which,  being  audibly  and  intelligibly  preached  by  the 
minister,  instructs  the  people  in  the  meaning  and  tendency  of 
the  sign. 

V.  Nor  ought  any  attention  to  be  paid  to  some,  who  endea- 
vour to  oppose  this  by  a  dilemma  which  discovers  more  subtlety 
than  solidity.  They  say.  Either  we  know  that  the  word  of 
God  which  precedes  the  sacrament  is  the  true  will  of  God, 
or  we  do  not  know  it.  If  we  know  it,  then  we  learn  nothing 
new  from  the  sacrament  which  follows.  If  we  do  not  know 
it,  neither  shall  we  learn  it  from  the  sacrament,  the  virtue  of 
which  lies  entirely  in  the  word.  Let  it  be  concisely  replied, 
that  the  seals  appended  to  charters,  patents,  and  other  public 
instruments,  are  nothing,  taken  by  themselves;  because  they 
would  be  appended  to  no  purpose,  if  the  parchment  had  nothing 
written  upon  it ;  and  yet  they  nevertheless  confirm  and  authen- 
ticate what  is  written  on  the  instruments  to  which  they  are 
annexed.  Nor  can  it  be  objected  that  this  similitude  has  been 
recently  invented  by  us;  for  it  has  been  used  by  Paul  himself, 
who  calls  circumcision  a  scnl,(h)  a^ppayiSa,  in  a  passage  where 
he  is  professedly  contending  that  circumcision  did  not  constitute 
the  righteousness  of  Abraham,  but  was  a  seal  of  that  covenant, 
in  the  faith  of  which  he  had  already  been  justified.  And  what 
is  there  that  ought  to  give  any  man  much  oftence,  if  we  teach 
that  the  promise  is  sealed  by  the  sacraments,  while  it  is  evi- 

(e)     Rom.  X.  8.  (^)  1  Peter  iii.  21. 

(/)  Acts  XV.  9.  (A)  Rom.  iv.  11. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  457 

dent  that  among  the  promises  themselves  one  is  confirmed  by 
another  ?  For  in  proportion  to  its  superior  clearness,  it  is  the 
better  calculated  for  the  support  of  faith.  Now,  the  sacraments 
bring  us  the  clearest  promises,  and  have  this  peculiarity  beyond 
the  word,  that  they  give  us  a  lively  representation  of  them,  as 
in  a  picture.  Nor  ought  we  to  regard  the  objection,  frequently 
urged,  from  the  distinction  between  sacraments  and  seals  of 
civil  instruments,  that  while  they  both  consist  of  the  carnal 
elements  of  this  world,  the  former  cannot  be  fit  to  seal  the 
promises  of  God,  which  are  spiritual  and  eternal,  as  the  latter 
are  accustomed  to  be  appended  to  seal  the  edicts  of  princes 
relative  to  frail  and  transitory  things.  For  the  believer,  when 
the  sacraments  are  placed  before  his  eyes,  does  not  confine 
himself  to  that  carnal  spectacle  ;  but  by  those  steps  of  analo- 
gy which  I  have  indicated,  rises  in  pious  contemplation  to 
the  sublime  mysteries  which  are  concealed  under  the  sacra- 
mental symbols. 

VI.  And  since  the  Lord  calls  his  promises  covenants^  and  the 
sacraments  seals  of  covenants,  we  may  draw  a  similitude  from 
the  covenants  of  men.  The  ancients,  in  confirmation  of  their 
engagements,  were  accustomed  to  kill  a  sow.  But  what  would 
have  been  the  slaughter  of  a  sow,  if  it  had  not  been  accom- 
panied, and  even  preceded,  by  some  words?  For  sows  were  of- 
ten slaughtered  without  any  latent  or  sublime  mystery.  What 
is  the  contact  of  one  man's  right  hand  Avith  that  of  another, 
since  hands  are  not  unfrequently  joined  in  hostility  ?  But 
when  words  of  friendship  and  compact  have  preceded,  the  ob- 
ligations of  covenants  are  confirmed  by  such  signs,  notwith- 
standing they  have  been  previously  conceived,  proposed,  and 
determined  in  words.  Sacraments,  therefore,  are  exercises, 
•which  increase  and  strengthen  our  faith  in  the  word  of  God  ; 
and  because  we  are  corporeal,  they  are  exhibited  under  cor- 
poreal symbols,  to  instruct  us  according  to  our  dull  capacities, 
and  to  lead  us  by  the  hand  as  so  many  young  children.  For 
this  reason  Augustine  calls  a  sacrament  "  a  visible  word  ;  "  be- 
cause it  represents  the  promises  of  God  portrayed  as  in  a  pic- 
ture, and  places  before  our  eyes  an  image  of  them,  in  which 
every  lineament  is  strikingly  expressed.  Other  similitudes  may 
also  be  adduced  for  the  better  elucidation  of  the  nature  of 
sacraments  ;  as  if  we  call  them  pillars  of  our  faith ;  for  as  an 
edifice  rests  on  its  foundation,  and  yet,  from  the  addition  of 
pillars  placed  under  it,  receives  an  increase  of  stability,  so  faith 
rests  on  the  word  of  God  as  its  foundation ;  but  when  the 
sacraments  are  added  to  it  as  pillars,  they  bring  with  them  an 
accession  of  strength.  Or  if  we  call  them  niirrors,  in  which 
we  may  contemplate  the  riches  of  grace  which  God  imparts  to 
us-  for  in  the  sacraments,  as  we  have  already  observed,  he 
VOL.  II.  58 


458  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

manifests  himself  to  us  as  far  as  our  dulness  is  capable  of 
knowing  him,  and  testifies  his  benevolence  and  love  towards 
us  more  expressly  than  he  does  by  his  word. 

VII.  Nor  is  there  any  force  in  their  reasoning,  when  they 
contend  that  the  sacraments  are  not  testimonies  of  the  grace  of 
God,  because  they  are  often  administered  to  the  wicked,  who 
yet  do  not,  in  consequence  of  this,  experience  God  to  be  more 
propitious  to  them,  but  rather  procure  to  themselves  more 
grievous  condemnation.  For,  by  the  same  argument,  neither 
would  the  gospel  be  a  testimony  of  the  grace  of  God,  because 
it  is  heard  by  many  who  despise  it,  nor  even  Christ  himself, 
who  was  seen  and  known  by  multitudes,  of  whom  very  few 
received  him.  A  similar  observation  may  be  applied  to  royal 
edicts  ;  for  great  numbers  of  people  despise  and  deride  that  seal 
of  authentication,  notwithstanding  they  know  that  it  proceeded 
from  the  monarch  to  confirm  his  will ;  some  utterly  disregard 
It,  as  a  thing  not  relating  to  them ;  others  even  hold  it  in 
execration ;  so  that  a  survey  of  the  correspondence  of  the  two 
cases  ought  to  produce  greater  approbation  of  the  similitude 
which  I  have  before  used.  Therefore  it  is  certain  that  the 
Lord  offers  us  his  mercy,  and  a  pledge  of  his  grace,  both  in 
his  holy  word  and  in  the  sacraments ;  but  it  is  not  apprehended 
except  by  those  who  receive  the  word  and  sacraments  with  a 
certain  faith  ;  as  the  Father  has  offered  and  presented  Christ  to 
all  for  salvation,  but  he  is  not  known  and  received  by  all. 
Augustine,  intending  to  express  this  sentiment,  somewhere  says, 
that  the  efficacy  of  the  word  is  displayed  in  the  sacrament, 
"not  because  it  is  spoken,  but  because  it  is  believed."  There- 
fore Paul,  when  he  is  addressing  believers,  speaks  of  the  sacra- 
ments so  as  to  include  in  them  the  communion  of  Christ ;  as 
when  he  says,  "As  many  of  you  as  have  been  baptized  into 
Christ,  have  put  on  Christ."  (i)  Again:  "By  one  Spirit  are 
we  all  baptized  into  one  body."  (k)  But  when  he  speaks  of 
the  improper  use  of  the  sacraments,  he  attributes  no  more  to 
them  than  to  vain  and  useless  figures ;  by  which  he  signifies 
that,  however  impious  persons  and  hypocrites,  by  their  perver- 
sion of  the  sacraments,  may  destroy  or  obscure  the  effect  of 
Divine  grace  in  them,  yet  that,  notwithstanding  this,  whenever 
and  wherever  God  pleases,  they  afford  a  true  testimony  of  the 
communion  of  Cln-ist,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  himself  exhibits 
and  performs  the  very  thing  which  they  promise.  We  con- 
clude, therefore,  that  sacraments  are  truly  called  testimonies  of 
the  grace  of  God,  and  are,  as  it  were,  seals  of  the  benevolence 
he  bears  to  us,  which,  by  confirming  it  to  our  minds,  sustam, 
cherisii,  strengthen,  and  increase  our  faith.     The  reasons  which 

ii)  Gal.  iii.  27.  (A)  1  Cor.  .xii.  13. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  459 

some  are    in   the   habit    of  objecting   against   this   sentimen 
are   exceedingly   weak    and    frivolous.     They    allege,  that    if 
our  faith  be  good,  it  cannot  be  made  better ;  for  that  there  is  no 
real  faith  except  that  which  rests  on  the  mercy  of  God,  without 
any  wavering,  instability,  or  distraction.     It  would  have  been 
better  for  such  persons  to  pray,  with  the  apostles,  that  the  Lord 
would  increase  their  faith,  (/)  than  confidently  to  boast  of  such 
a  perfection  of  faith,  as  no  one  of  the  sons  of  men  ever  yet 
attained,  or  ever   will  attain,  in  this  life.     Let  them  answer 
what  kind  of  faith  they  suppose  him  to  have  possessed,  who 
said,  "  Lord,  I  believe  ;    help  thou  mine  unbelief."  {m)     For 
even  that,  though  yet  only  in  its  commencement,  was  a  good 
faith,  and  capable  of  being  improved  by  the  removal  of  un- 
belief.    But   there  is  no  argument   which  more  fully  refutes 
them  than  their  own  conscience  ;  for  if  they  confess  themselves 
sinners,  which,  whatever  they  may  wish,  they  cannot  deny,  they 
must  be  obliged  to  impute  it  to  the  imperfection  of  then-  faith. 
VIIL    But  they  say,  Philip  answered  the  eunuch,  that  he  might 
be  baptized  "  if"  he  "  believed  with  all  "  his  "  heart."  (?0     And 
what  room,  they  ask,  is  there  here  for  the  confirmation  of  bap- 
tism, where  faith  fills  the  whole  heart  ?     On  the  other  hand,  I 
ask  them,  whether  they  do  not  feel  a  large  part  of  their  heart 
destitute  of  faith,  and  whether  they  do  not  daily  know  some 
fresh  increase   of  it.     A  heathen  gloried  that  he  grew  old  in 
learning.     We  Christians  are  miserable  indeed  if  we  grow  old 
in  making  no  improvement,  whose  faith  ought  to  be  advancing 
from  one  stage  to  another  till  its  attainment  of  perfect  man- 
hood.    "To  believe  with  all  the   heart,"   therefore,   in  this 
passage,  is  not  to  believe  Christ  in  a  perfect  manner,  but  only 
signifies  embracing  him  with  sincerity  of  soul  and  firmness 
of  mind ;  not  to  be  filled  with  him,  but  to  hunger,  thirst,  and 
sigh  after  him  with  ardent  affection.     It  is  the  custom  of  the 
Scriptures  to  say  that  any  thing  is  done  with  the  whole  heart 
which  is  done  with  sincerity  of  mind,  as  in  these  and  other 
passages:   "  With  my  whole  heart  have  I  sought  thee;"  "I 
will  praise  the  Lord  with  my  whole  heart."  (o)     On  the  con- 
trary, when  it  rebukes  the  fraudulent  and  deceitful,  it  reproaches 
them   with    "  a   double    heart."  (p)     Our   adversaries    further 
allege,  that  if  faith  be  increased  by  the  sacraments,  the  Holy 
Spirit  must  have  been  given  in  vain,  whose  work  and  influ- 
ence it  is  to  commence,  to  confirm,  and  to  consummate  faith. 
I  confess  that  faith  is  the  peculiar  and  entire  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  by  whose  illumination  we  know  God  and  the  treasures 
of  his  goodness,  and  without  whose  light  our  mind  is  too  blind 

(0  Luke  xvii.  5.  (m)  Mark  ix.  24.  (n)  Acts  yiii^  37. 

(o)  Psalm  cxix.  10 ;  cxi.  1 ;  cxxxvin.  1.  (;')  1  salin  xu.  2. 


460  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

to  be  capable  of  any  sight,  and  too  stupid  to  be  capable  of  the 
least  relish  of  spiritual  things.  But  instead  of  one  favour  of 
God,  which  they  mention,  we  acknowledge  three.  For,  first, 
the  Lord  teaches  and  instructs  us  by  his  word ;  secondly,  he 
confirms  us  by  his  sacraments  ;  lastly,  he  illuminates  our  minds 
by  the  light  of  his  Jloly  Spirit,  and  opens  an  entrance  into  our 
hearts  for  the  word  and  sacraments ;  which  otherwise  would 
only  strike  the  ears  and  present  themselves  to  the  eyes,  with- 
out producing  the  least  effect  upon  the  mind. 

IX.  With  respect  to  the  confirmation  and  increase  of  faith, 
therefore,  I  wish  the  reader  to  be  apprized,  and  I  conceive  I 
have  already  expressed,  in  language  too  plain  to  be  misunder- 
stood, that  I  assign  this  office  to  the  sacraments  ;  not  from  an 
opinion  of  their  possessing  a  perpetual  inherent  virtue,  effica- 
cious of  itself  to  the  advancement  or  confirmation  of  faith ; 
but  because  they  have  been  instituted  by  the  Lord  for  the 
express  purpose  of  promoting  its  establishment  and  augmenta- 
tion. But  they  only  perform  their  office  aright  when  they  are 
accompanied  by  the  Spirit,  that  internal  Teacher,  by  whose 
energy  alone  our  hearts  are  penetrated,  our  affections  are 
moved,  and  an  entrance  is  opened  for  the  sacraments  into  our 
souls.  If  he  be  absent,  the  sacraments  can  produce  no  more 
effect  upon  our  minds  than  the  splendour  of  the  sun  on  blind 
eyes,  or  the  sound  of  a  voice  on  deaf  ears.  I  make  such  a 
distinction  and  distribution,  therefore,  between  the  Spirit  and 
the  sacraments,  that  I  consider  all  the  energy  of  operation  as 
belonging  to  the  Spirit,  and  the  sacraments  as  mere  instru- 
ments, which,  without  his  agency,  are  vain  and  useless,  but 
which,  when  he  acts  and  exerts  his  power  in  the  heart,  are 
fraught  with  surprising  efficacy.  Now,  it  is  evident  how,  ac- 
cording to  this  opinion,  the  faith  of  a  pious  mind  is  confirmed 
by  the  sacraments ;  namely,  as  the  eyes  see  by  the  light  of  the 
sun,  and  the  ears  hear  by  the  sound  of  a  voice :  the  light 
would  have  no  effect  upon  the  eyes,  unless  they  had  a  natural 
faculty  capable  of  being  enlightened ;  and  it  would  be  in  vain 
for  the  ears  to  be  struck  with  any  sound,  if  they  had  not  been 
naturally  formed  for  hearing.  But  if  it  be  true,  as  we  ought 
at  once  to  conclude,  that  what  the  visive  faculty  is  in  our 
eyes  towards  our  beholding  the  light,  and  the  faculty  of  hear- 
ing is  in  our  ears  towards  our  perception  of  sound,  such  is 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  our  hearts  for  the  formation, 
support,  preservation,  and  establishment  of  our  faith ;  then 
these  two  consequences  immediately  follow  —  that  the  sacra- 
ments are  attended  with  no  benefit  without  the  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  that,  in  hearts  already  instructed  by  that 
Teacher,  they  still  subserve  the  confirmation  and  increase  of 
tailh.     There  is  only  this  difference,  that  our  eyes  and  ears  are 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  461 

naturally  endued  with  the  faculties  of  seeing  and  hearing,  but 
Christ  accomplishes  this  in  our  hearts  by  special  and  preter- 
natural grace. 

X.  This  reasoning  will  also  serve  for  a  solution  of  the  objec- 
tions with  which  some  persons  are  greatly  disturbed  ;  that  if  we 
attribute  to  creatures  either  the  increase  or  confirmation  of  faith, 
we  derogate  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  whom  we  ought  to  acknow- 
ledge as  its  sole  Author.  For  we  do  not,  at  the  same  time,  deny 
him  the  praise  of  its  confirmation  and  increase  ;  but  we  assert 
that  the  way  in  which  he  increases  and  confirms  our  faith  is  by 
preparing  our  minds,  by  his  inward  illumination,  to  receive  that 
confirmation  which  is  proposed  in  the  sacraments.  If  the  way 
in  which  this  has  been  expressed  be  too  obscure,  it  shall  be 
elucidated  by  the  following  similitude.  If  you  intend  to  per- 
suade a  person  to  do  a  certain  act,  you  will  consider  all  the 
reasons  calculated  to  draw  him  over  to  your  opinion,  and  to 
constrain  him  to  submit  to  your  advice.  But  you  will  make  no 
impression  upon  him,  unless  he  possess  a  perspicuous  and  acute 
judgment,  to  be  able  to  determine  what  force  there  is  in  your 
reasons  ;  unless  his  mind  also  be  docile,  and  prepared  to  listen  to 
instruction ;  and  lastly,  unless  he  have  conceived  such  an  opin- 
ion of  your  fidelity  and  prudence  as  may  prepossess  him  in  favour 
of  your  sentiments.  For  there  are  many  obstinate  spirits,  never 
to  be  moved  by  any  reasons ;  and  where  a  person's  fidelity  is 
suspected,  and  his  authority  despised,  little  eftect  will  be  pro- 
duced, even  with  those  who  are  disposed  to  learn.  On  the 
contrary,  let  all  these  things  be  present,  and  they  will  insure 
the  acquiescence  of  the  person  advised,  in  those  counsels  which 
he  would  otherwise  have  derided.  This  work  also  the  Spirit 
effects  within  us.  Lest  the  word  should  assail  our  ears  in  vain,  — 
lest  the  sacraments  should  in  vain  strike  our  eyes,  —  he  shows  us 
that  it  is  God  who  addresses  us  in  them  ;  he  softens  the  hard- 
ness of  our  hearts,  and  forms  them  to  that  obedience  which  is 
due  to  the  word  of  the  Lord ;  in  fine,  he  conveys  those  exter- 
nal words  and  sacraments  from  the  ears  into  the  soul.  Our 
faith  is  confirmed,  therefore,  both  by  the  word  and  by  the 
sacraments,  when  they  place  before  our  eyes  the  good-will  of 
our  heavenly  Father  towards  us,  in  the  knowledge  of  which 
all  the  firmness  of  our  faith  consists,  and  by  which  its  strength 
is  augmented ;  the  Spirit  confirms  it,  when  he  makes  this 
confirmation  effectual  by  engraving  it  on  our  minds.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  Father  of  lights  cannot  be  prohibited  from  illu- 
minating our  minds  by  means  of  the  lustre  of  the  sacraments, 
as  he  enlightens  our  bodily  eyes  with  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

XI.    That  there  is  this  property  in  the  external   word,  our 
Lord  has  shown  in  a  parable,  by  calling  it  "  seed."  {q)     For 

(j)  Matt.  xiii.  3—23.     Luke  viii.  5—15. 


462  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

as  seed,  if  it  fall  on  a  desert  and  neglected  spot  of  ground,  will 
die  without  producing  any  crop,  but  if  it  be  cast  upon  a  well 
manured  and  cultivated  field,  it  brings  forth  its  fruit  with 
an  abundant  increase, — so  the  word  of  God,  if  it  fall  upon 
some  stiff  neck,  will  be  as  unproductive  as  seed  dropped 
upon  the  sea-shore ;  but  if  it  light  upon  a  soul  cultivated  by 
the  agency  of  the  heavenly  Spirit,  it  will  be  abundantly 
fruitful.  Now,  if  the  word  be  justly  compared  to  seed,  —  as 
we  say  that  from  seed,  corn  grows,  increases,  and  comes  to  ma- 
turity,—  why  may  we  not  say  that  faith  derives  its  commence- 
ment, increase,  and  perfection,  from  the  word  of  God  ?  Paul, 
in  different  places,  excellently  expresses  both  these  things. 
For,  with  a  view  to  recall  to  the  recollection  of  the  Corinthi- 
ans with  what  efficacy  God  had  attended  his  labours,  he  glo- 
ries m  having  the  ministry  of  the  Spirit,  as  if  there  were  an 
indissoluble  connection  between  his  preaching  and  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  operating  to  the  illumination  of  their  minds, 
and  the  excitement  of  their  hearts,  (r)  But  in  another  place, 
with  aview  toapprize  them  how  far  the  power  of  the  word  of  God 
extends,  merely  as  preached  by  man,  he  compares  ministers  to 
husbandmen  ;  who,  when  they  have  employed  their  labour  and 
industry  in  cultivating  the  ground,  have  nothing  more  that 
they  can  do.  But  what  would  ploughing,  and  sowing,  and 
watering,  avail,  unless  heavenly  goodness  caused  the  seed  to 
vegetate?  Therefore  he  concludes,  "Neither  is  he  that  plant- 
eth  any  thing,  neither  he  that  watereth  ;  but  God,  that  giveth 
the  increase."  (s)  The  apostles,  then,  in  their  preaching,  ex- 
erted the  power  of  the  Spirit,  as  far  as  God  made  use  of  the 
instruments  appointed  by  himself  for  the  exhibition  of  his 
spiritual  grace.  But  we  must  always  keep  in  view  this  distinc- 
tion, that  we  may  remember  how  far  the  power  of  man  extends, 
and  what  is  exclusively  the  work  of  God. 

XII.  Now,  it  is  so  true  that  the  sacraments  are  confirmations 
of  our  faith,  that  sometimes,  when  the  Lord  intends  to  take 
away  the  confidence  of  those  things  which  had  been  promised 
in  the  sacraments,  he  removes  the  sacraments  themselves. 
When  he  deprived  Adam  of  the  gift  of  immortality,  he  ex- 
pelled him  from  the  garden  of  Eden,  saying,  "  Lest  he  ])ut 
forth  his  hand,  and  take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat,  and 
live  for  ever."  (/)  What  can  be  the  meaning  of  this  language  ? 
Could  the  fruit  restore  to  Adam  the  incorruption  from  which 
he  had  now  fallen  ?  Certainly  not.  But  it  was  the  same  as 
if  the  Lord  had  said,  Lest  he  should  cherish  a  vain  confidence, 
if  he  retain  the  symbol  of  my  promise,  let  him  be  deprived  of 
that  which  might  give  him  some  hope  of  immortality.     For 

(r)  1  Cor.  ii.  4.    2  Cor.  iii.  G,  8.         («)  1  Cor.  iU.  7.         (0  Gen.  iii.  22. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  463 

the  same  reason,  when  the  apostle  exhorts  the  Ephesians  to 
"  remember  that "  they  "  were  without  Christ,  being  aUens 
from  the  commonweahh  of  Israel,  and  strangers  from  the  cove- 
nant of  promise,  having  no  hope,  and  without  God  in  the 
world,"  he  states  that  they  were  not  partakers  of  circum- 
cision ;('y)  thereby  signifying  that  not  having  received  the 
sign  of  the  promise,  they  were  excluded  from  the  promise  it- 
self. To  the  other  objection  which  they  make,  that  the  glory 
of  God  is  transferred  to  creatures  to  whom  so  much  power  is 
attributed,  and  thereby  sustains  a  proportionate  diminution,  it 
is  easy  to  answer,  that  we  place  no  power  in  creatures;  we 
only  maintain  that  God  uses  such  means  and  instruments  as  he 
sees  will  be  suitable,  in  order  that  all  things  may  be  subservi- 
ent to  his  glory,  as  he  is  the  Lord  and  Ruler  of  all.  Therefore, 
as  by  bread  and  other  aliments  he  feeds  our  bodies,  as  by  the 
sun  he  enlightens  the  world,  as  by  fire  he  produces  warmth,  — 
yet  bread,  the  sun,  and  fire,  are  nothing  but  instruments  by 
which  he  dispenses  his  blessings  to  us,  —  so  he  nourishes  our 
faith  in  a  spiritual  manner  by  the  sacraments,  which  are  insti- 
tuted for  the  purpose  of  placing  his  promises  before  our  eyes 
for  our  contemplation,  and  of  serving  us  as  pledges  of  them. 
And  as  we  ought  not  to  place  any  confidence  in  the  other 
creatures,  which,  by  the  liberality  and  beneficence  of  God,  have 
been  destined  to  our  uses,  and  by  whose  instrumentality  he 
communicates  to  us  the  bounties  of  his  goodness,  nor  to  admire 
and  celebrate  them  as  the  causes  of  our  enjoyments,  —  so  neither 
ought  our  confidence  to  rest  in  the  sacraments,  or  the  glory  of 
God  to  be  transferred  to  them ;  but,  forsaking  all  other  things, 
both  our  faith  and  confession  ought  to  rise  to  him,  the  Author 
of  the  sacraments  and  of  every  other  blessing. 

XIII.  The  argument  which  some  persons  adduce  from  the 
very  name  of  sacrament  is  destitute  of  any  force; — though 
the' word  sacrament  has  various  significations  in  authors  of  tlie 
first  authority,  yet  it  has  but  one  which  has  any  agreement  or 
connection  with  signs  or  standards,  (signa;)  that  is,  when  it 
denotes  the  solemn  oath  taken  by  a  soldier  to  his  commander 
when  he  enters  on  a  military  life.  For  as  by  the  military  oath 
new  soldiers  bind  themselves  to  their  commander,  and  assume 
the  military  profession,  so  by  our  signs  we  profess  Christ  to 
be  our  Leader,  and  declare  that  we  fight  under  his  banners. 
They  add  similitudes  for  the  further  elucidation  of  their  opm- 
ion.  As  the  dress  of  the  Romans,  who  wore  gowns,  distm- 
gnished  them  from  the  Greeks,  who  wore  cloaks;  as  the  differ- 
ent orders  among  the  Romans  were  distinguished  from  each 
other  by  their  respective  badges,  the  senatorial  order  from  the 

(»)  Eph.  ii.  11, 12. 


464  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

equestrian  by  purple  habits  and  round  shoes,  and  the  eques- 
trian from  the  plebeian  by  a  ring ;  as  French  and  English  ships 
of  war  are  known  by  flags  of  ditferent  colours,  the  French  flags 
being  white  and  the  English  red  ;  so  we  have  our  signs  or 
badges  to  distinguish  us  from  unbehevers.  But  from  the  ob- 
servations already  made,  it  is  evident  that  the  ancient  fathers, 
who  gave  our  signs  the  name  of  sacraments,  were  not  at  all 
guided  by  the  previous  use  of  this  word  in  Latin  writers ;  but 
that  they  gave  it  a  new  sense  for  their  own  convenience, 
simply  denoting  sacred  signs.  And  if  we  wish  to  carry  our 
researches  any  further,  it  may  be  found  that  they  transferred 
this  name  to  the  signification  now  given,  on  the  same  principle 
of  analogy  which  induced  them  to  transfer  the  word  faitli  to 
the  sense  in  which  it  is  now  used.  For  as  faith  properly  signi- 
fies truth  in  the  fulfilment  of  promises,  yet  they  have  apphed 
it  to  the  assurance  or  certain  persuasion  which  a  person  has  of 
the  truth  itself;  so,  as  a  sacrament  is  an  oath  by  which  a  sol- 
dier binds  himself  to  his  leader,  they  have  applied  it  to  the  sign 
by  which  the  leader  receives  soldiers  into  his  army.  For  by 
the  sacraments  the  Lord  promises  that  he  will  be  om  God,  and 
that  we  shall  be  his  people.  But  we  pass  over  such  subtleties, 
as  I  think  I  have  proved  by  suflicient  arguments  that  the 
ancients  had  no  other  view,  in  their  application  of  the  word 
sacrament,  than  to  signify  that  the  ceremonies  to  which  they 
applied  it  were  signs  of  holy  and  spiritual  things.  We  admit 
the  comparison  deduced  from  external  badges,  but  we  cannot 
bear  that  the  last  and  least  use  of  the  sacraments  should  be 
represented  as  their  principal  and  even  sole  object.  The  first 
object  of  them  is,  to  assist  our  faith  towards  God  ;  the  second, 
to  testify  our  confession  before  men.  The  similitudes  which 
have  been  mentioned  are  applicable  to  this  secondary  design, 
but  the  primary  one  ought  never  to  be  forgotten  ;  for  otherwise, 
as  we  have  seen,  these  mysteries  would  cease  to  interest  us, 
unless  they  were  aids  of  our  faith,  and  appendices  of  doctrine, 
destined  to  the  same  use  and  end. 

XIV.  On  the  other  hand,  we  require  to  be  apprized,  that 
as  these  persons  weaken  the  force  of  the  sacraments,  and 
entirely  subvert  their  use,  so  there  are  others  of  a  contrary 
party,  who  attribute  to  the  sacraments  I  know  not  what  latent 
virtues,  which  are  nowhere  represented  as  communicated  to 
them  by  the  word  of  God.  By  this  error  the  simple  and  inex- 
perienced are  dangerously  deceived,  being  taught  to  seek  the 
gifts  of  God  where  they  can  never  be  found,  and  being  gradu- 
ally drawn  away  from  God  to  embrace  mere  vanity  instead  of 
his  truth.  For  the  sophistical  schools  have  maintained,  with 
one  consent,  that  the  sacraments  of  the  new  law,  or  those  now 
used  in  the  Christian  Church,  justify  and  confer  grace,  provided 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  465 

we  do  not  obstruct  their  operation  by  any  mortal  sin.  It  is 
impossible  to  express  the  pestilent  and  fatal  nature  of  this 
opinion,  and  especially  as  it  has  prevailed  over  a  large  part  of 
the  world,  to  the  great  detriment  of  the  Church,  for  many  ages 
past.  Indeed,  it  is  evidently  diabolical  ;  for  by  promising  jus- 
tification without  faith,  it  precipitates  souls  into  destruction  :  in 
the  next  place,  by  represeuting  the  sacraments  as  the  cause  of 
justification,  it  envelops  the  minds  of  men,  naturally  too  much 
inclined  to  the  earth,  in  gross  superstition,  leading  them  to  rest  in 
the  exhibition  of  a  corporeal  object  rather  than  in  God  himself. 
Of  these  two  evils  I  wish  we  had  not  had  such  ample  experience 
as  to  supersede  the  necessity  of  much  proof.  What  is  a  sacra- 
ment, taken  without  faith,  but  the  most  certain  ruin  of  the 
Church  ?  For  as  nothing  is  to  be  expected  from  it,  but  in 
consequence  of  the  promise,  which  denotes  God's  wrath  against 
unbelievers  as  much  as  it  offers  his  grace  to  believers,  —  the 
person  who  supposes  that  the  sacraments  confer  any  more  upon 
him  than  that  which  is  offered  by  the  word  of  God,  and  which 
he  receives  by  a  true  faith,  is  greatly  deceived.  Hence  also  it 
may  be  concluded,  that  confidence  of  salvation  does  not  depend 
on  the  participation  of  the  sacraments,  as  though  that  consti- 
tuted our  justification,  which  we  know  to  be  placed  in  Christ 
alone,  and  to  be  communicated  to  us  no  less  by  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel  than  by  the  sealing  of  the  sacraments,  and  that  it 
may  be  completely  enjoyed  without  this  participation.  So  true 
is  the  observation,  which  has  also  been  made  by  Augustine, 
that  invisible  sanctification  may  exist  without  the  visible  sign, 
and,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  visible  sign  may  be  used  without 
real  sanctification.  For,  as  he  also  writes  in  another  place, 
'  Men  put  on  Christ,  sometimes  by  the  reception  of  a  sacra- 
ment, sometimes  by  sanctification  of  life."  The  first  case 
may  be  common  to  the  good  and  the  bad ;  the  second  is  pecu- 
liar to  believers. 

XV.  Hence  that  distinction,  if  it  be  well  understood,  which 
is  frequently  stated  by  Augustine,  between  a  sacrament  and  the 
matter  of  a  sacrament.  For  his  meaning  is,  not  only  that  a 
sacrament  contains  a  figure,  and  some  truth  signified  by  that 
figure,  but  that  their  connection  is  not  such  as  to  render  them 
mseparable  from  each  other;  and  even  when  they  are  united, 
the  thing  signified  ought  always  to  be  distinguished  from  the 
sign,  that  what  belongs  to  the  one  may  not  be  transferred  to 
the  other.  He  speaks  of  their  separation,  when  he  observes, 
that  "  the  sacraments  produce  the  effect  which  they  represent, 
in  the  elect  alone."  Again,  when  he  is  speaking  of  the  Jews  : 
"  Though  the  sacraments  were  common  to  all,  the  grace  which 
is  the  power  of  the  sacrament  was  not  common  ;  so  now,  also, 
the  washing  of  regeneration  is  common  to  all  ;  but  the  grace 
VOL.  II.  59 


466  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

itself,  by  which  the  members  of  Christ  are  regenerated  with 
their  Head,  is  not  common  to  all."  Again,  in  another  place, 
speaking  of  the  Lord's  supper  :  "  We  also  in  the  present  day- 
receive  visible  meat ;  but  the  sacrament  is  one  thing,  and  the 
power  of  the  sacrament  is  another.  How  is  it  that  many 
receive  of  the  altar  and  die,  and  die  in  consequence  of  receiv- 
ing ?  For  the  morsel  of  bread  given  by  the  Lord  to  Judas  was 
poison ;  not  because  Judas  received  an  evil  thing,  but  because, 
being  a  wicked  man,  he  received  a  good  thing  in  a  sinful 
manner."  A  little  after  :  "  The  sacrament  of  this  thing,  that 
is,  of  the  unity  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  is  prepared  on 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  in  some  places  daily,  in  other  places  on 
appointed  days,  at  stated  intervals  of  time  ;  and  is  thence  re- 
ceived, by  some  to  life,  by  others  to  destruction.  But  the  thing 
signified  by  this  sacrament  is  received,  not  to  destruction,  but 
to  life,  by  every  one  who  partakes  of  it."  He  had  just  before 
said,  "  He  shall  not  die,  who  eats ;  I  refer  not  to  the  visible 
sacrament,  but  to  the  power  of  the  sacrament  ;  who  eats  inter- 
nally, not  externally ;  he  who  eats  in  his  heart,  not  he  who 
presses  with  his  teeth."  In  all  these  passages  we  find  it  main- 
tained, that  a  sacrament  is  separated  from  the  truth  signified  in 
it,  by  the  unworthiness  of  a  person  who  receives  it  amiss,  so 
that  there  is  nothing  left  in  it  but  a  vain  and  useless  figure. 
In  order  to  enjoy  the  thing  signified  together  with  the  sign, 
and  not  a  mere  sign  destitute  of  the  truth  it  was  intended  to 
convey,  it  is  necessary  to  apprehend  by  faith  the  word  which  is 
contained  in  it.  Thus,  in  proportion  to  the  communion  we 
have  with  Christ  by  means  of  the  sacraments,  will  be  the  ad- 
vantage which  we  shall  derive  from  them. 

XVI.  If  this  be  obscure  in  consequence  of  its  brevity,  I  will 
explain  it  more  at  large.  I  affirm  that  Christ  is  the  matter,  or 
substance,  of  all  the  sacraments  ;  since  they  have  all  their  solidi- 
ty in  him,  and  promise  nothing  out  of  him.  So  much  more 
intolerable  is  the  error  of  Peter  Lombard,  who  expressly  makes 
them  causes  of  righteousness  and  salvation,  of  which  they  are 
parts.  Leaving  all  causes,  therefore,  of  human  invention,  we 
ought  to  adhere  to  this  one  cause.  As  far  as  we  are  assisted 
by  their  instrumentality,  to  nourish,  confirm,  and  increase  our 
faith  in  Christ,  to  obtain  a  more  perfect  possession  of  him 
and  an  enjoyment  of  his  riches,  so  far  they  are  eliicacious  to 
us  ;  and  this  is  the  case  when  we  receive  by  true  faith  that 
which  is  offered  in  them.  Do  the  impious,  then,  it  will  be 
said,  by  their  ingratitude,  frustrate  the  ordinance  of  God,  and 
cause  it  to  come  to  nothing  ?  I  reply,  that  what  I  have  said  is 
not  to  be  understood  as  implying,  that  the  virtue  and  truth  of  a 
sacrament  depends  on  the  condition  or  choice  of  him  who  re- 
ceives it.     For  what  God  has  instituted  continues  unshaken, 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  4g7 

and  retains  its  nature,  however  men  may  vary;  but  as  it  is 
one  thing  to  ofler,  and  another  to  receive,  there  is  no  incon- 
gruity in  maintaining,  that  a  symbol,  consecrated  by  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  is  in  reality  what  it  is  declared  to  be,  and  preserves 
its  virtue,  and  yet  that  it  confers  no  benefit  on  a  wicked  and 
impious  person.  But  Augustine  happily  solves  this  question 
in  a  few  words  :  he  says,  "  If  thou  receive  it  carnally,  still  it 
ceases  not  to  be  spiritual  ;  but  it  is  not  so  to  thee."  And,  as 
in  the  passages  already  cited,  this  father  shows  that  the  symbol 
used  in  a  sacrament  is  of  no  value,  if  it  be  separated  from  the 
truth  signified  by  it,  so,  on  the  other  hand,  he  states  that  it  is 
necessary  to  distinguish  them,  even  where  they  are  united,  lest 
our  attention  be  confined  too  much  to  the  external  sign.  "  As 
to  follow  the  letter,"  says  he,  "and  to  take  the  signs  instead  of 
the  things  signified,  betrays  servile  weakness,  so  it  is  the  part  of 
unsteadiness  and  error  to  interpret  the  signs  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  derive  no  advantage  from  them."  He  mentions  two 
faults,  against  which  it  is  necessary  to  guard.  One  is,  when 
we  take  the  signs  as  if  they  were  given  in  vain,  and  disparaging 
or  diminishing  their  secret  significations  by  our  perverse  mis- 
construction, exclude  ourselves  from  the  advantage  which  we 
ought  to  derive  from  them.  The  other  is,  when,  not  elevating 
our  mmds  beyond  the  visible  sign,  we  transfer  to  the  sacraments 
the  praise  of  those  benefits,  which  are  only  conferred  upon  us 
by  Christ  alone,  and  that  by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  makes  us  partakers  of  Christ  himself,  by  the  instrumen- 
tality of  the  external  signs  which  invite  us  to  Christ,  but 
which  cannot  be  perverted  to  any  other  use,  without  a  shame- 
ful subversion  of  all  their  utility. 

XVH.  Wherefore  let  us  abide  by  this  conclusion,  that  the 
ojlice  of  the  sacraments  is  precisely  the  same  as  that  of  the 
word  of  God ;  which  is  to  offer  and  present  Christ  to  us,  and 
in  him  the  treasures  of  his  heavenly  grace  ;  but  they  confer 
no  advantage  or  profit  without  being  received  by  faith  ;  just  as 
wine,  or  oil,  or  any  other  liquor,  though  it  be  poured  plentifully 
on  a  vessel,  yet  will  it  overflow  and  be  lost,  unless  the  mouth  of 
the  vessel  be  open  ;  and  the  vessel  itself,  though  wet  on  the 
outside,  will  remain  dry  and  empty  within.  It  is  also  neces- 
sary to  guard  against  being  drawn  into  an  error  allied  to  this, 
from  reading  the  extravagant  language  used  by  the  fathers  with 
a  view  to  exalt  the  dignity  of  the  sacraments  ;  lest  we  should 
suppose  there  is  some  secret  power  annexed  and  attached  to 
the  sacraments,  so  that  they  communicate  the  grace  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  just  as  wine  is  given  in  the  cup  ;  whereas  the 
only  oflice  assigned  to  them  by  God,  is  to  testify  and  confirm 
his  benevolence  towards  us ;  nor  do  they  impart  any  benefit, 
unless  they  are  accompanied  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  open  our 


468  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

minds  and  hearts,  and  render  us  capable  of  receiving  this 
testimony :  and  here,  also,  several  distinct  favours  of  God  are 
eminently  displayed.  For  the  sacraments,  as  we  have  before 
hinted,  fulfil  to  us,  on  the  part  of  God,  the  same  oflice  as  mes- 
sengers of  joyful  intelligence,  or  earnests  for  the  confirmation 
of  covenants  on  the  part  of  men  ;  they  communicate  no  grace 
from  themselves,  but  announce  and  show,  and,  as  earnests  and 
pledges,  ratify,  the  things  which  are  given  to  us  by  the  good- 
ness of  God.  The  Holy  Spirit,  whom  the  sacraments  do  not 
promiscuously  impart  to  all,  but  whom  God,  by  a  peculiar 
privilege,  confers  upon  his  servants,  is  he  who  brings  with  him 
the  graces  of  God,  who  gives  the  sacraments  admission  into 
our  hearts,  and  causes  them  to  bring  forth  fruit  in  us.  Now, 
though  we  do  not  deny  that  God  himself  accompanies  his 
institution  by  the  very  present  power  of  his  Spirit,  that  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  sacraments  which  he  has  ordained  may  not 
be  vain  and  unfruitful,  yet  we  assert  the  necessity  of  a  separate 
consideration  and  contemplation  of  the  internal  grace  of  the 
Spirit,  as  it  is  distinguished  from  the  external  ministry.  What- 
ever God  promises  and  adumbrates  in  signs,  therefore,  he  really 
performs ;  and  the  signs  are  not  without  their  effect,  to  prove 
the  veracity  and  fidelity  of  their  Author.  The  only  question 
here  is,  whether  God  works  by  a  proper  and  intrinsic  power, 
as  it  is  expressed,  or  resigns  the  office  to  external  symbols. 
Now,  we  contend,  that  whatever  instruments  he  employs,  this 
derogates  nothing  from  his  supreme  operation.  When  this 
doctrine  is  maintained  respecting  the  sacraments,  their  dignity 
is  sufficiently  announced,  their  use  plainly  signified,  their  utility 
abundantly  declared,  and  a  proper  moderation  is  preserved  in 
all  these  particulars,  so  that  nothing  is  attributed,  which  ought 
not  to  be  attributed  to  them,  and  nothing  that  belongs  to  them 
is  denied  ;  while  there  is  no  admission  of  that  figment,  which 
places  the  cause  of  justification  and  the  power  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  sacramental  elements,  as  in  so  many  vehicles ;  and  that 
peculiar  power  which  has  been  omitted  by  others  is  clearly 
expressed.  Here,  also,  it  must  be  remarked,  that  God  accom- 
plishes within,  that  which  the  minister  represents  and  testifies 
by  the  external  act  ;  that  we  may  not  attribute  to  a  mortal 
man  what  God  challenges  exclusively  to  himself  Augustine 
has  judiciously  suggested  the  same  sentiment.  "  How,"  says 
he,  "  do  Moses  and  God  both  sanctify  ?  Not  Moses  instead  of 
God.  Moses  docs  it  with  visible  signs,  by  his  ministry.  God 
does  it  with  invisible  grace,  by  his  Holy  Spirit.  Here  also 
lies  all  the  efficacy  of  visible  sacraments.  For  what  avail 
those  visible  sacraments  without  that  sanctification  of  invisible 
grace  ? " 

XVni.    The  term  sacrament,  as  we  have  hitherto  treated  of 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  469 

its  nature,  comprehends  generally  all  the  signs  which  God  has 
ever  given  to  men,  to  certify  and  assure  them  of  the  truth  of 
his  promises.  These  he  has  been  pleased  to  place  in  natural 
things,  and  sometimes  to  exhibit  in  mn-acles.  Examples  of  tlie 
former  kind  are  such  as  these  :  when  he  gave  Adam  and  Eve 
the  tree  of  life,  as  a  pledge  of  immortality,  which  they  might 
assure  themselves  of  enjoying  as  long  as  they  should  eat  of  the 
fruit  of  that  tree ;  (w)  and  when  he  "  set "  his  "  bow  in  the 
cloud,"  as  a  token  to  Noah  and  his  posterity,  that  there  should 
''no  more  be  a  flood  to  destroy  the  earth."  (x)  These  Adam 
and  Noah  had  as  sacraments.  Not  that  the  tree  would  ac- 
tually communicate  immortality  to  them,  which  it  could  not 
give  to  itself;  or  that  the  rainbow,  which  is  merely  a  refrac- 
tion of  the  rays  of  the  sun  on  the  opposite  clouds,  Avould  have 
any  efficacy  in  restraining  the  waters  ;  but  because  they  had 
a  mark  impressed  upon  them  by  the  word  of  God,  constitu- 
ting them  signs  and  seals  of  his  covenants.  The  tree  and  the 
rainbow  both  existed  before,  but  when  they  were  inscribed  with 
the  word  of  God,  they  were  endued  with  a  new  form,  so  that 
they  began  to  be  something  that  they  were  not  before.  And 
that  no  one  may  suppose  this  to  be  spoken  in  vain,  the  bow 
itself  continues  to  be  a  witness  to  us  in  the  present  age,  of  that 
covenant  which  God  made  with  Noah :  whenever  we  behold 
it,  we  read  this  promise  of  God  in  it,  that  he  would  never  more 
destroy  the  earth  with  a  flood.  Therefore,  if  any  smatterer  in 
philosophy,  with  a  view  to  ridicule  the  simplicity  of  our  faitii, 
contend  that  such  a  variety  of  colours  is  the  natural  result  of 
the  refraction  of  the  solar  rays  on  an  opposite  cloud,  we  must 
immediately  acknowledge  it,  but  we  may  smile  at  his  stupidity 
in  not  acknowledging  God  as  the  Lord  and  Governor  of  nature, 
who  uses  all  the  elements  according  to  his  will  for  the  pro- 
motion of  his  own  glory.  And  if  he  had  impressed  similar 
characters  on  the  sun,  on  the  stars,  on  the  earth,  and  on  stones, 
they  would  all  have  been  sacraments  to  us.  Why  is  not  silver 
of  as  much  value  before  it  is  coined,  as  it  is  after,  since  the 
metal  is  the  very  same  ?  The  reason  is,  that  it  has  notiiing 
added  to  its  natural  state  ;  stamped  with  a  public  impression, 
it  becomes  money,  and  receives  a  new  valuation.  And  shall 
not  God  be  able  to  mark  his  creatures  with  his  word,  that  they 
may  become  sacraments,  though  before  they  were  mere  ele- 
ments ?  Examples  of  the  second  kind  were  exhibited,  when 
God  showed  Abraham  "a  smoking  furnace  and  a  burning 
lamp ;"(?/)  when  he  watered  the  fleece  with  dew  while  the 
earth  remained  dry,  and  afterwards  bedewed  the  earth  without 
wetting  the  fleece,  to  promise  victory  to  Gideon  ;  (z)  when  "  he 

(w)  Gen.  ii.  9,  16,  17.  (y)  Gen.  xv.  17. 

(z)   Gen.  ix.  12—17.  (2)  Judges  vi.  37—40. 


470  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

brought  the  shadow  ten  degrees  backward  in  the  dial,"  (a)  to 
promise  recovery  to  Hezekiah.  As  these  things  were  done  to 
support  and  establish  the  weakness  of  their  faith,  they  also  were 
sacraments. 

XIX.  But  our  present  design  is  to  treat  particularly  of  those 
sacraments  which  the  Lord  has  appointed  to  be  ordinarily  used 
in  his  Church,  to  keep  his  worshippers  and  servants  in  one 
faith  and  in  the  confession  of  the  same.  "  For,"  to  use  the  lan- 
guage of  Augustine,  "men  cannot  be  united  in  any  profession 
of  religion,  whether  true  or  false,  unless  they  are  connected  by 
some  communion  of  visible  signs  or  sacraments."  Our  most 
merciful  Father,  therefore,  foreseeing  this  necessity,  did,  from 
the  beginning,  institute  for  his  servants  certain  exercises  of 
piety,  which  Satan  afterwards  depraved  and  corrupted  in  a 
variety  of  ways,  transferring  them  to  impious  and  idolatrous 
worship.  Hence  those  initiations  of  the  heathen  into  their 
mysteries,  and  the  rest  of  their  degenerate  rites,  which,  though 
fraught  with  error  and  superstition,  at  the  same  time  furnish 
an  evidence  that  such  external  signs  are  indispensable  to  a  pro- 
fession of  religion.  But  as  they  were  neither  founded  on  the 
word  of  God,  nor  referred  to  that  truth  which  ought  to  be  the 
object  of  all  religious  emblems,  they  are  unworthy  of  notice, 
where  mention  is  made  of  the  sacred  symbols  which  have  been 
instituted  by  God,  and  which  have  never  been  perverted  from 
their  original  principle,  which  constitutes  them  aids  of  true 
piety.  Now,  they  consist  not  of  mere  signs,  like  the  rainbow 
and  the  tree  of  life,  but  in  ceremonies ;  or,  rather,  the  signs 
which  are  here  given  are  ceremonies.  And,  as  we  have  before 
observed,  as  they  are  testimonies  of  grace  and  salvation  on  the 
part  of  the  Lord,  so  on  our  part  they  are  badges  of  our  profes- 
sion, by  which  we  publicly  devote  ourselves  to  God,  and  swear 
obedience  and  fidelity  to  him.  Chrysostom,  therefore,  some- 
where properly  calls  them  compacts,  by  which  God  covenants 
with  us,  and  we  bind  ourselves  to  purity  and  sanctity  of  life  ; 
because  a  mutual  stipulation  is  made  in  them  between  God  and 
us.  For  as  the  Lord  promises  to  obliterate  and  eifface  all  the  guilt 
and  punishment  that  we  have  incurred  by  sin,  and  reconciles 
us  to  himself  in  his  only  begotten  Son,  so  we,  on  our  parts,  by 
this  profession,  bind  ourselves  to  him,  to  serve  him  in  piety  and 
innocence  of  lile  ;  so  that  such  sacraments  may  justly  be  de- 
scribed as  ceremonies  by  which  God  is  pleased  to  exercise  liis 
people,  in  the  first  place,  to  nourish,  excite,  and  confirm  faith 
in  their  hearts  ;  and  in  tlie  next  place,  to  testify  their  religion 
before  men. 


(«)  2  Kings  X.I.  11. 


CHAP.     XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  471 

to  the  varieties  of  clifForeiit  periods,  and  corresponding  to  the 
dispensation  by  which  it  has  pleased  the  Lord  to  manifest 
himself  in  different  ways  to  mankind.  For  to  Abraham  and 
his  posterity  circnmcision  was  commanded  ;  to  which  the  law 
of  Moses  afterwards  added  ablntions,  sacrifices,  and  other  rites. 
These  were  the  sacraments  of  the  Jews  till  the  coming  of  Christ ; 
which  was  followed  by  the  abrogation  of  these,  and  the  institn- 
tion  of  two  others,  which  are  now  nsed  in  the  Christian  Church  ; 
namely,  baptism  and  the  supper  of  the  Lord.  I  speak  of  those 
which  were  instituted  for  the  use  of  the  whole  Church  ;  for 
as  to  the  imposition  of  hands,  by  which  the  ministers  of  the 
Church  are  introduced  into  their  office,  while  I  make  no  objec- 
tion to  its  being  called  a  sacrament,  I  do  not  class  it  among  the 
ordinary  sacraments.  What  opinion  ought  to  be  entertained 
respecting  those  which  are  commonly  reputed  the  five  other 
sacraments,  we  shall  see  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  Those  an- 
cient sacrifices,  however,  referred  to  the  same  object  towards 
which  ours  are  now  directed,  their  design  being  to  point  and  lead 
to  Christ,  or  rather,  as  images,  to  represent  and  make  him  known. 
For  as  we  have  already  shown  that  they  are  seals  to  confirm  the 
promises  of  God,  and  it  is  very  certain  that  no  promise  of  God 
was  ever  offered,  to  man  except  in  Christ, —  in  order  to  teach  us 
any  thing  respecting  the  promises  of  God,  they  must  of  necessity 
make  a  discovery  of  Christ.  This  was  the  design  of  that  hea- 
venly pattern  of  the  tabernacle  and  model  of  the  legal  worship, 
which  was  exhibited  to  Moses  in  the  mount.  There  is  only  one 
difference  between  those  sacraments  and  ours  :  they  prefigured 
Christ  as  promised  and  still  expected ;  ours  represent  him  as 
already  come  and  manifested. 

XXL  All  these  things  will  be  considerably  elucidated  by  a 
particular  detail.  In  the  first  place,  circumcision  was  a  sign  to 
the  Jews  to  teach  them  that  whatever  is  produced  from  human 
seed  —  that  is,  the  whole  nature  of  man  —  is  corrupt,  and  requires 
to  be  pruned  :  it  was  likewise  a  testification  and  memorial  to 
confirm  them  in  the  promise  given  to  Abraham  respecting  the 
blessed  seed,  in  whom  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  were  to  be 
blessed,  and  from  whom  their  own  blessing  was  also  to  be  ex- 
pected. (6)  Now,  that  blessed  seed,  as  Paul  informs  us,  was 
Christ,  on  whom  alone  they  relied  for  recovering  that  which  they 
had  lost  in  Adam.  Wherefore  circumcision  was  the  same  to 
them  as  Paul  declares  it  to  have  been  to  Abraham,  even  "a  seal 
of  the  righteousness  of  faith  ; '"  [c)  that  is,  a  seal  for  the  further 
assurance  that  their  faith,  with  which  they  expected  that  seed, 
would  be  imputed  by  God  to  them  for  righteousness.  But  the 
comparison  between  circumcision  and  baptism  we  shall  have 

(b)  Gen.  xii.  3  ;  xxii.  18.     Gal.  iii.  IG.  (c)  Rom.  iv.  11. 


472  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

more  suitable  occasion  for  pursuing  in  another  place.  Ablu- 
tions and  purifications  placed  before  their  eyes  then-  uncleanness 
and  pollution,  by  which  they  were  naturally  contaminated,  and 
promised  another  ablution,  by  which  they  would  be  purified 
from  all  their  defilement ;  and  this  ablution  was  Christ,  washed 
in  whose  blood  we  bring  his  purity  into  the  presence  of  God 
to  cover  all  our  impurities.  (/)  Their  sacrifices  accused  and 
convicted  them  of  their  iniquity,  and,  at  the  same  time,  taught 
the  necessity  of  some  satisfaction  to  be  made  to  the  Divine 
justice,  and  that,  therefore,  there  would  come  a  great  High 
Priest,  a  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  who  was  to  satisfy 
the  justice  of  God  by  the  effusion  of  blood  and  the  oblation  of 
a  sacrifice,  which  would  be  sufficient  to  obtain  the  remission 
of  sins.  This  great  High  Priest  was  Christ ;  he  shed  his  own 
blood,  and  was  himself  the  victim  ;  was  obedient  to  his  Father 
even  unto  death,  and  by  his  obedience  obliterated  the  disobe- 
dience of  man,  which  had  provoked  the  indignation  of  God.  (g) 
XXH.  Our  two  sacraments  present  us  with  a  clearer  exhibi- 
tion of  Christ,  in  proportion  to  the  nearer  view  of  him  which 
men  have  enjoyed  since  he  was  really  manifested  by  the  Father 
in  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been  promised.  For  baptism 
testifies  to  us  our  purgation  and  ablution  ;  the  eucharistic 
supper  testifies  our  redemption.  Water  is  a  figure  of  ablution, 
and  blood  of  satisfaction.  These  things  are  both  found  in 
Christ,  who,  as  John  says,  "came  by  water  and  blood:  "  (h) 
that  is,  to  purify  and  redeem.  Of  this  the  Spirit  of  God  is  a 
witness ;  or,  rather,  "  there  are  three  that  bear  witness,  the 
Spirit,  the  Water,  and  the  Blood."  {i)  In  the  water  and 
the  blood  we  have  a  testimony  of  purgation  and  redemp- 
tion ;  and  the  Spirit,  as  the  principal  witness,  confirms  and 
secures  our  reception  and  belief  of  this  testimony.  This 
sublime  mystery  was  strikingly  exhibited  on  the  cross,  when 
blood  and  water  issued  from  Christ's  sacred  side  ;  which,  on 
this  account,  Augustine  has  justly  called  "  the  fountain  of  our 
sacraments  ;  "  of  which  we  are  yet  to  treat  more  at  large.  And 
there  is  no  doubt,  if  we  compare  one  time  with  another,  but  that 
the  more  abundant  grace  of  the  Spirit  is  also  here  displayed. 
For  that  belongs  to  the  glory  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ :  as 
we  gather  from  various  places,  and  especially  from  the  seventh 
chapter  of  John.  In  this  sense  we  must  understand  that  pas- 
sage where  Paul,  speaking  of  the  legal  institutions,-says,  "  which 
are  a  shadow  of  things  to  come,  but  the  body  is  of  Christ."  (k) 
His  design  in  this  declaration  is,  not  to  deny  the  efficacy  of 
those  testimonies  of  grace,  in  which  God  was  formerly  pleased 

(/)  Heb.  ix.  10—14.     1  John  i.  7.     Rev.  i.  5. 

(<r)  Hob.  iv.  14  ;  i.x.  11  ;  x.  1—4.     Phil.  ii.  b.     Rom.  v.  19. 

(A)  1  John  V.  8.  (0  1  John  v.  8.  (A)  Col.  ii.  17. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  473 

to  attest  his  veracity  to  the  fathers,  as  he  does  to  us  now  in 
baptism  and  the  sacred  supper,  but  to  represent  the  compara- 
tive superiority  of  what  has  been  given  to  us,  that  no  one  miglit 
wonder  at  the  ceremonies  of  the  law  having  been  aboUslied  at 
the  advent  of  Christ. 

XXIII.  I  will  just  observe  by  the  way,  that  the  doctrine  of 
the  schools,  which  asserts  such  a  wide  difference  between  the 
sacraments  of  the  old  and  new  law,  as  though  the  former 
merely  prefigured  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  latter  actually  com- 
municated it,  ought  to  be  altogether  exploded.  For  the  apostle 
speaks  in  a  manner  equally  as  honourable  of  the  former  as  of 
the  latter,  when  he  states  that  the  fathers,  in  the  time  of 
Moses,  "  did  all  eat  the  same  spiritual  meat "  (/)  with  us,  and 
explains  that  meat  to  be  Christ.  Who  will  dare  to  call  that 
an  empty  sign,  which  exhibited  to  the  Jews  the  real  com- 
munion of  Christ  ?  And  the  state  of  the  case,  which  the 
apostle  is  there  discussing,  is  clearly  in  favour  of  our  argu- 
ment. For,  that  no  man  might  dare  to  despise  the  judgment 
of  God,  in  a  reliance  on  a  speculative  knowledge  of  Christ,  and 
the  mere  name  of  Christianity,  with  its  external  signs,  he  ex- 
hibits the  examples  of  Divine  severity  displayed  among  the 
Jews,  to  teach  us  that  the  same  punishments  which  they 
suffered  await  us,  if  we  indulge  in  the  same  sins.  Now,  that 
the  comparison  might  be  pertinent,  it  was  necessary  to  show 
that  there  was  no  inequality  between  us  and  them  in  those 
privileges  of  which  he  forbids  us  to  indulge  unfounded  boasts. 
First,  therefore,  he  shows  them  to  have  been  equal  to  us  in  the 
sacraments,  and  leaves  not  a  particle  of  superiority  capable  of 
exciting  in  our  minds  the  least  hope  of  impunity.  Nor  is  it 
right  to  attribute  to  our  baptism  any  thing  more  than  he  attri- 
butes to  circumcision,  when  he  calls  it  "  a  seal  of  the  righteous- 
ness of  faith."  {ttv)  Whatever  is  presented  to  us  in  the  present 
day  in  our  sacraments,  was  anciently  received  by  the  Jews  in 
theirs  —  even  Christ  and  his  spiritual  riches.  Whatever  power 
our  sacraments  have,  they  also  experienced  the  same  in  theirs : 
they  were  seals  of  the  Divine  benevolence  to  them,  confirming 
their  hope  of  eternal  salvation.  If  the  advocates  of  the  opin- 
ion which  we  are  opposing  had  been  skilful  interpreters  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  they  would  not  have  been  so  deceived ; 
but  when  they  read  there  that  sins  were  not  expiated  by  the 
legal  ceremonies,  and  that  the  ancient  shadows  had  no  power  to 
confer  righteousness,  —  neglecting  the  comparison  intended  to 
be  drawn,  and  confining  their  attention  to  this  single  consider- 
ation, that  the  law  in  itself  was  unprofitable  to  its  observers, 
they  have  simply  concluded  that  the  figures  were  destitute  of 

(J)  1  Cor.  X.  3.  {m)  Rom.  iv.  11. 

vo.-    II.  60 


474  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

any  truth.  But  the  design  of  the  apostle  was  to  represent 
the  ceremonial  law  as  of  no  value  till  it  was  referred  to  Christ, 
on  whom  alone  depended  all  its  efficacy. 

XXIV.  But  they  will  allege  what  Paul  says  of  the  "cir- 
cumcision in  the  letter,"  («)  that  it  is  in  no  estimation  with 
God  ;  that  it  confers  no  advantage  ;  that  it  is  in  vain  ;  for  such 
a  representation  they  conceive  to  degrade  it  far  below  baptism. 
Bat  this  is  not  true  ;  for  all  that  he  says  of  circumcision  might 
justly  be  affirmed  of  baptism.  And  it  is  actually  asserted  ;  first 
by  Paul  himself,  where  he  shows  that  God  regards  not  the  ex- 
ternal ablution  by  which  we  enter  on  the  profession  of  religion, 
unless  the  heart  be  purified  within,  and  persevere  in  piety  to 
tlie  end  ;  and,  secondly,  by  Peter,  when  he  declares  the  truth 
of  baptism  to  consist,  not  in  "  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of 
the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience."  (o)  It  will  be 
objected,  that  Paul  seems  in  another  place  utterly  to  despise 
"  the  circumcision  made  with  hands,"  when  he  compares  it 
with  "  the  circumcision  of  Christ."  (p)  I  reply,  that  that 
passage  derogates  nothhig  from  its  dignity.  Paul  is  there  dis- 
puting against  those  who  required  it  as  still  necessary,  after  it 
had  been  abrogated.  He  therefore  admonishes  believers  to 
leave  the  ancient  shadows,  and  adhere  to  the  truth.  These 
teachers,  he  says,  urge  you  to  be  circumcised  in  your  bodies. 
But  you  have  been  spiritually  circumcised  both  in  body  and 
soul :  you  have  the  substance  itself,  therefore,  which  is  better 
than  the  shadow.  Some  one  might  object  to  this,  that  the 
figure  was  not  to  be  despised  in  consequence  of  their  having 
the  substance ;  for  that  the  fathers  under  the  Old  Testament 
had  experienced  the  circumcision  of  the  heart,  and  the  putting 
off  of  the  old  man,  of  which  the  apostle  was  speaking,  and  yet 
that  external  circumcision  had  not  been  unnecessary  or  useless 
to  them.  He  anticipates  and  supersedes  this  objection,  by  im- 
mediately adding,  that  the  Colossians  had  been  "buried  with 
Christ  in  baptism  ;  "  by  which  he  signifies  that  baptism  is  to 
Christians  what  circumcision  was  to  the  ancient  believers,  and 
consequently  that  circumcision  cannot  be  imposed  upon  Christ- 
ians without  injury  to  baptism. 

XXV.  But  our  objectors  proceed  to  allege,  that  a  still 
stronger  argument  in  their  favour  arises  from  what  follows, 
which  1  have  lately  quoted,  —  that  all  the  Jewish  ceremonies 
were  "  a  shadow  of  things  to  come,  but  the  body  is  of 
Christ ;  "  (q)  and  that  the  strongest  argument  of  all  is  what  is 
contained  m  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  the  blood  of 
beasts  did  not  reach  the  conscience,  that  "the  law"  had  "a 
shadow  of  good  things  to  come,  and  not  the  very  image  of  the 

(71)  Rom.  ii.  25—20.     1  Cor.  vii.  19.     Gal.  vi.  lb. 
(«)   1  Fet.  lii.  21.  ip)  Col.  ii.  11.  (?)  Col.  ii.  17. 


CHAP.    XIV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  475 

things,  and  that  the  worshippers  could  never  attain  perfection 
from  the  Mosaic  ceremonies."  (r)  I  repeat  what  I  have  aheady 
suggested,  that  Paul  called  the  ceremonies  shudoivs,  not  as  if 
they  had  nothing  solid  in  them,  but  because  their  accomplish- 
ment had  been  deferred  till  the  manifestation  of  Christ.  In 
the  next  place,  I  remark  that  this  is  to  be  understood,  not  of 
the  efficacy  of  the  ceremonies,  but  rather  of  the  mode  of  repre- 
sentation. For  till  Christ  was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  all  the 
signs  prefigured  him  as  absent ;  however,  he  displayed  his 
power,  and  consequently  himself,  as  present  in  the  hearts  of 
believers.  But  the  principal  thing  to  be  observed  is,  that  in  all 
these  places  Paul  is  not  speaking  of  the  subject,  considered 
smiply  in  itself,  but  with  reference  to  those  against  whom  he 
is  contending.  As  he  was  combating  the  false  apostles,  who 
maintained  piety  to  consist  in  the  ceremonies  alone,  without 
any  regard  to  Christ,  —  nothing  more  was  necessary  for  their 
confutation,  than  to  discuss  what  value  ceremonies  possess  of 
themselves.  This  also  was  the  object  pursued  by  the  author  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  Let  us  remember,  therefore,  that 
the  question  here  does  not  respect  ceremonies,  taken  in  their  true 
and  natural  signification,  but  as  distorted  by  a  false  and  perverse 
interpretation  ;  the  controversy  is  not  about  the  legitimate  use, 
but  the  superstitious  abuse  of  them.  AVhat  wonder,  then,  is  it, 
if  ceremonies,  separated  from  Christ,  are  divested  of  all  their 
virtue  ?  For  all  signs  are  reduced  to  nothing,  when  the  thing 
signified  is  taken  away.  So  when  Christ  was  addressing  those 
who  supposed  the  manna  to  have  been  mere  food  for  the  body, 
he  accommodated  his  discourse  to  their  gross  notion,  and  said 
that  he  would  give  them  better  food,  to  nourish  their  souls 
with  the  hope  of  immortality,  (s)  If  a  clearer  solution  be  re- 
quired, all  that  has  been  said  may  be  comprised  in  these  three 
observations  :  first,  that  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  law  of  Mo- 
ses, unless  they  were  directed  to  Christ,  were  vain  and  useless; 
secondly,  that  they  had  reference  to  Christ,  so  that  when  he 
was  manifested  in  the  flesh,  they  received  their  accomplish- 
ment ;  lastly,  that  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  be  abolished 
at  his  advent,  as  a  shadow  vanislics  in  the  clear  light  of  the 
sun.  But  as  I  defer  the  more  extended  discussion  of  this  sub- 
ject to  the  chapter  in  which  I  intend  to  compare  baptism  with 
cn-cumcision,  I  touch  the  more  briefly  upon  it  here. 

XXVI.  It  is  possible  that  these  miserable  sophists  have 
been  led  into  this  error  by  the  extravagant  encomunns  on  the 
sacraments  which  are  found  in  the  writings  of  the  fathers ; 
as  when  Augustine  says,  that  "  the  sacraments  of  the  old  law 
only  promised   the   Saviour,  but    ours  give    salvation."     Not 

(r)  Heb.  ix.  9;  x.  1,  2  {s)  John  vi.  27. 


476  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

observing  that  these  and  other  similar  forms  of  expression  were 
hyperboUcal,  they,  also,  on  their  part,  have  promulgated  their 
hyperbolical  dogmas,  but  in  a  sense  altogether  foreign  from 
the  writings  of  the  fathers.  For  the  meaning  of  Augustine 
in  that  passage  was  the  same  as  in  another,  where  he  says, 
"  The  sacraments  of  the  Mosaic  law  announced  Christ  as  after- 
wards to  come  ;  ours  announce  him  as  already  come."  Again  : 
"  They  were  promises  of  things  to  be  fulfilled  ;  these  are  signs 
of  things  accomplished  ;  "  as  if  he  had  said,  that  the  old 
sacraments  prefigured  Christ  while  he  was  yet  expected,  but 
that  ours  exhibit  him  as  present,  since  he  has  already  come. 
Besides,  he  speaks  of  the  mode  of  representation,  as  he  also 
shows  in  another  place,  where  he  says,  "  The  law  and  the 
prophets  had  sacraments  announcing  something  future ;  but 
what  they  celebrated  as  about  to  come,  the  sacraments  of  our 
time  announce  as  already  come."  His  sentiments  respecting 
their  truth  and  efficacy  he  declares  in  several  places ;  as  when 
he  says,  "  The  sacraments  of  the  Jews  were  difierent  from  ours 
in  the  signs ;  in  the  thing  signified,  they  were  equal ;  different 
in  visible  form,  equal  in  spiritual  efficacy."  Again:  "In 
diflerent  signs,  the  same  faith ;  in  different  signs,  just  as  in 
different  words ;  because  words  change  their  sounds  in  differ- 
ent times,  and  words  are  no  other  than  signs.  The  fathers 
drank  the  same  spiritual  drink  as  we ;  though  their  corporeal 
drink  was  diflerent.  See,  then,  the  signs  have  been  varied 
without  any  change  in  the  faith.  To  them  the  Rock  was 
Christ ;  to  us,  that  which  is  placed  on  the  altar  is  Christ. 
And  as  a  great  sacrament,  they  drank  the  water  flowing  from 
the  Rock ;  what  we  drink,  believers  know.  If  we  consider 
the  visible  form,  there  was  a  diflerence ;  if  we  regard  the  in- 
telligible signification,  they  drank  the  same  spiritual  drink." 
In  another  place  :  "  In  the  mystery  their  meat  and  drink  were 
the  same  as  ours  ;  bnt  the  same  in  signification,  not  in  form  ; 
because  the  very  same  Christ  was  prefigured  to  them  in  the 
Rock,  and  has  been  manifested  to  us  in  the  flesh."  Yet  in 
this  respect,  also,  we  admit  that  there  is  some  diflerence  be- 
tween their  sacraments  and  ours.  For  both  testify  that  the 
paternal  benevolence  of  God  is  oflered  to  us  in  Christ,  together 
with  the  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  but  ours  testify  it  in  a 
more  clear  and  evident  manner.  In  both  there  is  an  exhibi- 
tion of  Christ,  but  the  exhibition  of  him  in  ours  is  richer  and 
fuller,  corresponding  to  tlic  diflerence  between  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New,  of  which  we  have  already  treated.  And 
this  is  what  was  intended  by  Augustine,  whom  I  quote  more 
frequently  than  any  other,  as  the  best  and  most  faithful  writer 
of  antiquity,  when  he  states,  that  after  the  revelation  of  Christ, 
sacraments  were  instituted,  "  fewer  in  number,  more  noble  in 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  477 

signification,  and  more  excellent  in  efficacy."  It  is  right,  also, 
just  to  apprize  the  readers,  that  all  the  jargon  of  the  sophists 
respecting  the  work  icrought  {opus  opcratiim)  is  not  only  false, 
but  repugnant  to  the  nature  of  the  sacraments  ;  which  God 
has  instituted,  in  order  that  believers,  being  poor  and  desti- 
tute of  every  good,  may  come  to  them  simply  confessing  their 
wants,  and  imploring  him  to  supply  them.  Consequently,  in 
receiving  the  sacraments,  they  perform  nothing  at  all  meritori- 
ous, and  the  action  itself  being,  as  far  as  they  are  concerned, 
merely  passive,  no  work  can  be  attributed  to  them  in  it. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


Baptism  is  a  sign  of  initiation,  by  which  we  are  admitted 
into  the  society  of  the  Church,  in  order  that,  being  incorporated 
into  Christ,  we  may  be  numbered  among  the  children  of  God. 
Now,  it  has  been  given  to  us  by  God  for  these  ends,  which  I 
have  shown  to  be  common  to  all  sacraments:  first,  to  promote 
our  faith  towards  him  ;  secondly,  to  testify  our  confession  be- 
fore men.  We  shall  treat  of  both  these  ends  of  its  institution 
in  order.  To  begin  with  the  first :  from  baptism  our  faith 
derives  three  advantages,  which  require  to  be  distinctly  con- 
sidered. The  first  is,  that  it  is  proposed  to  us  by  the  Lord,  as 
a  symbol  and  token  of  our  purification  ;  or,  to  express  my  mean- 
ing more  fully,  it  resembles  a  legal  instrument  properly  attested, 
by  which  he  assures  us  that  all  our  sins  are  cancelled,  etfaced, 
and  obliterated,  so  that  they  will  never  appear  in  his  sight,  or 
come  into  his  remembrance,  or  be  imputed  to  us.  For  he 
commands  all  who  believe  to  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of 
their  sins.  Therefore  those  who  have  imagined  that  baptism 
is  nothing  more  than  a  mark  or  sign  by  which  we  profess  our 
religion  before  men,  as  soldiers  wear  the  insignia  of  their 
sovereign  as  a  mark  of  their  profession,  have  not  considered 
that  which  was  the  principal  thing  in  baptism  ;  which  is,  that 
we  ought  to  receive  it  with  this  promise,  "  He  that  befieveth 
and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved."  [t) 

n.  In  this  sense  we  are  to  understand  what  is  said  by  Paul, 
that  Christ  sanctifies  and  cleanses  the  Church  "  with  the 
washing  of  water  by  the  word  ;  "  {u)  and  in  another  place,  that 

(f)  Mark  xvi.  16.  (u)  Epli.  v.  26. 


478  IXSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

"according  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regene- 
ration, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  "  (v)  and  by  Peter, 
-that  ''  baptism  doth  save  us."  (w)  For  it  was  not  the  intention 
of  Paul  to  signify  tliat  our  ablution  and  salvation  are  completed 
by  the  water,  or  that  water  contains  in  itself  the  virtue  to  puri- 
fy, regenerate,  and  renew  ;  nor  did  Peter  mean  that  it  was  the 
cause  of  salvation,  but  only  that  the  knowledge  and  assurance 
of  it  is  received  in  this  sacrament ;  which  is  sufficiently  evident 
from  the  words  they  have  used.  For  Paul  connects  together  the 
"  word  of  life  "  and  "  the  baptism  of  water  ;  "  as  if  he  had  said 
that  our  ablation  and  sanctification  are  announced  to  us  by  the 
gospel,  and  by  baptism  this  message  is  confirmed.  And  Peter, 
after  having  said  that  "  baptism  doth  save  us,"  immediately  adds 
that  it  is  "not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the 
answer  of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,"  which  proceeds 
from  faith.  But,  on  the  contrary,  baptism  promises  us  no  other 
purification  than  by  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Christ ; 
which  is  emblematically  represented  by  water,  on  account  of 
its  resemblance  to  washing  and  cleansing.  Who,  then,  can 
pretend  that  we  are  cleansed  by  that  water,  which  clearly  testi- 
fies the  blood  of  Christ  to  be  our  true  and  only  ablution  ?  So 
that,  to  refute  the  error  of  those  who  refer  all  to  the  virtue  of 
the  water,  no  better  argument  could  be  found,  than  in  the  signi- 
fication of  baptism  itself,  which  abstracts  us,  as  well  from  that 
visible  element  which  is  placed  before  our  eyes,  as  from  all 
other  means  of  salvation,  that  it  may  fix  our  minds  on  Christ 
alone. 

III.  Nor  must  it  be  supposed  that  baptism  is  administered 
only  for  the  time  past,  so  that  for  sins  into  which  we  fall  after 
baptism  it  would  be  necessary  to  seek  other  new  remedies  of 
expiation  in  I  know  not  what  other  sacraments,  as  if  the  virtue 
of  ba])tism  were  become  obsolete.  In  consequence  of  this  error, 
it  happened,  in  former  ages,  that  some  persons  would  not  be  bap- 
tized except  at  the  close  of  their  life,  and  almost  in  the  moment 
of  their  death,  that  so  they  might  obtain  pardon  for  their  whole 
life  —  a  preposterous  caution,  which  is  frequently  censured  in 
the  writings  of  the  ancient  bishops.  But  we  ought  to  conclude, 
that  at  whatever  time  we  are  iDaptized,  we  are  washed  and 
purified  for  the  whole  of  life.  Whenever  we  have  fallen,  there- 
fore, we  must  recur  to  the  remembrance  of  baptism,  and  arm 
our  mitids  with  the  consideration  of  it,  that  we  Jiiay  be  always 
certified  and  assured  of  the  remission  of  our  sins.  For  though, 
when  it  has  liecn  once  administered,  it  appears  to  be  past,  yet 
it  is  not  abolished  by  subsequent  sins.  For  the  purity  of 
Christ- is  ofiered  to  us  in  it ;  and  that  always  retains  its  virtue 

(r)  Titus  iii.  5.  (w)  1  Peter  iii.  21. 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  479 

is  never  overcome  by  any  blemishes,  but  purifies  and  obliterates 
all  our  defilements.  Now,  from  this  doctrine  we  ought  not  to 
take  a  license  for  the  commission  of  future  sius  ;  for  it  is  very 
far  from  inculcating  such  presumption  ;  it  is  only  delivered  to 
those  who,  when  they  have  sumed,  groan  under  the  fatigue 
and  oppression  of  their  transgressions ;  in  order  to  afford  them 
some  relief  and  consolation,  and  to  preserve  them  from  sinking 
into  confusion  and  despair.  Thus  Paul  says,  that  Christ  was 
"  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  for  the  remission  of  sins  that 
are  past."  (x)  He  does  not  deny  that  we  have  a  constant  and 
perpetual  remission  of  sins  in  Christ,  but  signifies  that  he  has 
been  given  by  the  Father  only  to  miserable  sinners,  who  sigh 
for  the  physician  to  heal  the  wouuds  of  a  guilty  conscience. 
To  such  the  mercy  of  God  is  offered  ;  while  those  who,  from  a 
remission  of  punishment,  seek  to  derive  an  occasion  and  license 
for  sinning,  do  nothing  but  draw  down  upon  themselves  the 
wrath  and  vengeance  of  God. 

IV.  I  know  the  common  opinion  is,  that  remission  of  sins, 
which  at  our  first  regeneration  we  receive  by  baptism  alone,  is 
afterwards  obtained  by  repentance  and  the  benefit  of  the  keys. 
But  the  advocates  of  this  opinion  have  fallen  into  an  error,  for 
want  of  considering  that  the  power  of  the  keys,  of  which  they 
speak,  is  so  dependent  on  baptism  that  it  cannot  by  any  means 
be  separated  from  it.  It  is  true,  that  the  sinner  receives  re- 
mission by  the  ministry  of  the  Church  ;  but  not  without  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel.  Now,  what  is  the  nature  of  that 
preaching  ?  That  we  are  cleansed  from  our  sins  by  the  blood 
of  Christ.  What  sign  and  testimony  of  that  ablution  is  there, 
except  baptism  ?  We  see,  then,  how  this  absolution  is  referred 
to  baptism.  This  error  has  produced  the  imaginary  sacrament 
of  penance  ;  on  which  I  have  touched  a  little  already,  and  shall 
finish  what  remains  in  its  proper  place.  Now,  it  is  no  wonder 
if  men,  whose  groveling  minds  were  inordinately  attached  to 
external  things,  have  betrayed  that  corrupt  propensity,  by  a 
discontent  with  the  pure  institution  of  God,  and  an  introduc- 
tion of  new  expedients  invented  by  themselves  ;  as  if  baptism 
itself  were  not  a  sacrament  of  repentance  ;  but  if  repentance 
be  enjoined  upon  us  as  long  as  we  live,  the  virtue  of  baptism 
ought  to  be  extended  to  the  same  period.  Wherefore  it  is 
evident  that  the  pious,  whenever,  in  any  part  of  their  lives,  they 
are  distressed  with  a  consciousness  of  their  sins,  may  justly  iiave 
recourse  to  the  remembrance  of  baptism,  in  order  to  confirm 
themselves  in  the  confidence  of  their  interest  in  that  one  per- 
petual ablution  which  is  enjoyed  in  the  blood  of  Christ. 

V.  Baptism   is   also    attended   with  another   advantage  :  it 

(x)  Rom.  iii.  25. 


480  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

shows  US  our  mortification  in  Christ,  and  our  new  life  in  him. 
For.  as  the  apostle  says,  "  So  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into 
Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  his  death  :  therefore  we  are 
buried  with  him  by  baptism  into  death,  that  we  should  walk 
in  newness  of  life."  (y)  In  this  passage  he  does  not  merely 
exhort  us  to  an  imitation  of  Christ,  as  if  he  had  said,  that  we 
are  admonished  by  ba})tism,  that  after  the  example  of  his  death 
we  should  die  to  sin,  and  that  after  the  example  of  his  resur- 
rection we  should  rise  to  righteousness  ;  but  he  goes  considera- 
bly further,  and  teaches  us,  that  by  baptism  Christ  has  made  us 
partakers  of  his  death,  in  order  that  we  may  b.e  ingrafted  into 
it.  And  as  the  scion  derives  substance  and  nourishment  from 
the  root  on  which  it  is  ingrafted,  so  they,  who  receive  baptism 
with  the  faith  with  which  they  ought  to  receive  it,  truly  ex- 
perience the  efficacy  of  Christ's  death  in  the  mortification  of 
the  flesh,  and  also  the  energy  of  his  resurrection  in  the  vivifi- 
cation  of  the  spirit.  Hence  he  deduces  matter  of  exhortation, 
that,  if  we  are  Christians,  we  ought  to  be  "  dead  unto  sin,  but 
alive  unto  God."  (z)  He  uses  the  same  argument  in  another 
place;  that  we  "are  circumcised,  putting  oft'  the  body  of  the 
sins  of  the  flesh,"  after  we  have  been  "  buried  with  "  Christ 
''  in  baptism."  (a)  And  in  this  sense,  in  the  passage  already 
quoted,  he  calls  it  '*  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  renew- 
ing." (b)  Thus  we  are  promised,  first,  the  gratuitous  remis- 
sion of  sins,  and  imputation  of  righteousness  ;  and,  second- 
ly, the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  reform  us  to  newness 
of  life. 

VI.  The  last  advantage  which  our  faith  receives  from  bap- 
tism, is  the  certain  testimony  it  aff"ords  us,  that  we  are  not  only 
ingrafted  into  the  life  and  death  of  Christ,  but  are  so  united  as  to 
be  partakers  of  all  his  benefits.  For  this  reason  he  dedicated 
and  sanctified  baptism  in  his  own  body,  that  he  might  have  it 
in  common  with  us,  as  a  most  firm  bond  of  the  union  and 
society  which  he  has  condescended  to  form  with  us ;  so  that 
Paul  proves  from  it,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,  because 
we  have  put  on  Christ  in  baptism,  (c)  Thus  we  see  that  the 
accomplishment  of  baptism  is  in  Christ ;  whom,  on  this  account, 
we  call  the  proper  object  of  baptism.  Therefore  it  is  no  wonder 
if  the  apostles  baptized  in  his  name,  (d)  though  they  had  also 
been  commanded  to  baptize  in  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of 
the  Spirit,  (e)  For  all  the  gifts  of  God,  which  are  presented 
in  baptism,  are  found  in  Christ  alone.  Yet  it  cannot  be  but 
that  he  who  baptizes  into  Christ,  equally  invokes  the  name  of 
the  Father  and  of  the  Spirit.     For  we  have  purification  in  his 


(y)  Rom.  vi.  3,  4.  (2)  Rom.  vi.  H.  (a)  Col.  ii.  11,  12.  (b)  Titus  iii.  6. 

(c)  Gal.  iii.  26,  27.  (d)  Acts  viii.  16.  (c)  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  481 

blood,  because  our  merciful  Father,  in  his  incomparable  good- 
ness, being  pleased  to  receive  us  to  his  mercy,  has  appointed 
this  Mediator  between  us,  to  conciliate  his  favour  to  us.  But 
we  receive  regeneration  from  his  death  and  resurrection,  when 
we  are  endued  with  a  new  and  spiritual  nature  by  the  sanctifi- 
cation  of  the  Spirit.  Of  our  purification  and  regeneration, 
therefore,  we  obtain,  and  distinctly  perceive,  the  cause  in  the 
Father,  the  matter  in  the  Son,  and  the  efficacy  in  the  Spirit. 
Thus  John  first,  and  the  apostles  afterwards,  baptized  "  with 
the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins  ;  "  (/)  by 
repentance,  intending  regeneration,  and  by  remission  of  sins, 
ablution. 

VII.  Hence  also  it  is  very  certain  that  the  ministry  of  John 
was  precisely  the  same  as  that  which  was  afterwards  committed 
to  the  apostles.  For  their  baptism  was  not  different,  though  it 
was  administered  by  different  hands ;  but  the  sameness  of  their 
doctrine  shows  their  baptism  to  have  been  the  same.  John  and 
the  apostles  agreed  in  the  same  doctrine  ;  both  baptized  to 
repentance,  both  to  remission  of  sins;  both  baptized  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  from  whom  repentance  and  remission  of  sins 
proceed.  John  said  of  Christ,  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God, 
which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world ;  "  (g)  thus  acknow- 
ledging and  declaring  him  to  be  the  sacrifice  acceptable  to  the 
Father,  the  procurer  of  righteousness,  and  the  author  of  sal- 
vation. What  could  the  apostles  add  to  this  confession  ? 
Wherefore  let  no  one  be  disturbed  by  the  attempts  of  the 
ancient  writers  to  distinguish  and  separate  one  baptism  from 
the  other ;  for  their  authority  ought  not  to  have  weight  enough 
to  shake  our  confidence  in  the  Scripture.  For  who  will  attend 
to  Chrysostom,  who  denies  that  remission  of  sins  was  included 
in  the  baptism  of  John,  rather  than  to  Luke,  who,  on  the 
contrary,  affirms  that  "  John  came  preaching  the  baptism  of 
repentance,  for  the  remission  of  sins  ?  "  (h)  Nor  must  we 
admit  that  subtlety  of  Augustine,  "  that  in  the  baptism  of  John 
sins  were  remitted  in  hope,  but  in  the  baptism  of  Christ  they 
were  remitted  in  fact."  For  as  the  evangelist  clearly  testifies 
that  John,  in  his  baptism,  promised  the  remission  of  sins,  why 
should  we  diminish  this  commendation,  when  no  necessity 
constrains  us  to  it  ?  But  if  any  ditference  be  sought  for  in  the 
word  of  God,  the  only  diff'erence  that  will  be  found  is,  that  John 
baptized  in  the  name  of  him  who  was  to  come,  the  apostles  in 
the  name  of  him  who  had  already  manifested  himself. 

VIII.  The  more  abundant  eftusion  of  the  graces  of  the 
Spirit,  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  contributes  nothmg  to 

-       (/)  Matt.  iii.  6,  11.     Luke  iii.  3.     John  iii.  23;  iv.  1.     Acts  ii.  38,  41. 
(g)  John  i.  2'J.  (A)  Luke  iii.  3. 

VOL.    II.  61 


482  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

establish  a  diversity  of  baptisms.  For  the  baptism  adminis- 
tered by  the  apostles,  during  his  hfe  on  earth,  was  called 
his ;  yet  it  was  attended  with  no  greater  abundance  of  the 
Spirit  than  the  baptism  of  John.  And  even  after  his  ascen- 
sion, the  Samaritans,  even  though  they  had  been  baptized 
in  tlie  name  of  Jesus,  received  no  other  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
than  those  which  were  common  to  all  believers,  till  Peter 
and  John  were  sent  to  lay  their  hands  upon  them,  (i)  I 
suppose  that  the  fathers  were  misled  into  an  opinion,  that  the 
baptism  of  John  was  merely  a  preparation  for  that  of  Christ,  (k) 
entirely  from  an  apprehension  that  some  persons,  who  had 
previously  received  the  baptism  of  John,  were  baptized  again 
by  Paul.  But  that  they  were  mistaken  in  this  point,  shall  be 
very  clearly  shown  in  the  proper  place.  What  is  the  meaning, 
then,  of  the  declaration  of  John,  that  he  "  baptized  with  water," 
but  that  Christ  would  come  to  "baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  with  fire  ?  "  (Z)  This  may  be  explained  in  few  words  :  for 
he  did  not  mean  to  distinguish  between  one  baptism  and  the 
other,  but  was  comparing  himself  with  the  person  of  Christ ; 
that  he  was  a  minister  of  water,  but  that  Christ  was  the  giver 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  would  display  this  power  by  a  visible 
miracle,  on  that  day  when  he  would  send  down  the  Holy  Spirit 
upon  the  apostles  in  the  form  of  fiery  tongues,  (m)  What 
could  the  apostles  boast  beyond  this  ?  What  more  can  they 
pretend  to,  who  baptize  in  the  present  day?  For  they  are 
merely  ministers  of  the  outward  sign,  and  Christ  is  the  author  of 
the  inward  grace  ;  as  the  same  ancient  writers  invariably  teach, 
and  especially  Augustine,  whose  principal  argument  against  the 
Donatists  is,  that  whatever  be  the  character  of  the  person  who 
administers  baptism,  yet  Christ  alone  presides  in  it. 

IX.  These  things,  which  we  have  stated  respecting  morti- 
fication and  ablution,  were  adumbrated  in  the  people  of  Israel, 
whom,  on  this  account,  the  apostle  declares  to  have  been 
"baptized  in  the  cloud  and  in  the  sea."  (n)  Mortification  was 
figuratively  represented,  when  the  Lord,  delivering  them  from 
the  power  and  cruel  servitude  of  Pharaoh,  made  a  way  for  them 
through  the  Red  Sea,  and  drowned  Pharaoh  himself,  and  the 
Egyptians,  their  enemies,  who  pursued,  and  almost  overtook 
them.  For  in  this  manner,  in  baptism,  he  promises,  and  gives 
us  a  sign  to  assure  us,  that  we  are  extricated  and  delivered  by 
his  power  from  the  captivity  of  Egypt,  that  is,  from  the  servi- 
tude of  sin ;  that  our  Pharaoh,  that  is,  the  devil,  is  drowned, 
though  still  he  ceases  not  to  harass  and  fatigue  us.  But  as  the 
Egyptians  did  not  remain  sunk  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  but, 


(»:)  Acts  viii.  14— ir.  (/.-)  Acts  xix.  3—5.  (/)  Matt.  iii.  11. 

(m)  Acts  ii.  3.  (»)  1  Cor.  x.  2. 


CHAP.    XV.j  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  483 

being  cast  upon  the  shore,  still  terrified  the  Israelites  with  the 
dreadful  sight,  though  they  were  not  able  to  injure  them,  so 
this  enemy  of  ours  still  threatens,  displays  his  arms,  and  makes 
himself  felt,  but  cannot  overcome.  In  the  cloud  there  was  an 
emblem  of  ablution.  For  as  the  Lord  there  covered  them  with 
a  cloud,  affording  them  refreshment,  that  they  might  not  faint 
and  be  consumed  by  the  overpowering  heat  of  the  sun,  so,  in 
baptism,  we  acknowledge  ourselves  to  be  covered  and  pro- 
tected by  the  blood  of  Christ,  that  the  severity  of  God,  which 
is  indeed  an  intolerable  flame,  may  not  fall  upon  us.  Though 
this  mystery  was  then  obscured,  and  known  only  to  few 
persons,  yet,  as  there  is  no  other  way  of  obtaining  salvation 
but  by  those  two  blessings  of  grace,  the  Lord,  having  adopted 
the  ancient  fathers  as  his  heirs,  was  pleased  to  bestow  upon  them 
tokens  of  both. 

X.  Now,  we  may  clearly  perceive  the  falsehood  of  the  notion 
which  some  have  long  ago  disseminated,  and  which  others 
persist  in  maintaining, —  that  by  baptism  we  are  delivered  and 
exempted  from  original  sin,  and  from  the  corruption  which 
has  descended  from  Adam  to  all  his  posterity,  and  are  restored 
to  the  same  righteousness  and  purity  of  nature  which  Adam 
would  have  obtained  if  he  had  continued  in  the  integrity  in 
which  he  was  first  created.  For  teachers  of  this  kind  have 
never  understood  the  nature  of  original  sin,  or  original  right- 
eousness, or  the  grace  of  baptism.  Now,  we  have  already 
proved  that  original  sin  is  the  pravity  and  corruption  of  our 
nature,  which  first  renders  us  obnoxious  to  the  wrath  of  God, 
and  then  produces  in  us  those  works  which  the  Scripture  calls 
"works  of  the  flesh."  (o)  Therefore  these  two  things  are  to 
be  distinctly  observed :  first,  that  our  nature  being  so  entirely 
depraved  and  vitiated,  we  are,  on  account  of  this  very  corrup- 
tion, considered  as  convicted  and  justly  condemned  in  the 
sight  of  God,  to  whom  nothing  is  acceptable  but  righteousness, 
innocence,  and  purity.  And  therefore  even  infants  themselves 
bring  their  own  condemnation  into  the  world  with  them,  who, 
though  they  have  not  yet  produced  the  fruits  of  their  iniquity, 
yet  have  the  seed  of  it  within  them  ;  even  their  whole  nature 
is,  as  it  were,  a  seed  of  sin,  and  therefore  cannot  but  be  odious 
and  abominable  to  God.  By  baptism,  believers  are  certified 
that  this  condemnation  is  removed  from  them ;  since,  as  we 
said,  the  Lord  promises  us  by  this  sign,  that  a  full  and  entire  re- 
mission is  granted  both  of  the  guilt  which  is  to  be  imputed  to  us, 
and  of  the  punishment  to  be  inflicted  on  account  of  that  guilt ; 
they  also  receive  righteousness,  such  as  the  people  of  God  may 
obtain  in  this  life;  that  is,  only  by  imputation,  because  the 
Lord,  in  his  mercy,  accepts  them  as  righteous  and  innocent. 

(o)  Gal,  V.  19. 


484  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

XL  The  other  thing  to  be  remarked  is,  that  this  depravity 
never  ceases  in  us,  but  is  perpetually  producing  new  fruits — ■ 
those  works  of  the  flesh  which  we  have  ah-eady  described,  like 
the  emission  of  flame  and  sparks  from  a  heated  furnace,  or  like 
the  streams  of  water  from  an  unfailing  spring.  For  concupis- 
cence never  dies,  nor  is  altogether  extinguished  in  men,  till  by 
death  they  are  delivered  from  the  body  of  death,  and  entirely 
divested  of  themselves.  Baptism,  indeed,  promises  us  the  sub- 
mersion of  our  Pharaoh,  and  the  mortification  of  sin  ;  yet  not 
so  that  it  no  longer  exists,  or  gives  us  no  further  trouble ;  but 
only  that  it  may  never  overcome  us.  For  as  long  as  we 
live  immured  in  this  prison  of  the  body,  the  relics  of  sin  will 
dwell  in  us  ;  but  if  we  hold  fast  by  faith  the  promise  which 
God  has  given  us  in  baptism,  they  shall  not  domineer  or  reign 
over  us.  But  let  no  one  deceive  himself,  let  no  one  flatter 
himself  in  his  guilt,  when  he  hears  that  sin  always  dwells  in  us. 
These  things  are  not  said  in  order  that  those  who  are  already 
too  prone  to  do  evil  may  securely  sleep  in  their  sins,  but  only 
that  those  who  are  tempted  by  their  corrupt  propensities  may 
not  faint  and  sink  into  despondency ;  but  that  they  may 
rather  reflect  that  they  are  yet  in  the  way,  and  may  consider 
themselves  as  having  made  some  progress,  when  they  ex- 
perience their  corruptions  diminishing  from  day  to  day,  till 
they  shall  attain  the  mark  at  which  they  are  aiming,  even  the 
final  destruction  of  their  depravity,  which  will  be  accomplished 
at  the  close  of  this  mortal  life.  In  the  mean  time,  let  them  not 
cease  to  fight  manfully,  to  animate  themselves  to  constant  ad- 
vances, and  to  press  forward  to  complete  victory.  For  it  ought 
to  give  additional  impulse  to  their  exertions,  to  see  that,  after 
they  have  been  striving  so  long,  so  much  still  remains  for  them 
to  do.  We  conclude,  therefore,  that  we  are  baptized  into  the 
mortification  of  the  flesh,  which  commences  in  us  at  baptism, 
which  we  pursue  from  day  to  day,  and  which  will  be  perfected 
when  we  shall  pass  out  of  this  life  to  the  Lord. 

XII.  Here  we  say  nothing  difterent  from  what  is  most 
clearly  stated  by  Paul  in  the  sixth  and  seventh  chapters  of  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans.  For  after  he  had  argued  respecting  gra- 
tuitous righteousness, — because  some  impious  men  concluded 
from  that  doctrine  that  they  might  live  according  to  their  own 
corrupt  inclinations,  as  we  are  not  accepted  by  God  for  the 
merit  of  our  works,  he  adds,  that  all  who  are  clothed  with  the 
righteousness  of  Christ  are  also  regenerated  by  his  Spirit,  and 
that  of  this  regeneration  we  have  an  earnest  in  baptism. 
Hence  he  exhorts  believers  not  to  sutfer  sin  to  reign  in  their 
members.  Because  he  knew  that  there  always  remains  some 
infirmity  in  them,  that  they  might  not  be  dejected  on  account 
of  it,  he  adds  for  their  consolation;  that  they  are  not  under 


CHAP.  XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  485 

the  law.  On  the  other  hand,  as  it  might  seem  to  encourage 
licentiousness  in  Christians,  to  say  that  they  were  not  under 
the  yoke  of  the  law,  he  discusses  the  nature  of  that  abrogation, 
and  shows  what  is  the  use  of  the  law  —  a  question  which  he 
had  already  determined.  The  sum  of  all  that  he  says  is,  that 
we  are  delivered  from  the  rigour  of  the  law  to  adhere  to 
Christ ;  and  that  the  office  of  the  law  is  to  convince  us  of  our 
depravity,  and  lead  us  to  a  confession  of  our  impotence  and 
misery.  Now,  because  the  depravity  of  our  nature  is  not  so 
easily  discovered  in  a  profane  man  who  indulges  his  corrupt 
passions  without  any  fear  of  God,  he  gives  an  example  in  a 
regenerate  man,  that  is,  in  himself.  He  says,  therefore,  that 
he  has  a  perpetual  conflict  with  the  relics  of  his  corruption, 
and  that  he  is  bound  with  a  miserable  servitude,  which  pre- 
vents his  entire  consecration  of  himself  to  an  obedience  of  the 
Divine  law ;  so  that  he  is  constrained  to  exclaim,  "  O  wretched 
man  that  I  am !  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death?"  If  the  children  of  God  are  captives  detained  in 
prison  as  long  as  they  live,  they  cannot  but  feel  great  anxiety 
from  reflection  on  their  danger,  unless  there  be  something  to 
obviate  this  fear.  For  this  purpose,  therefore,  he  has  added  a 
consolation,  that  "  there  is  now  no  condemnation  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus  ;"(j9)  by  which  he  teaches,  that 
those  whom  the  Lord  has  once  received  into  his  favour,  in- 
corporated into  the  communion  of  his  Christ,  and  introduced 
by  baptism  into  the  society  of  his  Church,  notwithstanding 
they  are  surrounded  and  assaulted  with  sin,  and  even  carry  sin 
about  within  them,  yet  while  they  persevere  in  the  faith  of 
Christ,  are  absolved  from  guilt  and  condemnation.  If  this  be 
the  simple  and  genuine  meaning  of  Paul,  there  is  no  reason 
why  we  should  be  considered  as  promulgating  a  new  or  strange 
doctrine. 

XIII.  Baptism  also  serves  for  our  confession  before  men. 
For  it  is  a  mark  by  which  we  openly  profess  our  desire  to  be 
numbered  among  the  people  of  God,  by  which  we  testify  our 
agreement  with  all  Christians  in  the  worship  of  one  God,  and 
in  one  religion,  and  by  which  we  make  a  public  declaration  of 
our  faith  ;  that  the  praises  of  God  may  not  only  be  breathed  in 
the  secret  aspirations  of  our  hearts,  but  may  also  be  loudly 
proclaimed  by  our  tongues,  and  by  all  the  members  of  our 
body,  in  the  diff"erent  modes  in  which  they  are  capable  of 
expressing  them.  For  thus  all  that  we  have  is  devoted,  as  it 
ought  to  be,  to  the  glory  of  God,  to  which  every  thing  ought 
to  be  subservient,  and  by  our  example  others  are  incited  to  the 
same  pursuit.  It  was  with  this  view  that  Paul  inquired  of  the 
Corinthians,  whether  they  had  not  been  baptized  in  the  name 

(]))  Rom.  viii.  1. 


486  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

of  Christ  ;  signifying  that,  in  having  been  baptized  in  his  name, 
they  had  dedicated  themselves  to  him,  had  avowed  him  as 
their  Lord  and  Master,  and  had  bound  themselves  by  a  solemn 
obligation  before  men  ;  so  that  they  could  never  again  confess 
any  other  except  him,  unless  they  intended  to  renounce  the 
confession  which  they  had  made  at  their  baptism. 

XIY.  Now,  as  we  have  stated  what  was  the  design  of  our 
Lord  in  the  institution  of  baptism,  it  is  easy  to  judge  in  what 
manner  we  ought  to  use  and  receive  it.  For  as  it  is  given  for 
the  support,  consolation,  and  confirmation  of  our  faith,  it  re- 
quires to  be  received  as  from  the  hand  of  the  Author  himself: 
we  ought  to  consider  it  as  beyond  all  doubt,  that  it  is  he  who 
speaks  to  us  by  this  sign  ;  that  it  is  he  who  purifies  and 
cleanses  us,  and  obliterates  the  remembrance  of  our  sins :  that 
it  is  he  who  makes  us  partakers  of  his  death,  who  demolishes 
the  kingdom  of  Satan,  who  weakens  the  power  of  our  corrupt 
propensities,  who  even  makes  us  one  with  himself,  that,  being 
clothed  with  him,  we  may  be  reckoned  children  of  God  ;  and 
that  he  as  truly  and  certainly  performs  these  things  internally 
on  our  souls,  as  we  see  that  our  bodies  are  externally  washed, 
immersed,  and  enclosed  in  water.  For  this  analogy  or  simili- 
tude is  a  most  certain  rule  of  sacraments  ;  that  in  corporeal 
things  we  contemplate  spiritual  things,  just  as  if  they  were 
placed  before  our  eyes,  as  it  has  pleased  God  to  represent  them 
to  us  by  such  figures  :  not  that  such  blessings  are  bound  or 
enclosed  in  the  sacrament,  or  that  it  has  the  power  to  impart 
them  to  us  ;  but  only  because  it  is  a  sign  by  which  the  Lord 
testifies  his  will,  that  he  is  determined  to  give  us  all  these 
things  :  nor  does  it  merely  feed  our  eyes  with  a  bare  prospect  of 
the  symbols,  but  conducts  us  at  the  same  time  to  the  thing  sig- 
nified, and  etficaciously  accomplishes  that  which  it  represents. 

XV.  We  may  see  this  exemplified  in  Cornelius  the  centu- 
rion, who,  after  having  received  the  remission  of  his  sins  and 
the  visible  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  baptized ;  not  with  a 
view  to  obtain  by  baptism  a  more  ample  remission  of  sins,  but 
a  stronger  exercise  of  faith,  and  an  increase  of  confidence  from 
that  pledge,  (q)  Perhaps  it  may  be  objected,  "  Why,  then,  did 
Ananias  say  to  Paul,  '  Arise,  and  be  baptized,  and  wash  away 
thy  sins,'  (r)  if  sins  are  not  washed  away  by  the  ellicacy  of 
baptism  itself?"  I  answer.  We  are  said  to  receive  or  obtain 
tliat  which  our  faith  apprehends,  as  presented,  to  us  by  the 
Lord,  whether  at  the  time  that  he  first  declares  it  to  us,  or 
when,  by  any  subsequent  testimony,  he  affords  us  a  more  cer- 
tain confirmation  of  it.  Ananias,  therefore,  only  intended  to 
say  to  Paul,  "  That  thou  mayest  136  assured  that  thy  sins  are 

((/)  Acta  X.  44—43.  (r)  Acts  x.\ii.  16. 

V 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  487 

forgiven,  be  baptized.  For  in  baptism  the  Lord  promises  re- 
mission of  sins;  receive  this  and  be  secure."  It  is  not  my 
design,  however,  to  diminish  the  efficacy  of  baptism  ;  but  the 
substance  and  truth  accompanies  the  sign,  as  God  worlis  by 
externai  means.  Nevertheless,  from  this  sacrament,  as  from 
all  others,  we  obtain  nothing  except  what  we  receive  by  faith. 
If  faith  be  wanting,  it  will  be  a  testimony  of  our  ingratitude, 
to  render  us  guilty  before  God,  because  we  have  not  believed 
the  promise  given  in  the  sacrament ;  but  as  baptism  is  a  sign  of 
our  confession,  we  ought  to  testify  by  it,  that  our  confidence 
is  in  the  mercy  of  God,  and  our  purity  in  the  remission  of  sins, 
which  is  obtained  for  us  by  Jesus  Christ ;  and  that  we  enter 
into  the  Church  of  God  in  order  to  live  in  the  same  harmony 
of  faith  and  charity,  of  one  mind  with  all  the  faithful.  This 
is  what  Paul  meant  when  he  said,  that  "by  one  Spirit  we  are 
all  baptized  into  one  body."  (s) 

XVI.  Now,  if  it  be  true,  as  we  have  stated,  that  a  sacrament 
is  to  be  considered  as  received,  not  so  much  from  the  hand  of 
him  by  whom  it  is  administered,  as  from  the  hand  of  God 
himself,  from  whom,  without  doubt,  it  proceeded,  we  may  coii' 
elude  that  it  is  not  capable  of  any  addition  or  diminution  from 
the  dignity  of  the  person  by  whose  hand  it  is  delivered.  And. 
as,  among  men,  if  a  letter  be  sent,  provided  the  hand  and  seal 
of  the  writer  be  known,  it  is  of  very  little  importance  who  and 
what  the  carrier  of  it  may  be,  so  it  ought  to  be  sufficient 
for  us  to  know  the  hand  and  seal  of  our  Lord  in  his  sacra- 
ments, by  whatever  messenger  they  may  be  conveyed.  This 
fully  refutes  the  error  of  the  Donatists,  who  measured  the 
virtue  and  value  of  the  sacrament  by  the  worthiness  of  the 
minister.  Such,  in  the  present  day,  are  our  Anabaptists,  who 
positively  deny  that  we  are  rightly  baptized,  because  we  were 
baptized  by  impious  and  idolatrous  ministers  in  the  kingdom 
of  the  pope,  and  therefore  violently  urge  us  to  be  baptized 
again  ;  against  whose  follies  we  shall  be  fortified  with  an  argu- 
ment of  sufficient  strength,  if  we  consider  that  we  are  baptized 
not  in  the  name  of  any  man,  but  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  consequently  that 
it  is  not  the  baptism  of  man,  but  of  God,  by  whomsoever  it  is 
administered.  Though  those  who  baptized  us  were  charge- 
able with  the  grossest  ignorance  or  contempt  of  God  and  of 
all  religion,  yet^  they  did  not  baptize  us  into  the  fellowship  of 
their  own  ignorance  or  sacrilege,  but  into  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ  ;  because  they  invoked,  not  their  own  name,  but  the 
name  of  God,  and  baptized  in  no  other  name  but  his.  Now, 
if  it  was  the  baptism  of  God,  it  certainly  contained  the  promise 

(s)  1  Cor.  xii.  13. 


488  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

of  remission  of  sins,  mortification  of  the  flesh,  spiritual  vivifi- 
cation,  and  participation  of  Christ.  Thus  it  was  no  injury  tc 
the  Jews  to  have  been  circumcised  by  impure  and  apostate 
priests ;  nor  was  the  sign  on  that  account  useless,  so  as  to 
render  it  necessary  to  be  repeated,  but  it  was  sufficient  to  recur 
to  the  genuine  original.  They  object,  that  baptism  ought  to 
be  celebrated  in  the  congregation  of  the  godly ;  but  this  does 
not  prove  that  it  loses  all  its  value  in  consequence  of  being 
partially  wrong.  For  when  we  teach  what  ought  to  be  done 
to  preserve  baptism  pure  and  free  from  every  blemish,  we  do 
not  abolish  the  institution  of  God,  however  idolaters  corrupt  it. 
For  when  circumcision  was  anciently  corrupted  with  many 
superstitions,  yet  it  ceased  not  to  be  considered  as  a  sign  of 
grace  ;  nor,  when  Hezekiah  and  Josiah  assembled  together  out 
of  all  Israel  those  who  had  revolted  from  God,  did  they  call 
any  of  them  to  a  second  circumcision. 

XVII.  When  they  ask  us  what  faith  we  had  for  many  years 
after  our  baptism,  in  order  to  show  that  our  baptism  was  vain, 
since  baptism  is  not  sanctified  to  us  except  by  the  word  of 
promise  received  in  faith, — to  this  inquiry  we  answer,  that 
being  blind  and  unbelieving  for  a  long  time,  we  did  not  em- 
brace the  promise  which  had  been  given  us  in  baptism,  yet 
that  the  promise  itself,  as  it  was  from  God,  always  remained 
steady,  firm,  and  true.  Though  all  men  were  false  and  per- 
fidious, yet  God  ceases  not  to  be  true ;  though  all  men  Avere 
lost,  yet  Christ  remains  a  Saviour.  We  confess,  therefore,  that 
during  that  time  we  received  no  advantage  whatever  from 
baptism,  because  we  totally  neglected  the  promise  olfered  to 
us  in  it,  without  which  baptism  is  nothing.  Now,  since,  by 
the  grace  of  God,  we  have  begun  to  repent,  we  accuse  our 
blindness  and  hardness  of  heart  for  our  long  ingratitude  to  his 
great  goodness  ;  yet  we  believe  that  the  promise  itself  never 
expired,  but,  on  the  contrary,  we  reason  in  the  following  man- 
ner :  —  By  baj)tism  God  promises  remission  of  sins,  and  will 
certainly  fulfil  the  promise  to  all  believers  :  that  promise  was 
offered  to  us  in  baptism  ;  let  us,  therefore,  embrace  it  by  faith  : 
it  was  long  dormant  by  reason  of  our  unbelief ;  now,  then,  let 
us  receive  it  by  faith.  Wherefore,  when  God  exhorts  the  Jewish 
people  to  repentance,  he  does  not  command  them,  who  had 
been  circumcised,  as  we  have  remarked,  by  impious  and  sacrile- 
gious hands,  and  who  had  lived  for  some  time  immersed  in  the 
same  impiety,  to  be  circumcised  again :  he  only  urges  conver- 
sion of  heart.  For  however  the  covenant  had  been  violated  by 
them,  yet  the  symbol  of  the  covenant,  according  to  the  institu- 
tion of  the  Lord,  always  remained  firm  and  inviolable.  On 
the  sole  condition  of  repentance,  therefore,  they  were  restored 
to  the  covenant  which  God  had  once  made  with  them  in  cir- 


CHAP.  XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  489 

cumcision  ;  even  though  they  had  received  it  by  the  hands  of 
the  unfaithful  priests,  and  had  themselves  done  all  that  was  in 
their  power  to  corrupt  it  and  render  it  ineffectual. 

XVIII.  But  they  conceive  themselves  to  be  armed  with  an 
invincible  argument,  when  they  allege  that  Paul  rebaptized 
some  who  had  previously  been  baptized  with  the  baptism 
of  John,  {t)  For  if,  by  our  own  confession,  the  baptism  of 
John  was  in  all  respects  the  same  as  ours  is  now, — as  these 
persons  who  had  first  been  erroneously  instructed,  after  having 
been  taught  the  right  faith,  were  rebaptized  into  it,  so  that  bap- 
tism, which  was  unaccompanied  with  the  true  doctrine,  should 
be  considered  as  nothing,  and  we  ought  to  be  baptized  afresh 
into  the  true  religion,  which  we  have  now  first  imbibed.  It  is 
supposed  by  some,  that  they  had  received  their  first  baptism 
from  a  pretended  and  corrupt  imitator  of  John,  who  had  rather 
baptized  them  into  a  vain  superstition  than  into  the  truth. 
This  conjecture  they  seem  to  derive  from  the  confession  of 
those  persons  that  they  were  entirely  ignorant  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  —  an  ignorance  in  which  it  is  concluded  John  would  not 
have  suffered  his  disciples  to  remain.  But  it  is  not  probable 
that  Jews,  even  though  they  had  never  been  baptized  at  all, 
would  have  been  destitute  of  all  knowledge  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
who  is  celebrated  in  so  many  testimonies  of  Scripture.  The 
answer,  therefore,  which  they  gave,  "  We  have  not  so  much  as 
heard  whether  there  be  any  Holy  Ghost,"  is  to  be  understood 
as  equivalent  to  a  declaration  that  they  had  never  heard 
whether  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  respecting  which  Paul  in- 
quired, were  given  to  the  disciples  of  Christ.  For  myself,  I 
grant  that  the  baptism  they  had  received  was  the  true  baptism 
of  John,  and  the  very  same  with  the  baptism  of  Christ ;  but  I 
deny  that  they  were  baptized  again.  What  is  the  meaning  of 
these  words,  "  They  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  ?  "  Some  explain  it  to  be,  that  they  were  only  instructed 
by  Paul  in  the  pure  doctrine  ;  but  I  prefer  understanding  it,  in 
a  more  simple  manner,  of  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  that 
is,  of  the  visible  graces  of  the  Spirit  given  by  imposition  of 
hands.  It  is  not  uncommon  in  the  Scripture  to  designate 
those  graces  by  the  appellation  of  baptism  ;  as  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  the  apostles  are  said  to  have  remembered  the  words 
of  the  Lord  respecting  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit  and  of  fire. 
And  Peter  declared  that  he  remembered  the  same,  when  he 
saw  those  graces  poured  out  on  Cornelius  and  his  family  and 
relatives.  Nor  is  this  interpretation  inconsistent  with  what  is 
stated  afterwards,  that  "  When  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  upon 
them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came  on  them."     For  Luke  does  not 

(t)  Acts  xix.  1— G. 

VOL.  II.  63 


490  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

relate  two  different  things,  but  follows  a  mode  of  narration  fa- 
miliar to  the  Hebrews,  who  first  propose  a  subject  generally, 
and  then  unfold  it  more  in  detail.  This  is  obvious  from  the 
very  connection  of  the  words  ;  for  he  says,  "  When  they  heard 
this,  they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  And 
when  Paul  had  laid  his  hands  on  them,  the  Holy  Ghost  came 
on  them."  The  latter  clause  describes  the  kind  of  baptism 
intended  in  the  former.  If  ignorance  vitiate  a  first  baptism,  so 
that  it  requires  to  be  corrected  by  a  second,  the  first  persons 
who  ought  to  have  been  rebaptized  were  the  apostles  them- 
selves, who  for  three  years  after  their  baptism  had  scarcely  any 
knowledge  of  the  least  particle  of  pure  doctrine.  And  among 
us,  what  rivers  would  be  sufficient  for  the  repetition  of  ablu- 
tions as  numerous  as  the  errors  which  are  daily  corrected  in  us 
by  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  ! 

XIX.  The  virtue,  dignity,  utility,  and  end  of  this  mystery, 
have  now,  if  I  mistake  not,  been  sufficiently  explained.  With 
respect  to  the  external  symbol,  I  sincerely  wish  that  the  genuine 
institution  of  Christ  had  the  influence  it  ought  to  have,  to  re- 
press the  audacity  of  man.  For,  as  though  it  were  a  contempt- 
ible thing  to  be  baptized  in  water,  according  to  the  precept  of 
Christ,  men  have  invented  a  benediction,  or  rather  incantation, 
to  pollute  the  true  consecration  of  the  water.  They  afterwards 
added  a  wax  taper  with  chrism ;  exorcism  seemed  to  open  the 
gate  to  baptism.  Now,  though  I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  an- 
cient origin  of  this  adventitious  medley,  yet  it  is  lawful  for  me 
and  for  all  believers  to  reject  every  thing  that  men  have  pre- 
sumed to  add  to  the  institution  of  Christ.  Now,  Satan,  seeing 
that  from  the  very  first  introduction  of  the  gospel,  his  impos- 
tures had  been  easily  received  by  the  foolish  credulity  of  the 
world,  proceeded  to  grosser  illusions ;  hence  spittle,  salt,  and 
other  fooleries,  which  were  publicly  introduced  with  an  un- 
limited license,  to  the  reproach  of  baptism.  From  these  ex- 
periments we  may  learn  that  there  is  nothing  holier,  or  better, 
or  safer,  than  to  content  ourselves  with  the  authority  of  Christ 
alone.  How  much  better  was  it,  therefore,  omitting  all  the- 
atrical pomps  which  dazzle  the  eyes  and  stupefy  the  minds  of 
the  simple,  whenever  any  one  was  to  be  baptized,  that  he 
should  be  presented  to  the  congregation  of  believers,  and 
be  offered  to  God  in  the  presence  and  with  the  prayers  of  the 
whole  Church;  that  the  confession  of  faith,  in  which  the  cate- 
chumen was  to  be  instructed,  should  be  recited  ;  that  the  pro- 
mises which  are  included  in  baptism  should  be  declared  ;  that 
the  catechumen  should  be  bajitized  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  and  lastly,  that  he  sliould 
be  dismissed  with  prayers  and  thanlvsgivings !  Thus  nothing 
material  would  be  omitted;  and  that^ore  ceremony,  whicli  was 


CHAP.    XV.j  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  49i 

instituted  by  God,  would  shine  with  the  greatest  histre,  unen- 
cumbered with  any  extraneous  corruptions.  But  whether  the 
person  who  is  baptized  be  wholly  immersed,  and  whether 
thrice  or  once,  or  whether  water  be  only  poured  or  sprinkled 
upon  him,  is  of  no  importance ;  Churches  ought  to  be  left  at 
liberty,  in  this  respect,  to  act  according  to  the  difference  of 
countries.  The  very  word  baptize,  however,  signifies  to  im- 
merse ;  and  it  is  certain  that  immersion  was  the  practice  of  the 
ancient  Church. 

XX.  It  is  also  necessary  to  state,  that  it  is  not  right  for 
private  persons  to  take  upon  themselves  the  administration  of 
baptism ;  for  this,  as  well  as  the  administration  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  is  a  part  of  the  public  ministry  of  the  Church.  Christ 
never  commanded  women,  or  men  in  general,  to  baptize ;  he 
gave  this  charge  to  those  whom  he  had  appointed  to  be  apos- 
tles. And  when  he  enjoined  his  disciples,  in  the  celebration 
of  the  supper,  to  do  as  they  had  seen  done  by  him  when  he 
executed  the  office  of  a  legitimate  dispenser,  he  intended,  with- 
out doubt,  that  they  should  imitate  his  example.  The  custom, 
which  has  been  received  and  practised  for  many  ages  past,  and 
almost  from  the  primitive  times  of  the  Church,  for  baptism  to 
be  performed  by  laymen,  in  cases  where  death  was  apprehend- 
ed, and  no  minister  was  present  in  time,  it  appears  to  me  im- 
possible to  defend  by  any  good  reason.  Indeed,  the  ancients 
themselves,  who  either  observed  or  tolerated  this  custom,  were 
not  certain  whether  it  was  right  or  not.  Augustine  betrays 
this  uncertainty,  when  he  says,  "  And  if  a  layman,  compelled 
by  necessity,  has  given  baptism,  I  know  not  whether  any  one 
may  piously  affirm  that  it  ought  to  be  repeated.  For  if  it  be 
done  without  the  constraint  of  necessity,  it  is  a  usurpation  of 
an  office  which  belongs  to  another ;  but  if  necessity  obliges,  it 
is  either  no  offence,  or  a  venial  one."  Respecting  women,  it 
was  decreed  without  any  exception,  in  the  Council  of  Carthage, 
that  they  should  not  presume  to  baptize  at  all,  on  pain  of  ex- 
communication. But  it  is  alleged,  there  is  danger,  lest  a  child, 
who  is  sick  and  dies  without  baptism,  should  be  deprived 
of  the  grace  of  regeneration.  This  I  can  by  no  means  admit. 
God  pronounces  that  he  adopts  our  infants  as  his  children, 
before  they  are  born,  when  he  promises, that  he  will  be  a  God 
to  us,  and  to  our  seed  after  us.  This  promise  includes  their 
salvation.  Nor  will  any  dare  to  offer  such  an  insult  to  God  as  • 
to  deny  the  sufficiency  of  his  promise  to  insure  its  own  accom- 
plishment. The  mischievous  consequences  of  that  ill-stated 
notion,  that  baptism  is  necessary  to  salvation,  are  overlooked 
by  persons  in  general,  and  therefore  they  are  less  cautious ;  for 
the  reception  of  an  opinion,  that  all  who  happen  to  die  without 
baptism  are  lost,  makes  our  condition  worse  than  that  of  tiio 


492  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

ancient  people,  as  though  the  grace  of  God  were  more  restrict- 
ed now  than  it  was  under  the  law  ;  it  leads  to  the  conclusion 
that  Christ  came  not  to  fulfil  the  promises,  but  to  abolish 
them  ;  since  the  promise,  which  at  that  time  was  of  itself  suf- 
ficiently efficacious  to  insure  salvation  before  the  eighth  day, 
would  have  no  validity  now  without  the  assistance  of  the  sign. 

XXI.  What  was  the  custom  of  the  Church  before  Augustine 
was  born,  may  be  collected  from  the  ancient  fathers.  In  the 
first  place,  Tertullian  says,  "  That  it  is  not  permitted  for  a 
woman  to  speak  in  the  Church,  neither  to  teach,  nor  to  bap- 
tize, nor  to  offer,  that  she  may  not  claim  to  herself  the  func- 
tions of  any  office  belonging  to  men,  and  especially  to  priests.'' 
The  same  thing  is  fully  attested  by  Epiphanius,  Avhen  he 
censures  Marcion  for  having  given  women  liberty  to  baptize. 
I  am  aware  of  the  answer  made  to  this  by  persons  of  opposite 
sentiments  —  that  there  is  a  great  difference  between  a  common 
usage,  and  an  extraordinary  remedy  employed  in  cases  of  ur- 
gent necessity ;  but  when  Epiphanius  pronounces  it  to  be  a 
mockery,  without  making  any  exception,  to  give  women 
liberty  to  baptize,  it  is  sufficiently  evident  that  he  condemns 
this  corruption,  and  considers  it  inexcusable  by  any  pretext 
whatever;  nor  does  he  add  any  limitation,  in  his  third  book, 
where  he  observes  that  this  liberty  was  not  granted  even  to 
the  holy  mother  of  Christ. 

XXII.  The  example  of  Zipporah  is  alleged,  but  is  not  appli- 
cable to  the  case.  Because  the  angel  of  God  was  appeased  after 
she  had  taken  a  stone  and  circumcised  her  son,  (v)  it  is  unrea- 
sonable to  infer  that  her  action  was  approved  by  God.  On  the 
same  principle  it  might  be  maintained,  that  God  was  pleased 
with  the  worship  established  by  the  nations  who  were  trans- 
planted from  Assyria  to  Samaria.  But  there  are  other  power- 
ful reasons  to  prove  the  absurdity  of  setting  up  the  conduct 
of  that  foolish  woman  as  a  pattern  for  imitation.  If  I  should 
allege,  that  this  was  a  single  act,  which  ought  not  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a  general  example,  and  especially  as  we  nowhere 
find  any  special  command  that  the  rite  of  circumcision  was  to 
be  performed  by  the  priests,  the  case  of  circumcision  is  differ- 
ent from  that  of  baptism  ;  and  this  would  be  sufficient  to  re- 
fute the  advocates  of  its  administration  by  women.  For  the 
words  of  Christ  are  plain :  "  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all 
nations,  baptizing  tliem."(j^)  Since  he  constitutes  the  same 
persons  preachers  of  the  gospel  and  administrators  of  baptism, 
''  and  no  man,"  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  apostle, 
"  taketh  this  honour  upon  himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God, 
as  was  Aaron,"  (x)  whoever  baptizes  without  a  legitimate  call, 

(»)  Exod.  iv.  25.  (jr)  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  (x)  Heb.  v.  4. 


CHAP.    XV.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  493 

intrudes  into  another  person's  office.  Even  in  the  minutest 
things,  as  in  meat  and  drink,  whatever  we  do  with  a  doubtlul 
conscience,  Paul  expressly  declares  to  be  sin.  (y)  Female  bap- 
tism, therefore,  being  an  open  violation  of  the  rule  delivered 
by  Christ,  is  a  still  greater  sin ;  for  we  know  that  it  is  impious 
to  dissever  things  which  God  has  united.  But  all  this  1  pass 
over  ;  and  would  only  request  my  readers  to  consider  that 
nothing  was  further  from  the  design  of  Zipporah,  than  to  per- 
form a  service  to  God.  For  seeing  her  son  to  be  in  danger, 
she  fretted  and  murmured,  and  indignantly  cast  the  foreskin  on 
the  ground,  reproaching  her  husband  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
betray  anger  against  God.  In  short,  it  is  plain  that  all  this 
proceeded  from  violence  of  temper,  because  she  was  displeased 
with  God  and  her  husband  that  she  was  constrained  to  shed 
the  blood  of  her  son.  Besides,  if  she  had  conducted  herself 
with  propriety  in  all  other  respects,  yet  it  was  an  act  of  inex- 
cusable presumption  for  her  to  circumcise  her  son  in  the  pre- 
sence of  her  husband,  and  that  husband  not  a  private  man,  but 
Moses,  the  principal  prophet  of  God,  who  was  never  succeeded 
by  a  greater  in  Israel ;  which  was  no  more  lawful  for  her  to 
do,  than  it  is  for  women  now  to  baptize  in  the  presence  of  a 
bishop.  But  this  controversy  will  easily  be  decided  by  the 
establishment  of  this  principle  —  that  infants  are  not  excluded 
from  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  who  happen  to  die  before  they 
have  had  the  privilege  of  baptism.  But  we  have  seen  that  it 
is  no  small  injustice  to  the  covenant  of  God,  if  we  do  not  rely 
upon  it  as  sufficient  of  itself,  since  its  fulfilment  depends  not 
on  baptism,  or  on  any  thing  adventitious.  The  sacrament  is 
afterwards  added  as  a  seal,  not  to  give  efficacy  to  the  promise 
of  God,  as  if  it  wanted  validity  in  itself,  but  only  to  confirm  it 
to  us.  Whence  it  follows,  that  the  cliildren  of  believers  are 
not  baptized,  that  they  may  thereby  be  made  the  children  of 
God,  as  if  they  had  before  been  strangers  to  the  Church ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  they  are  received  into  the  Church  by  a  so- 
lemn sign,  because  they  already  belonged  to  the  body  of  Christ 
by  virtue  of  the  promise.  If  the  omission  of  the  sign,  there- 
fore, be  not  occasioned  by  indolence,  or  contempt,  or  negli- 
gence, we  are  safe  from  all  danger.  It  is  far  more  consistent 
with  piety  to  show  this  reverence  to  the  institution  of  God,  not 
to  receive  the  sacraments  from  any  other  hands  than  those  to 
which  the  Lord  has  committed  them.  When  it  is  impossible 
to  receive  them  from  the  Church,  the  grace  of  God  is  not  so 
attached  to  them,  but  that  we  may  obtain  it  by  faith  from  the 
word  of  the  Lord. 

(y)  Rom.  xiv.  23. 


494  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

P^DOBAPTISM     PERFECTLY     CONSISTENT     WITH     THE     INSTITUTION 
OF    CHRIST    AND    THE    NATURE    OF    THE    SIGN. 

As  some  turbulent  spirits  in  the  present  age  have  raised 
fierce  disputes,  which  stih  continue  to  agitate  the  Church,  on 
the  subject  of  infant  baptism,  I  cannot  refrain  from  adding 
some  observations  with  a  view  to  repress  their  violence.  If 
any  one  should  think  this  chapter  extended  to  an  immoderate 
length,  I  would  request  him  to  consider,  that  purity  of  doctrine 
in  a  capital  point,  and  the  peace  of  the  Church,  ought  to 
be  of  too  much  importance  in  our  estimation  for  us  to  feel 
any  thing  tedious  which  may  conduce  to  the  restoration  of 
both.  I  shall  also  study  to  make  this  discussion  of  as  much 
use  as  possible  to  a  further  elucidation  of  the  mystery  of  bap- 
tism. They  attack  infant  baptism  with  an  argument  which 
carries  with  it  an  appearance  of  great  plausibility,  asserting 
that  it  is  not  founded  on  any  institution  of  Christ,  but  was 
first  introduced  by  the  presumption  and  corrupt  curiosity  of  man, 
and  afterwards  received  with  foolish  and  inconsiderate  facility. 
For  a  sacrament  rests  on  no  authority,  unless  it  stands  on  the 
certain  foundation  of  the  word  of  God.  But  what  if,  on  a  full 
examination  of  the  subject,  it  shall  appear  that  this  is  a  false 
and  groundless  calumny  on  the  holy  ordinance  of  the  Lord  ? 
Let  us,  therefore,  inquire  into  its  first  origin.  And  if  it  shall 
be  found  to  have  been  a  mere  invention  of  human  presump- 
tion, we  ought  to  renounce  it,  and  regulate  the  true  observance 
of  baptism  solely  by  the  will  of  God.  But  if  it  shall  be  proved 
to  be  sanctioned  by  his  undoubted  authority,  it  behoves  us  to 
beware  lest,  by  opposing  the  holy  institutions  of  God,  we 
offer  an  insult  to  their  Author  himself. 

II.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  a  principle  sufficiently  known, 
and  acknowledged  by  all  believers,  that  the  right  coi^.sideration 
of  sacramental  signs  consists  not  merely  in  the  external  cere- 
monies, but  that  it  chiefly  depends  on  the  promise  and  the 
Spiritual  mysteries  which  the  Lord  has  appointed  those  cere- 
monies to  represent.  Whoever,  therefore,  wishes  to  be  fully 
informed  of  the  meaning  of  baptism,  and  what  baptism  is, 
must  not  fix  his  attention  on  the  element  and  the  outward 
spectacle,  but  must  rather  elevate  his  thoughts  to  the  promises 
of  God  which  arc  offered  to  us  in  it,  and  to  those  internal  and 
spiritual  things  which  it  represents  to  us.  He  who  discovers 
these  things,  has  attained  the  solid  tr^th  and  all  the  substance 


CHAP.    XVI,]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  495 

of  baptism,  and  thence  he  will  also  learn  the  reason  and  use 
of  the  external  sprinkling.  On  the  otlicr  hand,  he  who  con- 
temptuously disregards  these  things,  and  confines  his  attention 
entirely  to  the  visible  ceremony,  will  understand  neither  the 
force  nor  propriety  of  baptism,  nor  even  the  meaning  or  use  of 
the  water.  This  sentiment  is  established  by  testnnonies  of 
Scripture  too  numerous  and  clear  to  leave  the  least  necessity 
for  pursuing  it  any  fnrther  at  present.  It  remains,  therefore, 
that  from  the  promises  given  in  baptism,  we  endeavour  to  de- 
duce its  nature  and  meaning.  Tlie  Scripture  shows,  that  the 
first  thing  represented  in  it,  is  the  remission  and  purgation  of 
sins,  which  we  obtain  in  the  blood  of  Christ  ;  and  the  second 
the  mortification  of  the  flesh,  which  consists  in  the  participa- 
tion of  his  death,  by  which  believers  are  regenerated  to  new- 
ness of  life,  and  so  into  communion  with  him.  This  is  the 
sum  to  which  we  may  refer  every  thing  delivered  in  the  Scrip- 
tures concerning  baptism,  except  that  it  is  also  a  sign  by 
which  we  testify  our  religion  before  men. 

III.  As  the  people  of  God,  before  the  institution  of  baptism, 
had  circumcision  instead  of  it,  let  us  examine  the  similarity 
and  difference  between  these  two  signs,  in  order  to  discover 
how  far  we  may  argue  from  one  to  the  other.  When  the 
Lord  gave  Abraham  the  command  of  circumcision,  he  prefaced 
it  by  saying,  "  I  will  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  to  thy  seed  after 
thee  ;  '"'  at  the  same  time  declaring  himself  to  be  "  Almighty,"' 
having  an  abundance  of  all  things  at  his  disposal,  that  Abraham 
might  expect  to  find  his  hand  the  source  of  every  blessing.  (5:) 
These  words  contain  the  promise  of  eternal  life,  according  to 
the  interpretation  of  Christ,  who  deduces  from  this  declaration 
an  argument  to  evince  the  immortality  and  resurrection  of  be- 
lievers. "  For  God,"  says  he,  "  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead, 
but  of  the  living."  (a)  Wherefore  also  Paul,  in  showing  the 
Ephesians  from  what  misery  the  Lord  had  delivered  them, 
concludes,  from  their  not  having  been  admitted  to  the  cove- 
nant of  circumcision,  that  "  at  that  time  "  they  "  were  without 
Christ,  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise,  having  no  hope 
and  without  God  ;  "  (b)  all  these  things  being  comprehended  in 
that  covenant.  But  the  first  access  to  God,  the  first  entrance 
uito  immortal  life,  is  the  remission  of  sins.  Whence  it  follows 
that  this  promise  corresponds  with  the  promise  of  baptism  re- 
specting our  purgation.  The  Lord  afterwards  stipulated  with 
Abraham,  that  he  should  walk  before  him  in  sincerity  and 
purity  of  heart :  this  belongs  to  mortification,  or  regeneration. 
And  to  preclude  any  doubt  that  circumcision  is  a  sign  of  mor- 

(2)  Gen.  xvii.  1—14.  (a)  MaU.  xxii.  32.    Luke  xx.  37,  38 

(i)  Ephes.  ii.  12. 


496  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

tification,  Moses  more  expressly  declares  it  in  another  place, 
when  he  exhorts  the  Israelites  to  circumcise  their  hearts,  be- 
cause the  Lord  had  chosen  them  for  himself  above  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  As  God,  when  he  adopts  the  posterity 
of  Abraham  to  be  his  people,  commands  them  to  be  circumcised, 
so  Moses  pronounces  it  to  be  necessary  to  circumcise  the  heart, 
thereby  declaring  the  true  signification  of  that  carnal  circum- 
cision, (c)  Then,  that  no  one  might  attempt  this  in  his  own 
strength,  he  teaches  that  it  is  the  work  of  Divine  grace,  {d)  All 
these  things  are  so  often  inculcated  by  the  prophets,  that  there 
is  no  need  to  collect  here  the  numerous  testimonies  which 
every  where  present  themselves.  We  have  ascertained,  there- 
fore, that  a  spiritual  promise,  the  very  same  which  is  given  to 
us  in  baptism,  was  given  to  the  fathers  in  circumcision ; 
which  represented  to  them  the  remission  of  sins  and  the  morti- 
fication of  the  flesh.  Moreover,  as  we  have  shown  that  Christ, 
in  whom  both  these  things  are  obtained,  is  the  foundation  of 
baptism,  the  same  must  be  evident  of  circumcision.  For  he 
was  promised  to  Abraham,  and  in  him  the  blessing  of  all  na- 
tions ;  and  the  sign  of  circumcision  was  added  in  confirmation 
of  this  grace. 

IV.  There  is  now  no  difficulty  in  discovering  what  similari- 
ty or  what  ditference  there  is  between  these  two  signs.  The 
promise,  in  which  we  have  stated  the  virtue  of  the  signs  to 
consist,  is  the  same  in  both :  including  the  paternal  favour  of 
God,  remission  of  sins,  and  eternal  life.  In  the  next  place,  the 
thing  signified  also  is  one  and  the  same,  namely,  regeneration. 
The  foundation,  on  which  the  accomplishment  of  these  things 
rests,  is  the  same  in  both.  Wherefore  there  is  no  ditference  in 
the  internal  mystery,  by  which  all  the  force  and  peculiar  na- 
ture of  sacraments  must  be  determined.  All  the  dilierence  lies 
in  the  external  ceremony,  which  is  the  smallest  portion  of  it ; 
whereas  the  principal  part  depends  on  the  promise  and  the 
thing  signified.  We  may  conclude,  therefore,  that  whatever 
belongs  to  circumcision,  except  the  difference  of  the  visible 
ceremony,  belongs  also  to  baptism.  To  this  inference  and  com- 
parison we  are  led  by  the  apostle's  rule,  which  directs  us  to 
examine  every  interpretation  of  Scripture  by  the  proportion  of 
faith,  (e)  And,  indeed,  the  truth  on  this  subject  is  obvious  to 
the  slightest  observation.  For  as  circumcision  was  a  pledge  to 
the  Jews,  by  which  they  were  assured  of  their  adoption  as  the 
people  and  family  of  God,  and  on  their  parts  professed  their 
entire  subjection  to  him,  and  therefore  was  their  first  entrance 
into  the  Church,  so  now  we  are  initiated  into  the  Church  of 
God  by  baptism,  are  numbered  among  his  people,  and  profess 

(e)  Deut.  X.  IC.  {d)  Deut.  xxi.  6. ,  (c)  Rom.  xii.  3,  6. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  497 

to  devote  ourselves  to  his  service.  Hence  it  is  evident,  beyond 
all  controversy,  that  baptism  has  succeeded  in  the  place  of  cir- 
cumcision. 

y.  Now,  if  it  be  inquired,  whether  baptism  may  rightly  be 
administered  to  infants,  shall  we  not  pronounce  it  an  excess  of 
folly,  and  even  madness,  in  any  one  who  resolves  to  dwell 
entirely  on  the  element  of  water  and  the  external  observance, 
and  cannot  bear  to  direct  his  thoughts  to  the  spiritnal  mystery  ; 
a  due  consideration  of  which  will  prove,  beyond  all  doubt,  that 
baptism  is  justly  administered  to  intants,  as  that  to  which  they 
are  fully  entitled  ?  For  the  Lord,  in  former  ages,  did  not  favour 
them  with  circumcision  without  making  theui  partakers  of  all 
those  things  which  were  then  signified  by  circumcision.  Other- 
wise, he  must  have  deluded  his  people  with  mere  impostures, 
if  he  deceived  them  by  fallacious  symbols  ;  which  it  11,  dreadful 
even  to  hear.  For  he  expressly  pronounces  that  the  circum- 
cision of  a  little  infant  should  serve  as  a  seal  for  the  confirma- 
tion of  the  covenant.  But  if  the  covenant  remains  firm  and 
unmoved,  it  belongs  to  the  children  of  Christians  now,  as  much 
as  it  did  to  the  infants  of  the  Jews  under  the  Old  Testament. 
But  if  they  are  partakers  of  the  thing  signified,  why  shall  they 
be  excluded  from  the  sign  ?  If  they  obtain  the  truth,  why 
shall  they  be  debarred  from  the  figure  ?  Though  the  external 
sign  in  the  sacrament  is  so  connected  with  the  word,  as  not  to 
be  separated  from  it,  yet  if  it  be  distinguished,  which  shall 
we  esteem  of  the  greater  importance  ?  Certainly,  when  we 
see  that  the  sign  is  subservient  to  the  word,  we  shall  pro- 
nounce it  to  be  inferior  to  it,  and  assign  it  the  subordinate 
place.  While  the  word  of  baptism,  then,  is  directed  to  infants, 
why  shall  the  sign,  which  is  an  appendix  to  the  word,  be  pro- 
hibited to  them  ?  This  one  reason,  if  there  were  no  others, 
would  be  abundantly  snfficient  for  the  refutation  of  all  oppo- 
sers.  The  objection  that  there  was  a  particular  day  fixed  for 
circumcision,  is  a  mere  evasion.  We  admit  that  we  are  not 
now  bound  to  certain  days,  like  the  Jews  ;  but  when  the  Lord, 
though  he  prescribes  no  particular  day,  yet  declares  it  to  be 
his  pleasure  that  infants  shall  be  received  into  his  covenant  by  a 
solemn  rite,  what  do  we  want  more  ? 

VL  The  Scripture,  however,  still  affords  a  more  certain 
Knowledge  of  the  truth.  For  it  is  most  evident  that  the  cove- 
nant which  the  Lord  once  made  with  Abraham  continues  as 
much  in  force  with  Christians  in  the  present  day,  as  it  did 
formerly  with  the  Jews  :  and  consequently  that  that  word  is 
no  less  applicable  to  Christians  than  it  was  to  the  Jews.  Unless 
we  suppose  that  Christ  by  his  advent  diminished  or  curtailed 
the  grace  of  the  Father ;  which  is  execrable  blasphemy. 
Wherefore  the  children  of  the  Jews,  because  they  were  made 
VOL.  II.  63 


498 


INSTITUTES    OF    THE 


heirs  of  that  covenant,  and  distinguished  from  the  children  of 
the  impious,  were  called  a  holy  seed  ;  and  for  the  same  reason, 
the  children  of  Christians,  even  when  only  one  of  the  parents 
is  pious,  are  accounted  holy,  and  according  to  the  testimony 
of  the  apostle,  differ  from  the  impure  seed  of  idolaters.  Now, 
as  the  Lord,  immediately  after  having  made  the  covenant  with 
Abraham,  commanded  it  to  be  sealed  in  infants  by  an  external 
sacrament,  what  cause  will  Christians  assign  why  they  should 
not  also  at  this  day  testify  and  seal  the  same  in  their  children  ? 
Nor  let  it  be  objected,  that  the  Lord  commanded  not  his  cove- 
nant to  be  confirmed  by  any  other  symbol  than  that  of  cir- 
cumcision, which  has  long  ago  been  abolished.  For  it  is  easy 
to  reply,  that  during  the  time  of  the  Old  Testament  he  ap- 
pointed circumcision  for  the  confirmation  of  his  covenant ;  but 
that  since  the  abrogation  of  circumcision,  there  always  remains 
the  same  reason  for  confirming  it,  which  we  have  in  common 
with  the  Jews.  It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  be  careful  in  ob- 
serving what  we  have  in  common  with  them,  and  what  they 
had  different  from  us.  The  covenant  is  common,  the  reason 
for  confirming  it  is  common.  Only  the  mode  of  confirmation 
is  different  ;  for  to  them  it  was  confirmed  by  circumcision, 
which  among  us  has  been  succeeded  by  baptism.  Otherwise, 
if  the  testimony  by  which  the  Jews  were  assured  of  the  salva- 
tion of  their  seed  be  taken  away  from  us,  the  efiect  of  the  ad- 
vent of  Christ  has  been  to  render  the  grace  of  God  more  obscure 
and  less  attested  to  us  than  it  was  to  the  Jews.  If  this  cannot 
be  affirmed  without  great  dishonour  to  Christ,  by  whom  the 
infinite  goodness  of  God  has  been  diftused  over  the  earth,  and 
manifested  to  men  in  a  more  conspicuous  and  liberal  manner 
than  at  any  former  period,  we  must  be  obliged  to  confess,  that 
at  least  it  ought  not  to  be  more  concealed  or  less  attested  than 
under  the  obscure  shadows  of  the  law. 

VII.  Wherefore  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  exhibit  a  specimen  from 
which  the  world  might  understand  that  he  was  come  to  extend 
rather  than  to  limit  the  mercy  of  the  Father,  kindly  received  the 
infants  that  were  presented  to  him,  and  embraced  them  in  his 
arms,  chiding  his  disciples  who  endeavoured  to  forbid  their  ap- 
proach to  him,  because  they  would  keep  those,  of  whom  was  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  at  a  distance  from  him  who  is  the  only  way 
of  entrance  into  it.  But  some  will  object.  What  resemblance 
does  this  embrace  of  Christ  bear  to  baptism  ?  for  he  is  not  said 
to  have  baptized  them,  but  to  have  received  them,  taken  them 
in  his  arms,  and  blessed  them  ;  therefore,  if  we  desire  to  imitate 
his  example,  let  us  assist  infants  with  our  prayers,  but  let  us 
not  baptize  them.  But  it  is  necessary  to  consider  the  conduct 
of  Christ  with  more  attention  than  it  receives  from  persons  of 
this  class.     For  it  is  not  to  be  passo^  over  as  a  thing  of  little 


CHAP.    XVI. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  499 

importance,  that  Christ  commanded  infants  to  be  brouglit  to 
him,  and  added,  as  a  reason  for  this  command,  "  For  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  "  and  afterwards  gave  a  practical  tes- 
timony of  his  will,  when,  embracing  them  in  his  arms,  he 
commended  them  to  his  Father  by  his  prayers  and  benedic- 
tions. If  it  be  reasonable  for  infants  to  be  brought  to  Christ, 
why  is  it  not  allowable  to  admit  them  to  baptism,  the  symbol 
of  our  communion  and  fellowship  with  Christ  ?  If  of  them  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  why  shall  they  be  denied  the  sign, 
which  opens,  as  it  were,  an  entrance  into  the  Church,  that, 
being  received  into  it,  they  may  be  enrolled  among  the  heirs  of 
the  heavenly  kingdom  ?  How  unjust  shall  we  be,  if  we  drive 
away  from  Christ  those  whom  he  invites  to  him  ;  if  we  deprive 
them  of  the  gifts  with  which  he  adorns  them  ;  if  we  exclude 
those  whom  he  freely  admits  !  But  if  we  examine  how  far 
what  Christ  did  on  that  occasion  differs  from  baptism,  how 
much  greater  importance  shall  we  attach  to  baptism,  by  which 
we  testify  that  infants  are  included  in  the  covenant  of  God, 
than  to  the  reception,  the  embrace,  the  imposition  of  hands, 
and  the  prayers  by  which  Jesus  Christ  himself  acknowledged 
them  as  his,  and  declared  them  to  be  sanctified  by  him  ! 
The  other  cavils  by  which  our  opponents  endeavour  to  elude 
the  force  of  this  passage,  only  betray  their  ignorance.  For 
they  argue  that  as  Christ  said,  "  Suffer  little  children  to  co7we," 
they  must  have  been  grown  to  such  an  age  and  stature  as  to 
be  capable  of  walking.  But  they  are  called  by  the  evangelists 
Bps(pYi  and  -TTairJia,  two  words  used  by  the  Greeks  to  signify  little 
infants  hanging  on  the  breast.  The  word  "  come,''^  therefore, 
is  merely  used  to  denote  "  access.'"  To  such  evasions  are 
persons  obliged  to  have  recourse,  who  resist  the  truth.  Nor  is 
there  any  more  solidity  in  the  objection,  that  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  not  said  to  belong  to  infants,  but  to  those  who  resem- 
ble them,  because  the  expression  is,  not  of  them,  but  "of  such 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  For  if  this  be  admitted,  what 
kind  of  reason  would  it  be  that  Christ  assigns,  with  a  view  to 
show  that  infants  in  age  ought  not  to  be  prevented  from  ap- 
proaching him,  when  he  says,  "  Suffer  little  children  to  come 
unto  me  ?  "  Nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  he  intends  those 
who  are  in  a  state  of  real  infancy.  And  to  prevent  this  from 
being  thought  unreasonable,  he  adds,  "  Of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven."  And  if  infants  be  necessarily  comprehended,  it 
is  beyond  all  doubt  that  the  word  "  such "  designates  both 
infants  themselves  and  those  who  resemble  them,  (c) 

VIII.  Now,  every  one  must  perceive,  that  the  baptism  of 
infants,  which  is  so  strongly  supported  by  the  authority  of 
Scripture,  is  very  far  fiom  being  an  invention  of  men.     Nor 

(e)  Matt.  xix.  13 — 15.     Mark  x.  13 — 16.     Luke  xviii.  15—17. 


500  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    17. 

is  there  much  plausibility  in  the  objection,  that  it  is  nowhere 
stated  that  even  a  single  infant  was  baptized  by  the  hands  of 
the  apostles.  For  though  no  such  circumstance  is  expressly 
mentioned  by  the  evangelists,  yet,  on  the  other  hand,  as  they 
are  never  excluded  when  mention  happens  to  be  made  of  the 
baptism  of  any  family,  who  can  rationally  conclude  from  this, 
that  they  were  not  baptized  ?  If  there  were  any  force  in  such 
arguments,  women  might  as  well  be  interdicted  from  the 
Lord's  supper,  because  we  have  no  account  of  their  having 
been  admitted  to  it  in  the  days  of  the  apostles.  But  in  this 
we  are  content  with  the  rule  of  faith.  For  when  we  consider 
the  design  of  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  supper,  the  conclu- 
sion is  easy  respecting  the  persons  who  ought  to  be  admitted 
to  a  participation  of  it.  We  observe  the  same  rule  also  in  the 
case  of  baptism.  For  when  we  consider  the  end  of  its  insti- 
tution, we  evidently  perceive  that  it  belongs  to  infants  as  well 
as  to  adults.  Therefore  they  cannot  be  deprived  of  it  without 
a  manifest  evasion  of  the  will  of  the  Divine  Author.  What 
they  circulate  among  the  uninformed  multitude,  that  after  the 
resurrection  of  Christ,  a  long  series  of  years  passed,  in  which 
infant  baptism  was  unknown,  is  shamefully  contrary  to  truth  ; 
for  there  is  no  ancient  writer  who  does  not  refer  its  origin,  as 
a  matter  of  certainty,  to  the  age  of  the  apostles. 

IX.  It  remains  for  us  briefly  to  show  what  advantage  results 
from  this  ceremony,  both  to  believers  who  present  their  children 
to  the  Church  to  be  baptized,  and  to  the  infants  themselves 
who  are  washed  in  the  holy  water ;  to  guard  it  from  being 
despised  as  useless  or  unimportant.  But  if  any  man  takes  it 
into  his  head  to  ridicule  infant  baptism  on  this  pretext,  he  holds 
the  command  of  circumcision,  which  was  given  by  the  Lord,  in 
equal  contempt.  For  what  will  they  allege  to  impugn  the  bap- 
tism of  infants,  which  may  not  be  retorted  against  circumci- 
sion ?  Thus  the  Lord  avenges  the  arrogance  of  those,  Avho 
forthwith  condemn  what  their  carnal  sense  does  not  comprehend. 
But  God  furnishes  us  with  other  weapons  to  repel  their  folly  ; 
nor  does  this  sacred  ordinance  of  his  appointment,  which  we 
experience  to  be  a  source  of  peculiar  support  and  consolation  to 
our  faith,  deserve  to  be  called  unnecessary.  For  this  sign  of 
God,  communicated  to  a  child,  like  the  impress  of  a  seal, 
ratifies  and  confirms  the  promise  given  to  the  pious  parent, 
declaring  that  the  Lord  will  be  a  God,  not  only  to  him,  but 
also  to  hia  seed,  and  that  he  is  determined  to  exercise  his 
goodness  and  grace,  not  only  towards  him,  but  towards  his 
posterity  even  to  a  thousand  generations.  The  manifestation 
here  given  of  the  mercy  of  God,  in  the  first  place,  furnishes  the 
most  abundant  matter  for  the  celebration  of  his  glory  ;  and  in 
the  second  place,  fills  pious  breast^  with  more  than  common 
joy,  by  which  they  are  excited  to  a  more  ardent  return  of 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  501 

affection  to  such  an  indulgent  Father,  in  whom  they  discover 
such  care  of  their  posterity  on  their  account.  Nor  shah  I  regard 
an  objection,  if  it  should  be  urged,  tliat  the  mere  promise  of 
God  ought  to  be  suhicient  to  assure  us  of  the  salvation  of  our 
children;  since  God,  who  knows  our  weakness,  and  has  been 
pleased  in  this  instance  to  indulge  it,  has  decided  otherwise. 
Let  those,  therefore,  who  embrace  the  promise  of  God  that  he 
will  perpetuate  his  mercy  to  their  olfspring,  consider  it  their 
duty  to  present  them  to  the  Church  to  be  signed  with  the 
symbol  of  mercy,  and  thereby  to  animate  their  minds  to 
stronger  confidence,  when  they  actually  see  the  covenant  of 
the  Lord  engraven  on  the  bodies  of  their  children.  Tlie 
children  also  receive  some  advantage  from  their  baptism,  their 
ingrafting  into  the  body  of  the  Church  being  a  more  peculiar 
recommendation  of  them  to  the  other  members  ;  and  afterwards, 
when  they  grow  to  years  of  maturity,  it  operates  upon  them  us 
a  powerful  stimulus  to  a  serious  attention  to  the  worship  of 
God,  by  whom  they  were  accepted  as  his  children  by  the 
solemn  symbol  of  adoption,  before  they  were  capable  of 
knowing  him  as  their  Father.  Finally,  we  ought  to  be  alarmed 
by  the  vengeance  which  God  threatens  to  inflict,  if  any  one 
disdains  to  mark  his  son  with  the  symbol  of  the  covenant ;  for 
the  contempt  of  that  symbol  involves  the  rejection  and  abjura- 
tion of  the  grace  which  it  presents. 

X.  Let  us  now  discuss  the  arguments  with  which  some 
violent  disputants  continue  to  impugn  this  holy  institution  of 
God.  In  the  first  place,  finding  themselves  very  hardly  pressed 
and  exceedingly  embarrassed  by  the  similarity  of  baptism  and 
circumcision,  they  labour  to  establish  a  considerable  difference 
between  these  two  signs,  that  one  may  appear  to  have  nothing 
in  common  with  the  other.  For  they  affirm,  first,  that  dif- 
ferent things  are  signified ;  secondly,  that  the  covenant  is  en- 
tirely different ;  and  thirdly,  that  the  children  are  mentioned 
in  a  different  manner.  But  when  they  endeavour  to  prove  the 
first  point,  they  allege  that  circumcision  was  a  figure  of  mor- 
tification, and  not  of  baptism  ;  which  we  most  readily  grant, 
for  it  is  an  excellent  argument  in  our  favour.  We  urge  no 
other  proof  of  our  sentiment,  than  that  baptism  and  circum- 
cision are  equally  signs  of  mortification.  Hence  we  conclude, 
that  baptism  was  introduced  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  and 
represents  to  us  the  very  same  thing  which  that  formerly  did 
to  the  Jews.  In  asserting  a  difference  of  the  covenant,  with 
what  presumption  and  absurdity  do  they  corrupt  the  Scripture, 
and  that  not  in  a  single  passage,  biU  v/ithout  leaving  any  part  of 
it  secure  from  their  perversions.  For  they  represent  the  carnali- 
ty of  the  Jews  to  be  such,  as  to  give  them  a  greater  resem- 
blg-nce  to  brutes  than  to  rational  beings ;  contending  that  the 


502  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

covenant  made  with  them  was  Umited  to  a  temporary  life, 
and  that  the  promises  given  to  them  were  all  confined  to 
present  and  corporeal  enjoyments.  If  this  notion  be  admitted, 
what  remains  but  to  consider  the  Jewish  people  as  pampered 
for  a  season  by  the  Divine  bounty,  (like  a  herd  of  swine, 
fattened  in  a  sty,)  to  perish  at  length  in  eternal  ruin  ?  For 
whenever  we  adduce  circumcision  and  the  promises  annexed, 
to  it,  they  reply,  that  circumcision  was  a  literal  sign,  and 
that  the  promises  connected  with  it  were  all  carnal. 

XI.  Certainly,  if  circumcision  was  a  literal  sign,  the  same 
opinion  must  be  formed  of  baptism ;  for  the  apostle  makes 
one  no  more  spiritual  than  the  other.  He  says  to  the  Colos- 
sians,  "  In  Christ  ye  are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision 
made  without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of  the 
flesh  ;  "  and  this  he  calls  "  the  circumcision  of  Christ.''  In 
explication  of  this  sentiment,  he  adds,  that  they  were  "  buried 
with  Christ  in  baptism."  (/)  AVhat  is  the  meaning  of  this 
language,  but  that  the  accomplishment  and  truth  of  baptism 
is  the  same  with  the  accomplishment  and  truth  of  circumcision, 
since  they  both  represent  the  same  thing  ?  For  his  design  is 
to  show  that  baptism  was  to  Christians  the  same  that  circum- 
cision had  before  been  to  the  Jews.  But  as  we  have  now 
clearly  evinced  that  the  promises  of  these  two  signs,  and  the 
mysteries  represented  by  them,  are  precisely  the  same,  we 
shall  insist  no  longer  on  this  point  at  present.  I  will  only  re- 
commend believers  to  consider,  whether  that  sign  ought  to  be 
accounted  earthly  and  literal,  which  contains  nothing  but  what 
is  spiritual  and  heavenly.  But  to  guard  the  simple  against 
their  fallacies,  we  shall  briefly  reply  by  the  way  to  one  objec- 
tion, by  which  they  endeavour  to  support  this  shameful  mis- 
representation. It  is  very  certain  that  the  principal  promises 
of  the  covenant,  which  God  made  with  the  Israelites  under  the 
Old  Testament,  were  spiritual,  and  had  reference  to  eternal 
life  ;  and  that  they  were  also  understood  by  the  fathers,  as  they 
ought  to  be,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  and  inspired  them  with  confi- 
dent hopes  of  the  life  to  come,  towards  which  they  aspired 
with  all  the  powers  of  their  souls.  At  the  same  time,  we  are 
far  from  denying  that  he  testified  his  benevolence  to  them  by 
terrestrial  and  carnal  advantages,  by  Avhich  we  also  maintain 
that  their  hopes  of  spiritual  promises  were  confirmed.  Thus, 
when  he  promised  eternal  blessedness  to  his  servant  Abraham, 
he  added,  in  order  to  set  a  manifest  token  of  his  favour  before 
his  eyes,  another  promise  respecthig  the  possession  of  the  land 
of  Canaan.  In  this  manner  we  ought  to  understand  all  the 
terrestrial  promises  which  were  given  to  the  Jewish  nation  ;  so 
that  the  spiritual  promise  may  always  be  considered  as  a  source 

V  (/)  Col.  ii.  11,  l«. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  503 

and  foundation,  to  which  the  others  may  be  referred.  But 
having  treated  these  points  more  at  large  in  discussing  the  dif- 
ference of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  I  touch  the  more 
slightly  upon  them  here. 

XIJ.  In  the  mention  of  the  children  they  find  this  variety  ; 
that  under  the  Old  Testament,  those  were  called  the  children 
of  Abraham,  who  derived  their  natural  descent  from  him  ;  but 
that  now  this  appellation  is  given  to  those  who  imitate  his 
faith  ;  and  that,  therefore,  that  carnal  infancy,  which  was 
ingrafted  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Church  by  circumcision, 
prefigured  those  spiritual  infants  of  the  New  Testament,  who 
by  the  word  of  God  are  regenerated  to  an  immortal  life. 
In  this  language  we  discover,  indeed,  a  small  spark  of  truth  ; 
but  it  is  a  great  error  of  these  persons,  that  while  they 
lay  hold  of  whatever  first  comes  to  their  hands,  when  they 
ought  to  pursue  it  much  further,  and  to  compare  many  things 
together,  they  pertinaciously  insist  on  a  single  word ;  hence 
it  necessarily  happens  that  they  are  often  deceived,  be- 
cause they  acquire  no  solid  knowledge  of  any  thing.  We 
confess  that  the  natural  seed  of  Abraham  did  for  a  time  hold 
the  place  of  those  spiritual  children  which  are  incorporated 
with  him  by  faith.  For  we  are  called  his  children,  notwith- 
standing there  is  no  natural  relationship  between  him  and  us. 
But  if  they  understand,  as  they  certainly  do,  that  no  spiritual 
blessing  was  ever  promised  by  God  to  the  carnal  seed  of 
Abraham,  they  are  greatly  deceived.  It  behoves  us  to  aim  at 
a  more  correct  sentiment,  to  which  we  are  directed  by  the  cer- 
tain guidance  of  the  Scripture.  The  Lord,  therefore,  promised 
to  Abraham,  that  he  should  have  a  Seed,  hi  whom  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  were  to  be  blessed,  and  accompanied  this  promise 
with  an  assurance  that  he  would  be  a  God  to  him,  and  to  his 
seed.  All  those,  who  by  faith  receive  Christ,  the  Author  of 
the  blessing,  are  heirs  of  this  promise,  and  are  therefore  de- 
nominated "children  of  Abraham." 

XIII.  Though,  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  the  bounda- 
ries of  the  kingdom  of  God  began  to  be  extended  far  and  wide 
into  all  nations,  without  any  distinction,  that,  according  to  the 
declaration  of  Christ,  believers  might  be  collected  "  from  the  east, 
and  from  the  west,  and  from  the  north,  and  from  the  south,"  to 
'•  sit  down  with  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,"  (g)  in  the  glory 
of  heaven,  yet  he  had  embraced  the  Jews  with  this  great  mercy 
for  many  ages  before  ;  and  because  he  had  passed  by  all  others, 
and  selected  this  one  nation,  to  be  for  a  season  the  exclusive  ob- 
jects of  his  grace,  he  called  them  his  "  peculiar  treasure  "  and 
"  special  people."  (A)    In  attestation  of  this  beneficence,  the  Lord 

(o-)  Matt.  viii.  11.     Luke  xiii.  2!).  (/j)  Exod.  .xi.x.  5.     Deut.  vii.  G. 


504  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

gave  them  circumcision,  which  was  a  sign  to  teach  the  Jews  that 
he  would  be  their  defence  and  salvation;  and  the  knowledge  of 
this  inspired  their  hearts  with  the  hope  of  eternal  life.  For  what 
can  be  wanting  to  them  wlioni  God  has  taken  into  his  charge  ? 
Wherefore  the  apostle,  with  a  view  to  prove  that  the  Gentiles 
are  children  of  Abraham  as  well  as  the  Jews,  expresses  himself 
in  the  following  manner  :  "  Faith  was  reckoned  to  Abraham 
for  righteousness  in  uncircumcision.  And  he  received  the 
sign  of  circumcision,  a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of  the  faith 
which  he  had  yet  being  uncircumcised  ;  that  he  might  be  the 
father  of  all  them  that  believe,  though  they  be  not  circumcised  ; 
that  righteousness  might  be  imputed  unto  them  also  ;  and  the 
father  of  circumcision  to  them  who  are  not  of  the  circumcision 
only,  but  who  also  walk  in  the  steps  of  that  faith  of  our  father 
Abraham,  which  he  had  being  yet  uncircumcised."  (i)  Do 
not  we  see  that  equal  dignity  is  attributed  to  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles ?  For  during  the  time  fixed  by  the  decree  of  God,  Abra- 
ham was  the  father  of  circumcision.  When  the  "middle  wall 
of  partition  between  "  them  was  "  broken  down,"  (Ar)  as  the 
apostle  says  in  another  place,  to  give  the  Gentiles  an  entrance 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,  he  became  also  their  father,  and  that 
without  the  sign  of  circumcision ;  for  instead  of  circumcision, 
they  have  baptism.  The  express  intimation,  that  Abraham 
was  not  a  father  to  them  who  were  of  the  circumcision  only, 
was  introduced  by  the  apostle,  to  repress  the  vain  confidence 
of  some  who  neglected  all  concern  abont  piety,  and  prided 
themselves  in  mere  ceremonies.  In  the  same  manner,  we  may 
now  refute  the  vanity  of  those  who  in  baptism  never  carry 
their  thoughts  beyond  the   water. 

XIV.  But  in  objection  to  this,  another  passage  is  adduced 
from  the  same  apostle,  in  which  he  states,  "  that  they  which 
are  the  children  of  the  flesh  "  are  not  "  the  children  of  Abraham," 
but  that  only  "the  children  of  the  promise  are  counted  for  the 
seed."  (I)  For  this  passage  seems  to  imply,  that  carnal  descent 
from  Abraham  is  nothing,  though  we  attribute  some  import- 
ance to  it.  But  it  is  requisite  to  pay  more  particular  attention 
to  the  subject  which  the  apostle  is  here  discussing.  For  in 
order  to  show  to  the  Jews,  that  the  goodness  of  God  was  not 
confined  to  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  even  that  carnal  descent 
from  him  was  of  no  value  in  itself,  he  alleges,  in  proof  of  it, 
the  cases  of  Ishmael  and  Esau  ;  who,  notwithstanding  they 
were  the  true  oflsprmg  of  Abraham  according  to  the  flesh, 
were  rejected  as  if  they  had  been  strangers,  and  the  blessing 
remained  with  Isaac  and  Jacob.  Hence  follows  what  he  after- 
wards affirms  —  that  salvation  depends  on  the  mercy  of  God, 

(0  Rom.  iv.  9—12.  (k)  Eph.  ii.  14.  ^  (0  Rom.  ix.  7,  8. 


CHAP.   XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  505 

which  he  hnparts  to  whom  he  pleases;  but  that  the  .Tews 
have  no  reason  for  satisfaction,  or  glorying  in  the  name  of 
the  covenant,  miless  they  observe  the  law  of  the  covenant ; 
that  is,  obey  the  Divine  word.  Yet,  after  having  demolished 
their  vain  confidence  in  their  descent,  knowing,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  the  covenant  which  God  had  once  made  with  the 
posterity  of  Abraham  could  by  no  means  be  invalidated,  he 
argues,  that  the  natural  descendants  are  not  to  be  deprived  of 
their  dignity  ;  by  virtue  of  which  he  shows  that  the  Jews 
were  the  first  and  natural  heirs  of  the  gospel,  only  that  they 
had  been  rejected  as  unworthy,  on  account  of  their  ingratitude, 
yet  that  the  heavenly  benediction  had  not  entirely  departed 
from  their  nation.  For  which  reason,  though  they  were  re- 
bels and  violators  of  the  covenant,  yet  he  calls  them  holy ; 
such  high  honours  does  he  give  to  the  holy  generation,  which 
God  honoured  with  his  sacred  covenant ;  but  he  considers  us, 
in  comparison  with  them,  as  the  posthumous,  and  even  abor- 
tive children  of  Abraham,  and  that  not  by  nature,  but  by 
adoption ;  as  if  a  branch  broken  off  from  its  native  tree  were 
ingrafted  on  another  stock.  That  they  might  not  be  defraud- 
ed of  their  prerogative,  therefore,  it  was  necessary  for  the 
gospel  to  be  first  announced  to  them ;  for  they  are,  as  it  were, 
the  first-born  in  the  family  of  God.  Wherefore  this  honour 
was  to  be  given  to  them,  till  they  rejected  the  offer  of  it,  and 
by  their  ingratitude  caused  it  to  be  transferred  to  the  Gentiles. 
Nor,  whatever  be  the  obstinacy  with  which  they  persist  in 
opposing  the  gospel,  ought  they,  on  that  account,  to  be  de- 
spised by  us,  if  we  consider  that,  for  the  sake  of  the  promise, 
the  blessing  of  God  still  remains  among  them  ;  as  the  apostle 
clearly  testifies  that  it  will  never  entirely  depart  from  them  ; 
"for  the  gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance."  (m) 
XV.  See,  now,  the  importance  and  the  estimate  to  be  formed 
of  the  promise  given  to  the  posterity  of  Abraham.  Therefore, 
though  we  have  no  doubt  that  the  distinction  of  the  heirs  of 
the  kingdom  from  those  who  have  no  share  in  it,  is  the  free 
act  of  the  sovereign  election  of  God,  yet,  at  the  same  time,  we 
perceive  that  he  has  been  pleased  to  display  his  mercy  in  a 
peculiar  manner  on  the  seed  of  Abraham,  and  to  testify  and 
seal  it  by  circumcision.  The  same  reason  is  applicable  to 
the  Christian  Church.  For  as  Paul,  in  that  passage,  ar- 
gues that  the  children  of  the  Jews  were  sanctified  by  their 
parents,  so,  in  another  place,  {71)  he  teaches  that  the  chil- 
dren of  Christians  derive  the  same  sanctification  from  their 
parents  ;  whence  it  is  inferred,  that  they  who,  on  the  contrary, 
are  condemned  as  impure,  are  deservedly  separated  from  others. 

(to)  Ronj,,'xi.  29.  (n)  1  Cor.  vii.  14. 

VOL.  II.  64 


506  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Now,  who  can  doubt  the  falsehood  of  the  consequence  attempt* 
ed  to  be  estabhshed,  that  the  infants  who  Avere  circumcised  in 
former  ages,  only  prefigured  those  who  are  infants  in  a  s]nrit- 
ual  sense,  being  regenerated  by  the  word  of  God  ?  Paul  does 
not  reason  in  this  manner,  when  he  says,  ''  that  Jesus  Christ 
was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the  truth  of  God,  to 
confirm  tiie  promises  made  unto  the  fathers  ;  "  (o)  as  if  he  had 
said,  Since  the  covenant  made  with  Abraham  relates  to  his 
seed,  Jesus  Christ,  in  order  to  execute  and  discharge  the 
promise  once  pledged  by  the  Father,  came  to  save  the  people 
of  the  Jews.  We  see  how,  even  after  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 
Paul  understands  that  the  promise  of  the  covenant  is  to  be  ful- 
filled, not  only  in  an  allegorical  sense,  but,  according  to  the 
literal  import  of  the  words,  to  the  natural  seed  of  Abraham. 
To  the  same  effect  is  the  declaration  of  Peter  to  the  Jews, 
"  The  promise  is  unto  you  and  to  your  children,"  (j9)  and  the 
appellation  under  which  he  addresses  them,  "  Ye  are  the  chil- 
dren of  the  covenant,"  (q)  and  if  children,  then  heirs.  A  simi- 
lar sentiment  is  conveyed  in  another  passage  of  the  apostle, 
which  we  have  already  quoted,  where  he  represents  the  cir- 
cumcision performed  on  infants  as  a  testimony  of  the  commu- 
nion which  they  have  with  Christ,  (r)  And,  on  the  contrary 
principle,  what  will  become  of  that  promise,  by  which  the 
Lord,  in  the  second  precept  of  his  law,  declares  to  his  servants, 
that  he  will  be  merciful  to  their  seed,  even  to  a  thousand 
generations?  (s)  Shall  we  here  have  recourse  to  allegories? 
That  would  be  a  frivolous  evasion.  Shall  we  say  that  this 
promise  is  cancelled  ?  That  would  be  subversive  of  the  law, 
which,  on  the  contrary,  Christ  came  to  establish,  as  a  rule,  for 
a  holy  life.  It  ought  to  be  admitted,  therefore,  beyond  all 
controversy,  that  God  is  so  kind  and  liberal  to  his  servants,  as, 
for  their  sakes,  to  appoint  even  the  children  who  shall  descend 
from  them  to  be  enrolled  among  his  people. 

XVI.  The  other  differences  which  they  endeavour  to  estab- 
lish between  baptism  and  circumcision,  are  not  only  ridiculous, 
and  destitute  of  every  appearance  of  reason,  but  are  even  re- 
pugnant to  each  other.  For  after  they  have  affirmed  that  bap- 
tism belongs  to  the  first  day  of  the  spiritual  conflict,  but 
circumcision  to  the  eighth,  when  the  mortification  is  already 
completed,  —  immediately  forgetting  this,  they  change  their 
story,  and  call  circumcision  a  sign  of  the  mortification  of  the 
flesh,  and  baptism  a  symbol  of  a  burial,  to  which  none  are  to  be 
consigned  but  those  who  are  already  dead.  Where  can  we  find 
another  instance  of  such  levity  of  self-contradiction  ?     For,  ac- 

(o)  Rom.  XV.  8.  (p)  Acts  ii.  39.  (q)  Acts  iii.  25. 

(r)  Eph.  i    11,  12.  ^  (s)  Exod.  xx.  6. 


CHAP.    XVI. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION,  507 

cording  to  the  first  proposition,  baptism  ought  to  precede  circum- 
cision; according  to  the  second,  it  ought  to  foHow  it.  Yet  it  is 
not  a  new  thing  for  the  minds  of  men  to  run  into  such  incon- 
sistencies, when  they  prefer  their  own  dreams  to  the  unerring 
word  of  God.  We  say,  therefore,  that  the  first  of  these  dif- 
ferences is  a  mere  dream.  If  they  wished  to  allegorize  on  the 
eighth  day,  yet  there  was  no  propriety  in  this  manner  of  doing 
it.  It  would  have  been  much  better  to  follow  the  ancients, 
and  refer  the  number  of  the  day  either  to  the  resurrection  of 
Christ,  which  took  place  on  the  eighth  day,  and  on  which  we 
know  that  newness  of  life  depends  ;  or  to  the  whole  course  of 
the  present  life,  which  ought  to  be  a  course  of  progressive  mor- 
tification, till,  at  the  termination  of  life,  the  mortification  also 
should  be  completed.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  God  de- 
ferred circumcision  to  the  eighth  day  on  account  of  the  tender- 
ness of  young  infants,  whose  lives  might  be  endangered  by  the 
performance  of  that  rite  immediately  on  their  birth.  Nor 
is  there  much  more  solidity  in  the  second  position,  that,  after 
being  dead,  we  are  buried  by  baptism ;  since  the  Scrip- 
ture expressly  teaches,  that  "  we  are  buried  by  baptism  into 
death,"  (t)  in  order  to  our  entrance  on  a  course  of  mortifi- 
cation, and  continuance  in  it  from  that  time  forward!  Nor  is 
there  any  more  propriety  in  the  objection,  that,  if  it  be  neces- 
sary to  conform  baptism  to  circumcision,  women  ought  not  to 
be  baptized.  For  if  it  be  evident,  that  the  sign  of  circumci- 
sion testified  the  sanctification  of  the  seed  of  Israel,  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  it  was  given  equally  for  the  sanctification  of 
males  and  females.  And  though  only  the  males  were  circum- 
cised, they  alone  being  capable  of  it,  the  females  were  in  a 
certain  sense  partakers  of  their  circumcision.  Dismissing  such 
follies,  therefore,  let  us  never  forget  the  similarity  of  baptism 
and  circumcision,  between  which  we  discover  a  complete 
agreement  in  the  internal  mystery,  the  promises,  the  use,  and 
the  efficacy. 

XVII.  They  consider  themselves  as  advancing  a  most  pow- 
erful argument  for  excluding  infants  from  baptism,  when  they 
allege,  that  by  reason  of  their  age  they  are  not  yet  capable  of 
understanding  the  mystery  signified  in  it ;  that  is,  spiritual  re- 
generation, which  cannot  take  place  in  early  infancy.  There- 
fore they  conclude,  they  are  to  be  considered  in  no  other  view 
than  as  children  of  Adam,  till  they  have  attained  an  age  which 
admits  of  a  second  birth.  But  all  these  things  are  uniformly 
contradicted  by  the  truth  of  God.  For  if  they  must  be  left 
among  the  children  of  Adam,  they  are  left  in  death  ;  for  in 
Adam  we  can  only  die.  On  the  contrary,  Christ  commands 
them  to  be  brought  to  hi)ti.     Why  ?     Because  he  is  life.     To 

(t)  Rom.  vi.  4. 


508  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

give  them  life,  therefore,  he  makes  them  partakers  of  himself; 
while  these  men,  by  driving  them  away  from, him,  adjudge 
them  to  death.  For  if  they  pretend  that  infants  do  not  perish, 
even  though  they  are  considered  as  children  of  Adam,  their 
error  is  abundantly  refuted  by  the  testimony  of  Scripture. 
For  when  it  pronounces  that  "  in  Adam  all  die,"  (v)  it  follows 
that  there  remains  no  hope  of  life  but  in  Christ.  In  order  to 
become  heirs  of  life,  therefore,  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  be  par- 
takers of  him.  So,  when  it  is  said,  in  other  places,  that  we 
are  "by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,"  (iv)  and  "conceived  in 
sin,"  (x)  with  which  condemnation  is  always  connected,  it 
follows,  that  we  must  depart  from  our  own  nature,  to  have  any 
admission  to  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  what  can  be  more 
explicit  than  this  declaration,  "  that  flesh  and  blood  cannot  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  God  ?  "  (y)  Let  every  thing  of  our  own, 
therefore,  be  destroyed,  which  will  not  be  eftected  without  re- 
generation, and  then  we  shall  see  this  possession  of  the  kingdom. 
Lastly,  if  Christ  speaks  the  truth,  when  he  declares  himself  to 
be  "  life,"  {z)  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  be  ingrafted  into  him, 
that  we  may  be  rescued  from  the  bondage  of  death.  But  how. 
it  is  inquired,  are  infants  regenerated,  who  have  no  knowledge 
either  of  good  or  evil  ?  We  reply,  that  the  work  of  God  is 
not  yet  without  existence,  because  it  is  not  observed  or  under- 
stood by  us.  Now,  it  is  certain  that  some  infants  are  saved ; 
and  that  they  are  previously  regenerated  by  the  Lord,  is  be- 
yond all  doubt.  For  if  they  are  born  in  a  state  of  corruption, 
it  is  necessary  for  them  to  be  purified  before  they  are  admitted 
into  the  kingdom  of  God,  into  which  "  there  shall  in  no  wise 
enter  any  thing  that  dcfileth."  (a)  If  they  are  born  sinners, 
as  both  David  and  Paul  affirm,  either  they  must  remain  unac- 
ceptable and  hateful  to  God,  or  it  is  necessary  for  them  to  be 
justified.  And  what  do  we  require  more,  when  the  Judge 
himself  declares  that  there  is  no  entrance  into  the  heavenly 
life,  except  for  those  who  are  born  again  ?  (b)  And,  to  silence 
all  objectors,  by  sanctifying  John  the  Baptist  in  his  mother's 
womb,  he  exhibited  an  example  of  what  he  was  able  to  do  for 
others.  Nor  can  they  gain  any  advantage  by  their  frivolous 
evasion,  that  this  was  only  a  single  case,  which  does  not  justify 
the  conclusion  that  the  Lord  generally  acts  in  this  manner 
with  infants.  For  we  use  no  such  argument.  We  only  mean 
to  show,  that  they  unjustly  confine  the  power  of  God  within 
those  narrow  limits  to  which  it  does  not  suffer  itself  to  be 
restricted.  Their  other  subterfuge  is  equally  weak.  They 
allege  that,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Scripture,  the  phrase 

(r)    1  Cor.  XV.  22.  (w)  Eph.  ii.  3.  (r)  Psalm  li.  5.  (»/)  1  Cor.  xv.  50. 

(z)  John  xi.  25;  xiv  G.  («)  Rev.  xxi.  27.  (b)  John  iii.  3,  5. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  509 

from  the  looinh  denotes  from  childhood.  But  it  is  easy  to  see 
that,  in  the  declaration  of  the  angel  to  Zacharias,  it  was  used 
in  a  dilferent  sense,  and  that  John  was  to  be  filled  with  the 
Holy  Spirit,  even  before  he  was  born,  (c)  Let  us  not  attempt, 
therefore,  to  impose  laws  upon  God,  whose  power  has  sustained 
no  diminution,  but  who  is  able  to  sanctify  whom  he  pleases, 
as  he  sanctified  this  child. 

XVIII.  And  for  this  reason,  Christ  was  sanctified  from  his 
earliest  infancy,  that  he  might  sanctify  in  himself  all  his  elect, 
of  every  age,  without  any  ditference.  For  as,  in  order  to  ob- 
literate the  guilt  of  the  transgression  which  had  been  perpe- 
trated in  our  flesh,  he  assumed  to  himself  that  very  flesh,  that 
he  might  perform  a  perfect  obedience  in  it,  on  our  account, 
and  in  our  stead,  so  he  was  conceived  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
that,  having  the  whole  body  which  he  assumed,  fully  endued 
with  the  sanctity  of  the  Spirit,  he  might  communicate  the 
same  to  us.  If  Christ  exhibits  a  perfect  exemplar  of  all  the 
graces  which  God  bestows  upon  his  children,  he  will  also 
furnish  us  with  a  proof,  that  the  age  of  infancy  is  not  al- 
together incompatible  with  sanctification.  But,  however  this 
may  be,  we  consider  it  as  clear,  beyond  all  controversy,  that 
not  one  of  the  elect  is  called  out  of  the  present  life,  with- 
out having  been  previously  regenerated  and  sanctified  by  the 
Spirit  of  God.  Their  objection,  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the 
Scriptures,  acknowledges  no  regeneration,  except  from  "  the 
incorruptible  seed,"  that  is,  "  the  word  of  God,"  (d)  is  a  mis- 
interpretation of  that  passage  of  Peter,  which  merely  compre- 
hends believers  who  had  been  taught  by  the  preaching  of  the 
gospel.  To  such  persons,  indeed,  we  grant  that  the  word  of 
the  Lord  is  the  only  seed  of  spiritual  regeneration  ;  but  we 
deny  that  it  ought  to  be  concluded  from  this,  that  infants  can- 
not be  regenerated  by  the  power  of  God,  which  is  as  easy  to 
him  as  it  is  wonderful  and  mysterious  to  us.  Besides,  it  would 
not  be  safe  to  affirm,  that  the  Lord  cannot  reveal  himself  in 
any  way  so  as  to  make  himself  known  to  them. 

XIX.  But  our  opponents  say,  "  Faith  cometh  by  hear- 
ing," (e)  of  which  they  have  not  yet  acquired  the  use,  and 
they  cannot  be  capable  of  knowing  God  ;  for  Moses  declares 
them  to  "have  no  knowledge  between  good  and  evil."  (/) 
But  they  do  not  consider,  that  when  the  apostle  makes  hearing 
the  source  of  faith,  he  only  describes  the  ordinary  economy 
and  dispensation  of  the  Lord,  which  he  generally  observes  in 
the  calling  of  his  people  ;  but  does  not  prescribe  a  perpetual 
rule  for  him,  precluding  his  employment  of  any  other  method; 
which  he  has  certainly  employed   in  the  calling  of  many,  to 

(c)  Luke  i.  15.  (c)  Rom.  x.  17. 

(d)  1  Peter  i.  23.  (J)  Deut.  i.  3'J. 


bio  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

whom  he  has  given  the  true  knowledge  of  himself  in  an  inter- 
nal manner,  by  the  illumination  of  his  Spirit,  without  the 
intervention  of  any  preaching.  But  as  they  think  it  would  be 
such  a  great  absurdity  for  any  knowledge  of  God  to  be  given 
to  infants,  to  whom  Moses  denies  the  knowledge  of  good  and 
evil,  1  would  beg  them  to  inform  me,  what  danger  can  result  from 
our  affirming  that  they  already  receive  some  portion  of  that 
grace,  of  which  they  will  ere  long  enjoy  the  full  abundance. 
For  if  the  plenitude  of  life  consists  in  the  perfect  knowledge 
of  God,  —  when  some  of  them,  whom  death  removes  from  the 
present  state  in  their  earliest  infancy,  pass  into  eternal  life, 
they  are  certainly  admitted  to  the  immediate  contemplation  of 
the  presence  of  God.  As  the  Lord,  therefore,  will  illuminate 
them  with  the  full  splendour  of  his  countenance  in  heaven, 
why  may  he  not  also,  if  such  be  his  pleasure,  irradiate  them 
with  some  faint  rays  of  it  in  the  present  life  ;  especially  if  he 
does  not  deliver  them  from  all  ignorance  before  he  liberates 
them  from  the  prison  of  the  body  ?  Not  that  I  would  hastily 
affirm  them  to  be  endued  with  the  same  faith  which  we  expe- 
rience in  ourselves,  or  at  all  to  possess  a  similar  knowledge  of 
faith,  which  I  would  prefer  leaving  in  suspense  ;  my  design  is 
only  to  check  their  foolish  arrogance,  who  presumptuously  as- 
sert or  deny  whatever  they  please. 

XX.  To  strengthen  their  cause  still  further,  our  opponents 
proceed  to  allege,  that  baptism  is  a  sacrament  of  repentance 
and  faith  ;  and  that,  therefore,  as  neither  of  these  can  be  exer- 
cised in  infancy,  infants  ought  not  to  be  admitted  to  a  partici- 
pation of  baptism,  the  signification  of  which  would  thereby 
be  rendered  vain.  But  these  arguments  are  directed  against 
God,  more  than  against  us.  For  it  is  very  evident,  from  many 
testimonies  of  Scripture,  that  circumcision  also  was  a  sign  of 
repentance,  and  Paul  calls  it  "a  seal  of  the  righteousness  of 
faith."  (§•)  Let  the  reason,  then,  be  demanded  of  God  himself, 
why  he  commanded  it  to  be  impressed  on  the  bodies  of  infants. 
For,  as  baptism  and  circumcision  both  stand  on  the  same 
ground,  they  can  attribute  nothing  to  the  latter  which  they 
must  not  also  grant  to  the  former.  If  they  recur  to  their 
favourite  subterfuge,  that  the  age  of  infancy  then  prefigured 
spiritual  infants,  it  has  been  already  answered.  We  say.  there- 
fore, that  since  God  formerly  communicated  to  infants  the  rite 
of  circumcision,  which  was  a  sacrament  of  repentance  and 
faith,  it  appears  to  be  no  absurdity  for  them  now  to  be  admitted 
to  a  participation  of  baptism;  unless  these  men  wish  to  offer  a 
direct  insult  to  the  institution  of  God.  But  in  this,  as  well  as 
in  all  the  proceedings  of  God,  his  wisdom  and  righteousness 

(g)  Jcr.  iv.  4.     Rom.  i^  11. 


CHAP.     XVI.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  51  1 

are  sufficiently  conspicuous  to  repress  the  opposition  and  de- 
traction of  the  impious.  For  though  infants,  at  the  time  of 
their  circumcision,  did  not  understand  tlie  meaning  of  that 
sign,  they  were  nevertheless  truly  circumcised  into  the  mortifi- 
cation of  their  corrupt  and  polluted  nature,  which  they  were 
to  pursue  in  mature  years.  In  short,  this  objection  may  be 
answered  without  any  difficulty,  by  saying  that  they  are  bap- 
tized into  future  repentance  and  faith ;  for  though  these 
graces  have  not  yet  been  formed  in  them,  the  seeds  of  both 
are  nevertheless  implanted  in  their  hearts  by  the  secret  ope- 
ration of  the  Spirit.  This  answer  at  once  overturns  every 
argument  they  urge  against  us,  derived  from  the  signification  of 
baptism  ;  as  when  they  allege  the  designation  given  it  by  Paul, 
where  he  calls  it  "  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  renew- 
ing ;  "  (h)  whence  they  argue  that  it  ought  to  be  given  only  to 
such  as  are  capable  of  being  regenerated  and  renewed.  But 
we  may  reply,  on  the  other  hand,  neither  was  circumcision, 
which  was  a  sign  of  regeneration,  to  be  givon  to  any  bat  such 
as  were  already  regenerated  ;  and  this,  in  their  apprehension, 
will  be  to  condemn  the  ordinance  of  God.  Therefore,  as  we 
have  suggested  several  times  before,  whatever  arguments  tend 
equally  to  invalidate  circumcision,  can  have  no  force  in  the 
controversy  against  baptism.  Nor  can  they  escape  from  any 
difficulty,  by  saying,  that  whatever  clearly  rests  on  the  au- 
thority of  God,  we  ought  to  consider  as  fixed  and  determined, 
though  we  can  discover  no  reason  for  it  ;  but  that  this  reve- 
rence is  not  due  to  infant  baptism,  or  to  other  similar  things, 
wliich  are  not  enjoined  upon  us  by  the  express  word  of  God ; 
for  they  will  always  be  held  fast  by  this  dilemma.  Either  the 
command  of  God,  respecting  the  circumcision  of  infants,  was 
legitimate  and  liable  to  no  objections,  or  it  was  deserving  of 
censure.  If  there  was  no  absin"dity  in  that  conunand,  neither 
can  any  absurdity  be  detected  hi  the  practice  of  infant  baptism. 
XXI.  The  charge  of  absurdity,  with  which  they  endeavour 
to  stigmatize  it,  we  thus  refute:  If  any  of  those  who  are  the 
objects  of  divine  election,  after  having  received  the  sign  of  re- 
generation, depart  out  of  this  life  before  they  have  attained 
years  of  discretion,  the  Lord  renovates  them  by  the  power  of 
his  Spirit,  incomprehensible  to  us,  in  such  a  manner  as  he 
alone  foresees  will  be  necessary.  If  they  happen  to  live  to  an 
age  at  which  they  are  capable  of  being  instructed  in  the  true 
sisnification  of  baptism,  they  will  hence  be  the  more  inflamed 
to  the  pursuit  of  that  renovation,  with  the  token  of  which  they 
find  themselves  to  have  been  favoured  in  their  earliest  infancy, 
that  it  might  be  the  object  of  their  constant  attention  all  their 

(/()  Titus  iii.  5. 


512  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

lifetime.  In  the  same  sense  must  be  understood  what  Paul 
states  in  two  places,  that  we  are  "  buried  with  Christ  by  bap- 
tism." («')  For  he  does  not  mean  that  he  who  is  to  be  bap- 
tized, must  previously  be  buried  with  Christ,  but  simply  de- 
clares the  doctrine  which  is  contained  in  baptism,  and  that  to 
persons  already  baptized ;  so  that  it  would  be  unreasonable  to 
argue  from  those  passages,  that  such  burial  with  Christ  must 
precede  baptism.  In  this  manner  Moses  and  the  prophets 
reminded  the  people  what  was  the  meaning  of  circumcision, 
though  they  had  received  that  rite  when  they  were  infants. 
To  the  same  effect  is  what  Paul  writes  to  the  Galatians,  that  "  as 
many  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ."  (k) 
For  what  purpose  ?  Why,  that  they  might  thenceforward  live 
to  Christ,  who  had  never  lived  to  him  before.  And  though  in 
adults  a  knowledge  of  the  mystery  ought  to  precede  the  recep- 
tion of  the  sign,  yet  a  different  rule  is  to  be  applied  to  infants, 
as  we  shall  presently  show.  Nor  can  ai\y  other  conclusion  be 
drawn  from  that  passage  of  Peter,  which  they  consider  as  deci- 
sive in  their  favour  —  that  baptism  is  "not  the  putting  away 
of  the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience 
toward  God,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ."  (1)  They 
contend  that  this  passage  leaves  not  the  least  room  for  the 
baptism  of  infants,  who  are  not  capable  of  that  in  which  the 
truth  of  baptism  is  here  stated  to  consist.  But  they  frequently 
fall  into  this  error,  of  maintaining  that  the  thing  signified 
should  always  precede  the  sign.  For  the  truth  of  circumci- 
sion also  consisted  in  the  same  answer  of  a  good  conscience  ; 
but  if  it  ought  of  necessity  to  precede  it,  infants  would  never 
have  been  circumcised  by  the  command  of  God.  But  by 
showing  us  that  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience  is  compre- 
hended in  the  truth  of  circumcision,  and  at  the  same  time 
commanding  infants  to  be  circumcised,  he  sufficiently  indicates 
that  it  is  administered  with  a  view  to  something  future. 
Wherefore,  all  the  present  efficacy  to  be  required  in  the  bap- 
tism of  infants,  is  to  ratify  and  confirm  the  covenant  made 
with  them  by  the  Lord.  The  remaining  signification  of  this 
sacrament  will  follow  afterwards,  at  the  time  foreseen  and  ap- 
pointed by  the  Lord. 

XXII.  It  must  now,  I  think,  be  evident  to  every  person,  that 
all  arguments  of  this  kind  are  mere  perversions  of  Scripture. 
Those  which  remain,  and  are  nearly  allied  to  these,  we  shall 
run  over  in  a  cursory  manner.  They  object,  that  baptism  is 
given  for  the  remission  of  sins  :  this  we  admit,  and  it  is  com- 
pletely in  favour  of  our  opinion.  For  being  born  sinners,  we 
need  pardon  and  remission  even  from  our  birth.     Now,  as  the 

(i)  Rom.  vi.  4.     Col.  ii.  12.  (A)  Gal.  i^.  27.  (/)  1  Peter  iii.  21. 


CHAP.    XVI.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  513 

Lord  does  not  exclude  infants  from  the  liope  of  mercy,  but 
rather  assures  them  of  it,  why  shall  we  refuse  tliem  the  sign, 
which  is  so  far  inferior  to  the  thing  signified  ?  Wherefore,  the 
ai-gument  which  they  urge  against  us,  we  retort  upon  them- 
selves ;  infants  are  favoured  with  remission  of  sins,  —  therefore 
they  ought  not  to  be  deprived  of  the  sign.  They  also  adduce 
that  passage  where  the  Lord  is  said  to  "  cleanse  the  Church 
with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word."  (m)  But  no  text 
could  be  quoted  more  conclusive  against  their  error  ;  it  furnishes 
an  obvious  confirmation  of  our  sentiment.  If  it  be  the  will  of 
Christ  that  the  ablution,  with  which  he  cleanses  his  Church,  be 
testified  by  baptism,  it  appears  unreasonable  that  its  testimony 
should  be  wanting  in  infants,  who  are  justly  considered  as  part 
of  the  Church,  since  they  are  called  heirs  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  For  Paul  speaks  of  the  whole  Church,  when  he  de- 
scribes it  as  cleansed  with  the  washing  of  water.  And,  on  the 
same  principle,  from  that  passage  where  he  says  that  we  are  all 
baptized  into  the  body  of  Christ,  (?i)  we  conclude  that  infants, 
whom  he  numbers  among  his  members,  ought  to  be  baptized, 
that  they  may  not  be  separated  from  his  body.  See  with  what 
violence,  and  with  what  variety  of  weapons,  they  attack  the 
bulwarks  of  our  faith  ! 

XXIIL  They  proceed,  in  the  next  place,  to  the  practice  of 
the  apostolic  age,  in  which  no  one  is  found  to  have  been  ad- 
mitted to  baptism  without  a  previous  profession  of  faith  and 
repentance.  For  in  answer  to  those  who  "  were  pricked  in 
their  heart,  and  said,  What  shall  we  do  ?  Peter  said  unto  them," 
first,  "  repent,"  and  then  "  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of 
sins."  (o)  In  like  manner  Philip,  when  the  eunuch  requested 
to  be  baptized,  replied,  "  If  thou  belie  vest  with  all  thine  heart, 
thou  mayest."  (p)  Hence  they  think  themselves  justified  in 
concluding,  that  baptism  ought  never  to  be  administered  to  any 
person  without  being  preceded  by  faith  and  repentance.  But 
if  we  adopt  this  reasoning,  the  first  of  these  passages,  which 
makes  no  mention  of  faith,  will  evince  the  sufficiency  of  re- 
pentance alone  :  the  second,  where  repentance  is  not  required, 
will  prove  that  faith  alone  is  sufficient.  I  suppose  they  will 
reply  that  one  passage  is  elucidated  by  the  other,  and  that 
therefore  they  ought  to  be  connected  together.  I  also  contend 
that  other  places  ought  to  be  consulted,  which  may  contribute 
to  the  solution  of  this  difficulty.  For  there  are  many  passages 
of  Scripture,  the  sense  of  which  depends  on  the  circumstances 
connected  with  them.  This  is  exemplified  in  the  cases  now 
under  consideration.     For  the  persons  addressed  by  Peter  and 

(m)  Ephes.  v.  QG.  (o)  Acts  ii.  37,  33. 

(n)    1  Cor.  xii.  13.  (;>)  Acts  vui.  37. 

VOL.    II.  65 


514  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Philip  were  of  an  age  capable  of  exercising  repentance  and 
faith.  We  strenuously  deny  that  such  persons  ought  to  be 
baptized,  without  a  knowledge  of  their  repentance  and  faith,  as 
far,  at  least,  as  they  are  capable  of  being  ascertained  by  the 
judgment  of  men.  But  that  infants  ought  to  be  ranked  in  a 
different  class,  is  sufficiently  evident  ;  for,  under  the  former 
dispensation,  if  any  person  connected  himself  with  the  Israel- 
ites in  religious  communion,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  be 
taught  the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  and  instructed  in  the  law, 
before  he  received  circumcision,  because  he  was  an  alien  by 
birth,  not  one  of  the  Israelitish  people,  with  whom  the  cove- 
nant, which  was  confirmed  by  circumcision,  had  been  made. 
XXIV.  So  the  Lord  himself,  when  he  adopts  Abraham, 
does  not  begin  with  circumcision,  concealing  for  a  time  what 
was  intended  by  that  sign ;  but  he  first  announces  the  cove- 
nant which  he  designs  to  make  with  him,  and  then,  after  he 
has  received  that  promise  in  faith,  makes  him  a  partaker  of  that 
sacrament.  Why  does  the  sacrament  follow  faith  in  the  case 
of  Abraham,  and  in  Isaac,  his  son,  precede  all  exercise  of  under- 
standing ?  Because  it  is  reasonable  that  a  person,  who  at  an 
adult  age  is  admitted  to  the  fellowship  of  a  covenant,  to  Avhich 
he  had  hitherto  been  a  stranger,  should  first  learn  the  conditions 
of  it ;  but  this  is  not  necessary  in  the  case  of  an  infant,  who,  by 
hereditary  right,  according  to  the  form  of  the  promise,  is  already 
included  in  the  covenant  from  its  very  birth.  Or,  to  express  it 
with  greater  clearness  and  brevity,  if  the  children  of  believers, 
without  the  aid  of  understanding,  are  partakers  of  the  covenant, 
there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  be  excluded  from  the  sign 
because  they  are  not  capable  of  expressing  their  consent  to  the 
stipulation  of  the  covenant.  This  is  evidently  the  reason  why 
God  sometimes  declares  the  children  descended  from  the  Israel- 
ites to  be  born  to  himself;  (9-)  for  he  undoubtedly  considers 
as  his  children,  the  children  of  those  to  whose  seed  he  has 
promised  to  be  a  Father.  But  he  who  is  an  unbeliever,  de- 
scended from  impious  parents,  is  accounted  an  alien  from  the 
communion  of  the  covenant,  till  he  be  united  to  God  by  faith. 
It  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  if  he  be  not  a  partaker  of  the  sign, 
the  signification  of  which  in  him  would  be  delusive  and  vain. 
In  this  sense  Paul  tells  tiie  Ephesians,  that  as  long  as  they 
were  immersed  in  idolatry,  they  were  "  strangers  from  the 
covenant."  (r)  The  whole  of  the  subject,  if  I  mistake  not, 
may  be  clearly  and  summarily  stated  in  the  following  position  ; 
that  persons  of  adult  ago,  who  embrace  the  Christian  religion, 
having  been  hitherto  aliens  from  the  covenant,  are  not  to 
receive   the  sign  of  baptism  without  the  intervention  of  faith 

(5)  Ezek.  xvi.  20)  xxiii.37.  V  (r)  Eph.  ii.  12. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  515 

and  repentance,  which  alone  can  give  them  an  admission  to  the 
fellowship  of  the  covenant ;  but  that  tlie  inflmt  children  of 
Christian  parents,  being  admitted  by  God  to  the  inheritance  of 
the  covenant  as  soon  as  they  are  born,  are  also  to  be  admitted 
to  baptism.  To  this  must  be  referred  what  is  related  by  the 
evangelists,  that  the  people  "  were  baptized  of  John,  confessing 
their  sins "  (s)  —  an  example  which  we  think  ought  to  be 
followed  in  the  present  day.  For  if  a  Turk  or  heathen  were 
to  offer  himself  to  baptism,  we  would  not  hastily  admit  him  to 
that  sacrament,  without  his  having  first  made  a  confession  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  Church. 

XXV.  Moreover,  they  adduce  the  language  of  Christ,  which 
is  recorded  by  John,  and  which  they  suppose  to  represent  a 
present  regeneration  as  requisite  to  baptism  ;  "  Except  a  man 
be  born  of  water  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God."  (t)  See,  they  say,  how  baptism  is  called  regene- 
ration by  the  mouth  of  the  Lord.  When  it  is  evident,  then, 
that  infants  are  utterly  incapable  of  regeneration,  on  what 
pretence  do  we  admit  them  to  baptism,  to  whi(  h  regeneration 
is  indispensably  necessary  ?  In  the  first  place,  they  are  de- 
ceived in  supposing  that  this  passage  refers  to  baptism,  because 
it  mentions  water.  For,  after  Christ  had  declared  to  Nicodemus 
the  corruption  of  nature,  and  shown  him  the  necessity  of  being 
born  again, — because  Nicodemus  was  dreaming  of  a  second 
corporeal  birth,  he  here  indicates  the  manner  in  which  God 
regenerates  us,  namely,  by  water  and  by  the  Spirit ;  as  if  he 
had  said,  by  the  Spirit  who,  in  the  ablution  and  purification  of 
the  souls  of  believers,  performs  the  office  of  water,  I  therefore 
understand  by  "  water  and  the  Spirit,"  simply,  the  Spirit  who 
is  water.  Nor  is  this  a  novel  mode  of  expression ;  for  it  per- 
fectly corresponds  with  that  declaration  of  John  the  Baptist, 
"  He  that  cometh  after  me  shall  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  with  fire."  {v)  As  to  baptize  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
with  fire,  therefore,  is  to  confer  the  Holy  Spirit,  who,  in  re- 
generation, has  the  office  and  nature  of  fire,  so  to  he  burn  of 
toater  and  of  the  Spirit  is  no  other  than  to  receive  that  influ- 
ence of  the  Spirit,  which  does  in  the  soul  what  water  does  on 
the  body.  I  know  that  others  give  a  different  interpretation, 
but  I  have  no  doubt  that  this  is  the  genuine  sense  ;  because 
the  intention  of  Christ  is  simply  to  teach  that  all  must  be  di- 
vested of  their  own  nature,  who  aspire  to  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven. However,  if  we  were  desirous  of  imitating  their  cavils, 
it  would  be  easy  for  us,  granting  what  they  require,  to  retort 
upon  them,  that  baptism  is  prior  to  faith  and  repentance,  be- 
cause, in  the  words  of  Christ,  water  is  mentioned  before  the 
Spirit.     It  is  certain  that  this  phrase  denotes  spiritual  gifts  ; 

(s)  Matt.  iu.  6.  (0  John  iii.  5.  (r)  Matt.  iii.  11. 


516  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

and,  if  these  follow  baptism;  I  have  established  what  I  wish. 
But,  leaving  all  subterfuges,  let  us  adhere  to  the  simple  in- 
terpretation which  I  have  proposed  —  that  no  one,  till  he  is 
renewed  by  living  water,  that  is,  by  the  Spirit,  can  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

XXVI.  It  is  further  evident  that  their  notion  ought  to  be 
exploded,  because  it  adjudges  all  unbaptized  persons  to  eternal 
death.  Let  us  suppose  their  tenet  to  be  admitted,  and  baptism 
to  be  administered  to  adults  alone ;  what  will  they  say  will 
become  of  a  youth  who  is  rightly  instructed  in  the  first  princi- 
ples of  piety,  if  he  desires  to  be  baptized,  but,  contrary  to  the 
expectation  of  all  around,  happens  to  be  snatched  away  by  sud- 
den death  ?  The  Lord's  promise  is  clear  :  "  Whosoever  believ- 
eth  on  the  Son,  shall  not  come  into  condemnation  ;  "  but  "  is 
passed  from  death  unto  life."  (iv)  We  are  nowhere  informed 
of  his  having  condemned  one  who  had  yet  not  been  baptized. 
By  this  I  would  not  be  understood  as  implying  that  baptism 
may  be  despised  with  impunity  ;  for,  so  far  from  attempting  to 
excuse  such  contempt,  I  affirm  it  to  be  a  violation  of  the 
covenant  of  the  Lord  ;  I  only  mean  to  evince  that  it  is  not  so 
necessary,  as  that  a  person,  who  is  deprived  of  the  opportuni- 
ty of  embracing  it,  must  immediately  be  considered  as  lost. 
But  if  we  assent  to  their  notion,  we  shall  condemn  all,  without 
exception,  whom  any  circumstance  whatever  prevents  from 
being  baptized,  whatever  faith  they  may  otherwise  have,  even 
that  faith  by  which  Christ  himself  is  enjoyed.  Moreover,  they 
sentence  all  infants  to  eternal  death,  by  denying  them  baptism, 
which,  according  to  their  own  confession,  is  necessary  to 
salvation.  Let  them  see,  now,  how  well  they  agree  with  the 
language  of  Christ,  which  adjudges  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to 
little  children.  But  though  we  should  grant  them  every  thing 
they  contend  for  relative  to  the  sense  of  this  passage,  still  they 
will  gain  no  advantage  from  it,  unless  they  first  overturn  the 
doctrine  which  we  have  already  established  respecting  the  re- 
generation of  infants. 

XXVII.  But  the  strongest  argument  of  all  in  favour  of  their 
opinion,  they  boast,  is  contained  in  the  original  institution  of 
baptism,  which  they  quote  from  the  last  chapter  of  Matthew, 
where  Christ,  sending  forth  his  disciples  to  all  nations,  gave 
them  a  commission,  first  to  teach,  and  then  to  baptize.  "Go 
ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  teach- 
ing them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  commanded 
you."  (iv)  Then,  from  the  last  chapter  of  Mark,  they  add, 
"  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved."  (y) 
What  more  do  we  require,  say  they,  when  the  language  of  out 

(jo)  John  iii.  18;  v.  24.  (z)  Matt,  xxvin.  19,  20.  (y)  Mark  xvi.  16. 


CHAP.    XVT.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  517 

Lord  clearly  expresses  that  teaching  ought  to  precede  baptism 
and  represents  baptism  as  subsequent  to  faith  ?  Of  this  order 
an  example  was  furnished  even  by  the  Lord  Jesus  himself 
who  was  not  baptized  till  he  was  "about  thirty  years  of 
age."  (z)  In  what  various  ways  do  they  embcrrass  themselves, 
and  betray  their  ignorance  !  For  it  is  a  mistake,  worse  than 
childish,  to  consider  that  commission  as  the  original  institution 
of  baptism,  which  Christ  had  commanded  his  apostles  to  ad- 
minister from  the  commencement  of  his  preaching.  They 
have  no  reason  to  contend,  therefore,  that  the  law  and  rule  of 
baptism  ought  to  be  derived  from  those  two  passages,  as  if  they 
contained  the  first  institution  of  it.  Though  we  should  in- 
dulge them  by  admitting  this  error,  yet  what  force  is  there  in 
their  reasoning  ?  Indeed,  if  we  wanted  to  evade  the  force  of 
their  arguments,  we  need  not  have  recourse  to  any  little  sub- 
terfuge ;  a  most  ample  field  presents  itself  before  us.  For 
while  theji"  so  violently  insist  on  the  order  of  the  words,  as  to 
argue,  that,  when  it  is  said,  "  Go  teach  and  baptize,"  and 
"  he  that  believeth  and  is  baptized,"  the  meaning  is,  that 
preaching,  ought  to  precede  baptism,  and  that  faith  ought  to 
precede  the  reception  of  baptism,  —  why  may  not  we,  on  the 
other  hand,  reply,  that  baptizing  ought  to  precede  teaching  the 
observance  of  those  things  which  Christ  has  commanded,  be- 
cause it  is  said,  "  Baptize,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things 
whatsoever  I  have  commanded  you.''  We  have  remarked  the 
same  thing  on  the  declaration  of  Christ,  which  has  just  been 
quoted,  respecting  the  regeneration  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit ; 
for  if  it  be  understood  according  to  their  interpretation,  it  will 
appear  from  that  passage  that  baptism  is  prior  to  regeneration, 
because  it  is  mentioned  first  :  Christ  teaches  that  we  must  be 
born  again,  not  of  the  Spirit  and  of  water,  but  of  water  and  of 
the  Spirit. 

XXVIII.  Their  invincible  bulwark,  in  which  they  place 
such  great  confidence,  seems  already  somewhat  shaken ;  but 
as  the  truth  may  be  sufficiently  defended  by  simplicity,  I  have 
no  inclination  to  escape  with  such  sophistical  and  trivial  argu- 
ments ;  they  shall  therefore  have  a  solid  reply.  The  principal 
command  which  Christ  here  gives  to  his  apostles,  is  to  preach 
the  gospel,  to  which  he  subjoins  the  administration  of  baptism 
as  an  appendage.  Besides,  he  says  nothing  of  baptism,  any 
otherwise  than  as  its  administration  is  subordinate  to  the  oliice 
of  teaching.  For  Christ  sends  his  apostles  to  promulgate  the 
gospel  to  all  the  nations  of  the  world,  that  by  the  doctrine  of 
salvation  they  may  collect,  from  every  land,  men  who  before 
were  lost,  and  introduce  them  into  his  kingdom.     But  what 

(z)  Luke  iii.  23. 


518  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    17, 

men,  or  men  of  what  description?  It  is  certain  that  there  is 
no  mention  of  any,  bat  those  who  are  capable  of  receiving  in- 
struction. He  afterwards  adds,  that  such  persons,  when  they 
have  been  instructed,  are  to  be  baptized,  and  subjoins  a  pro- 
mise:  "He  that  beheveth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved." 
Is  there  even  a  single  syllable  in  the  whole  discourse  respect- 
ing infants  ?  What  kind  of  argumentation,  then,  is  that  with 
which  they  assail  us  ?  Persons  of  adult  age  are  to  be  instruct- 
ed, in  order  that  they  may  believe  before  they  are  to  be  bap- 
tized; therefore  it  is  unlawful  to  administer  baptism  to  infants. 
It  will  be  impossible  for  them,  with  all  their  ingenuity,  to 
prove  any  thing  from  this  passage,  except  that  the  gospel  is 
first  to  be  preached  to  those  who  are  capable  of  hearing  it,  be- 
fore they  are  baptized ;  for  it  relates  to  no  others.  Let  them 
raise  an  obstacle  from  this,  if  they  can,  to  exclude  infants  from 
baptism. 

XXIX.  But  to  render  their  fallacies  still  more  palpable,  I 
will  show  the  absurdity  of  them  by  a  very  plain  similitude. 
The  apostle  says,  "  that  if  any  would  not  work,  neither  should 
he  eat."  (a)  Now,  if  any  man  should  pretend  to  infer  from  this, 
that  infants  ought  to  be  deprived  of  food,  would  he  not  deserve 
universal  contempt  ?  Why  so  ?  Because  it  would  be  a  per- 
verse application  to  all  men,  indiscriminately,  of  what  was  spo- 
ken of  men  of  a  certain  class  and  a  certain  age.  Nor  is  there 
any  greater  propriety  in  their  reasoning  in  the  present  case. 
For  what  every  one  sees  to  belong  exclusively  to  persons  of 
adult  age,  they  apply  to  infants,  in  order  to  make  them  subject 
to  a  rule,  which  was  only  prescribed  for  persons  of  riper  years. 
The  example  of  Christ  is  far  from  affording  any  support  to 
their  cause.  He  was  not  baptized  till  he  was  "  about  thirty 
years  of  age."  That  is  true  indeed  ;  but  the  reason  is  obvious  ; 
because  he  then  intended  to  lay  a  solid  foundation  for  baptism 
by  his  preaching,  or  rather  to  establish  that  which  had  a  little 
before  been  laid  by  John.  Intending,  therefore,  to  institute 
baptism  in  his  doctrine,  in  order  to  conciliate  the  greater  au- 
thority to  his  institution,  he  sanctified  it  in  his  own  body,  and 
that  at  the  point  of  time  which  he  knew  to  be  most  proper, 
namely,  when  he  was  about  to  commence  his  ministry.  In 
short,  they  can  prove  nothing  else  from  this  circumstance,  ex- 
cept that  baptism  derived  its  origin  and  commencement  from 
the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  If  they  approve  of  fixing  the 
thirtieth  year,  why  do  they  not  observe  it,  but  admit  every 
one  to  baptism  as  soon  as  he  is,  in  their  judgment,  sulliciently 
qualified  for  it  ?  And  even  Servetus,  one  of  their  leaders, 
though  he  pertinaciously  insisted  on  this  age,  yet  began  to 

(fl)  2  Thcss.  iU.  10. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION,  519 

boast  of  being  a  prophet  himself  when  he  had  only  attained 
his  twenty-first  year.  As  though  it  ought  to  be  tolerated  for  a 
man  to  arrogate  the  office  of  a  teacher  in  the  Church  before  he 
is  a  member  of  it. 

XXX.  At  length  they  object,  that  there  is  no  more  reason 
why  infants  should  be  admitted  to  baptism  than  to  the  Lord's 
supper,  which,  however,  is  not  administered  to  them.  As 
though  the  Scriptures  did  not  make  a  considerable  dill'erence 
between  the  two  cases  in  every  respect.  Infant  communion 
was  practised,  indeed,  in  the  ancient  Church,  as  appears  from 
Cyprian  and  Augustine  ;  but  the  custom  has  very  properly  been 
discontinued.  For  if  we  consider  the  nature  and  property  of 
baptism,  we  find  it  to  be  an  entrance  or  initiation  into  the 
Church,  by  which  we  are  enrolled  among  the  people  of  God  — 
a  sign  of  oui  spiritual  regeneration,  by  which  we  are  born  again 
as  the  children  of  God ;  whereas,  on  the  contrary,  the  supper 
is  appointed  for  those  of  riper  years,  who,  having  passed  the 
tender  state  of  infancy,  are  capable  of  bearing  solid  meat. 
This  difference  is  very  evidently  marked  in  the  Scripture  ; 
in  which,  as  fai  as  relates  to  baptism,  the  Lord  makes  no  dis- 
tinction of  age  ,  whereas  he  does  not  present  the  supper  to 
the  participation  of  all  alike,  but  only  to  those  who  are  capable 
of  discerning  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  of  examining 
their  own  consciences,  of  showing  forth  the  Lord's  death,  and 
considering  the  power  of  it.  Do  we  wish  for  any  thing  plainer 
than  what  the  apostle  inculcates  in  the  following  exhortation  ? 
"  Let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread, 
and  drink  of  that  cup."  (b)  It  must,  therefore,  be  preceded  by 
examination,  which  would  in  vain  be  expected  from  infants. 
Again :  "  He  that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and 
drinketh  damnation  to  himself,  not  discerning  the  Lord's 
body."  (c)  If  no  persons  can  be  worthy  partakers  of  it, 
except  those  who  can  truly  distinguish  the  holiness  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  why  should  we  give  to  our  tender  infants 
poison  instead  of  salutary  food?  What  is  that  precept  of  the 
Lord,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me  ?  "  (d)  What  is  the 
inference  which  the  apostle  deduces  from  it  ?  "  As  often  as 
ye  eat  this  bread,  and  drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's 
death  till  he  come."  (e)  What  remembrance,  I  ask,  shall  we 
require  from  infants  of  that  event,  of  which  they  have  never 
attained  any  knowledge  ?  W^iat  preaching  of  the  cross  of 
Christ,  the  virtue  and  benefit  of  which  their  minds  are  not  yet 
capable  of  comprehending?  Not  one  of  these  things  is  pre- 
scribed in  baptism.     Between  these  two  signs,  therefore,  there 

(b)  1  Cor.  xi.  23.  (d)  1  Cor.  xi.  24,  25. 

(c)  1  Cor.  xi.  29.  (e)  1  Cor  xi.  26. 


520  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    I^. 

is  a  considerable  difFerence  ;  such  as  we  observe,  also,  between 
similar  signs  under  the  Old  Testament.  Circumcision,  which 
is  known  to  correspond  to  our  baptism,  was  destined  for  infants 
The  passover,  which  has  now  been  succeeded  by  the  sacred 
supper,  did  not  admit  guests  of  all  descriptions  promiscuously, 
but  was  rightly  eaten  only  by  those  who  were  of  sufficient  age 
to  be  able  to  inquire  into  its  signification.  If  our  opponents 
had  a  grain  of  sound  sense,  would  they  shut  their  eyes  against 
a  thing  so  clear  and  obvious  ? 

XXXI.  Though  I  am  sorry  to  burden  my  readers  with 
such  an  accumulation  of  reveries,  yet  it  will  be  worth  while  to 
refute  the  specious  arguments  adduced  in  this  controversy  by 
Servetus,  one  of  the  most  eminent  of  the  Anabaptists,  and 
even  the  chief  glory  of  that  sect.  1.  He  pretends  that  tbe 
symbols  appointed  by  Christ,  as  they  are  perfect,  require  also 
those  who  receive  them  to  be  perfect,  or  persons  capable  of 
perfection.  But  the  answer  is  easy  —  that  the  perfection  of 
baptism  reaches  even  unto  death,  and  cannot  with  propriety 
be  restricted  to  one  instant  of  time.  I  observe,  also,  that  it  is 
foolish  to  expect  a  man  on  the  first  day  to  attain  perfection, 
towards  which  baptism  invites  us  to  proceed,  by  continual 
advances,  as  long  as  we  live.  2.  He  objects,  that  the  symbols 
of  Christ  were  instituted  as  memorials,  that  every  one  may 
remember  that  he  has  been  buried  with  Christ.  I  answer, 
that  what  he  has  framed  from  his  own  head  requires  no  refuta- 
tion;  and  that  he  applies  to  baptism  what  the  language  of 
Paul  shows  to  be  peculiar  to  the  sacred  supper,  namely,  that 
every  one  should  examine  himself;  but  that  nothing  like  this 
is  any  where  said  of  baptism;  from  which  we  conclude,  that 
though,  by  reason  of  their  age,  infants  are  not  capable  of  exami- 
nation, it  is  nevertheless  right  to  baptize  them.  3.  He  ad- 
duces the  declaration  of  Christ,  that  "  he  that  believeth  not 
the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him  ;  "  (g)  and  concludes  that  infants,  who  are  incapable  of 
believing,  remain  in  their  condemnation.  I  answer,  that  in  this 
passage  Christ  is  not  speaking  of  the  general  guilt  in  which  all 
the  descendants  of  Adam  are  involved,  but  only  threatening  the 
despisers  of  the  gospel,  who  proudly  and  obstinately  reject  the 
grace  which  is  oftered  to  them  ;  and  this  has  nothing  to  do 
with  infants.  I  likewise  oppose  a  contrary  argument  ;  all 
those  whom  Christ  blesses  are  exempted  from  the  curse  of 
Adam  and  the  wrath  of  God ;  and  as  it  is  known  that  infants 
were  blessed  by  him,  it  follows  that  they  are  exempted  from 
death.  He  falsely  alleges,  as  a  passage  of  Scripture,  that 
"  whosoever  is  born  of  the   Spirit   heareth  the   voice  of  the 

(g)  John  iii.  36. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  521 

Spirit ; "  which,  though  we  were  to  admit  as  a  genuine  text, 
yet  he  could  infer  nothing  more  from  it,  than  that  believers  are 
formed  to  obedience  as  the  Spirit  operates  within  them.  But 
that  which  is  affirmed  of  a  certain  number,  it  is  wrong  to  apply- 
equally  to  all.  4.  He  objects,  that  because  *'  that  is  first 
which  is  natural,"  (A)  we  ought  to  wait  the  proper  time  for 
baptism,  which  is  spiritual.  Now,  though  I  grant  that  all  the 
descendants  of  Adam,  being  carnal,  bring  their  condemnation 
into  the  world  with  them,  yet  I  deny  that  this  is  any  impedi- 
ment to  the  communication  of  a  remedy,  as  soon  as  ever 
God  is  pleased  to  impart  it.  For  Servetus  can  show  no 
Divine  appointment,  that  many  years  shall  elapse  before  the 
newness  of  spiritual  hfe  can  begin;  for  according  to  the  testi- 
mony of  Paul,  though  the  infant  children  of  believers  are  in  a 
ruined  condition  by  nature,  yet  they  are  sanctified  by  super- 
natural grace,  (i)  5.  He  next  produces  an  allegory,  that  when 
David  went  up  to  the  fortress  of  Zion,  he  took  with  him 
neither  the  blind  nor  the  lame,  but  hardy  soldiers,  (k)  And 
what  if  I  oppose  him  with  a  parable,  in  which  God  invites 
the  blind  and  the  lame  to  the  celestial  feast  ?(/)  how  will  he 
extricate  himself  from  this  difficulty  ?  I  ask,  also,  whether 
the  blind  and  the  lame  had  not  previously  served  as  soldiers 
with  David.  But  it  is  useless  to  insist  longer  on  tiiis  argu- 
ment, which  the  readers  will  discover  from  the  sacred  history 
to  be  founded  on  mere  falsehood.  6.  Then  follows  another 
allegory,  that  the  apostles  were  "  fishers  of  men,"(m)  not  of 
infants.  I  ask,  what  is  the  meaning  of  that  declaration  of 
Christ,  that  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a  net,  that 
was  cast  into  the  sea,  and  gathered  of  every  kind  ?  "  (n)  But 
as  I  am  not  fond  of  allegorical  trifling,  I  answer,  that  when  the 
apostles  were  appointed  to  the  office  of  teaching,  they  were  not 
forbidden  to  baptize  infants.  I  would  further  wish  to  be 
informed,  since  the  evangelist  uses  the  word  avSpuifov?,  (a  word 
which  comprehends  all  the  human  race,  without  any  excejition,) 
why  infants  should  be  denied  to  be  av(5pw7roug,  (human  beings.) 
7.  He  pretends,  that  as  spiritual  things  belong  to  spirhual 
persons,  (o)  infants  who  are  not  spiritual  are  not  fit  subjects 
of  baptism.  But  here  it  is  evident  that  he  is  guilty  of  a  gross 
perversion  of  that  passage  of  Paul,  the  subject  of  wliich  relates 
to  doctrine.  When  the  Corinthians  discovered  too  much  com- 
placency in  a  vain  subtlety,  the  apostle  reproved  their  stupid- 
ity, because  they  still  recpiired  to  be  taught  the  first  principles 
of  Christian  doctrine.  Who  can  infer  from  this,  that  baptism 
ought  to  be  denied  to  infants,  whom,  though  they  are  born  of 
the  flesh,  yet  God  consecrates  to  himself  by  gratuitous  adoption  ? 

(h-)  1  Cor  XV.  46.         (i)  1  Cor.  vii.  14.        (k)  2  Sam.  v.  G-^.        (0  Lukf-  xiv.  21. 
^*^         (m)  Matt.  iv.  19.  «  Matt.  xiii.  47.  («)  1  Cor.  u.  IJ. 

VOL.    II.  66 


522  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [ 


BOOK    IV. 


8.  He  objects,  that  if  they  are  new  men,  they  ought  to  be 
fed  with  spii-itual  food.  The  answer  is  easy  —  that  they  are 
admitted  into  the  flock  of  Christ  by  baptism,  and  that  the 
symbol  of  that  adoption  is  sufficient  for  them,  till  they  grow  to 
an  age  capable  of  bearing  solid  food ;  and  that  it  is  therefore 
necessary  to  wait  for  the  time  of  that  examination,  which  God 
expressly  requires  in  the  sacred  supper.  9.  He  next  objects, 
that  Christ  invites  all  his  people  to  the  sacred  sui)per.  I 
answer,  it  is  sufficiently  clear  that  he  admits  none  but  such 
as  are  already  prepared  to  celebrate  the  remembrance  of  his 
death.  Whence  it  follows,  that  infants,  whom  he  condescended 
to  take  into  his  arms,  remain  in  a  distinct  and  peculiar  class, 
till  they  grow  to  riper  years,  and  yet  that  they  are  not  strangers 
to  the  Church.  To  this  he  objects,  that  it  is  a  monstrous  thing 
for  a  person  that  is  born,  not  to  eat.  I  reply,  that  the  external 
participation  of  the  supper  is  not  the  only  way  in  which  souls 
are  fed  ;  and  therefore  that  Christ  is  food  to  infants,  notwith- 
standing they  abstain  from  the  sign  ;  but  that  the  case  of  bap- 
tism is  different,  by  which  alone  they  are  admitted  into  the 
Church.  He  further  objects,  that  "  a  faithful  and  wise  servant, 
whom  his  lord  hath  made  ruler  over  his  household,  giveth  them 
meat  in  due  season." (p)  This  I  readily  grant;  but  by  what 
authority  will  he  determine  the  time  of  baptism  for  us,  so  as 
to  prove  that  it  is  not  administered  to  infants  at  a  proper  time  ? 
10.  He  likewise  adduces  the  command  of  Christ  to  his  apostles, 
to  hasten  to  the  harvest,  while  the  fields  are  whitening,  (q) 
The  sole  design  of  Christ  on  that  occasion  was  to  stimulate  the 
apostles,  that,  seeing  the  present  fruit  of  their  labours,  they 
might  exert  themselves  in  their  ministry  with  the  greater  cheer- 
fulness. Who  can  infer  from  this  that  the  time  of  harvest  is 
the  only  time  proper  for  baptism?  11.  His  next  argument  is, 
that  in  the  primitive  Church  Christians  and  discijiles  were  the 
same  persons,  (r)  But  here  we  see  that  he  injudiciously 
reasons  from  a  part  to  the  whole.  The  appellation  of  disciples 
was  given  to  persons  of  adult  age,  who  had  been  already  in- 
structed, and  had  made  a  profession  of  Christianity  ;  just  as  the 
Jews  under  the  law  were  the  disciples  of  Moses  ;  yet  no  one  can 
justly  infer  from  this,  that  infants  were  strangers,  God  having 
declared  them  to  be  part  of  his  family.  12.  Moreover  he 
alleges,  that  all  Christians  are  brethren,  but  that  we  treat  infants 
as  not  of  that  number,  as  long  as  we  exclude  them  from  the 
Lord's  supper.  But  I  return  to  that  principle,  that  none  are 
heirs  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  except  those  who  are  members 
of  Christ ;  and  that  the  embrace  with  which  he  honoured 
infants  was  a  true  pledge  of  the  adoption,  by  which  they  are 
united  with  adults,  and  that  their  temporary  abstinence  from 

V 
(;y)  Matt.  xxiv.  45.  (</)  John  iv.  35—33.  (r)  Acts  xi.  2G. 


CHAP.    XVI.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  523 

the  supper  does  not  prevent  them  from  belonging  to  the  body  of 
the  Chm*ch.  The  thief  who  was  converted  on  the  cross  was  a 
brother  of  behevers,  though  he  never  partook  of  the  Lord's 
supper  at  aU.  13,  He  proceeds  to  assert,  that  no  person 
becomes  our  brother  but  by  the  spirit  of  adoption  communi- 
cated "  by  the  hearing  of  faith."  (s)  I  reply,  that  he  is  con- 
stantly reverting  to  the  same  false  reasoning,  by  a  preposterous 
application  to  infants  of  that  which  is  spoken  exclusively  of 
adults.  Paul  is  there  showing  that  the  ordinary  method  which 
God  uses  in  calling  his  elect,  and  bringing  them  to  the  faith, 
is  to  raise  them  up  faithful  teachers,  by  whose  labours  and  in- 
structions he  extends  his  assistance  to  them.  But  who  will 
dare  to  impose  a  law  to  prevent  his  ingrafting  infants  into 
Christ  by  some  other  secret  method  ?  14.  He  objects,  that 
Cornelius  was  baptized  after  he  had  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  (/) 
But  the  absurdity  of  attempting  to  extract  a  general  rule  from 
this  one  example,  is  evident  from  the  cases  of  the  eunuch  and 
the  Samaritans,  (v)  in  whom  the  Lord  observed  a  different  order, 
for  their  baptism  preceded  their  reception  of  the  gifts  of  the 
Spirit.  15.  His  next  argument  is  worse  than  absurd  ;  he  says, 
that  by  regeneration  we  are  made  gods ;  (.r)  but  that  they  are 
gods  to  whom  the  word  of  God  comes,  (y)  which  is  not  appli- 
cable to  infants.  The  ascription  of  deity  to  believers  is  one 
of  his  reveries,  which  it  is  irrelevant  to  our  present  subject  to 
discuss  ;  but  to  pervert  that  quotation  from  the  Psalms  to  a  sense 
so  remote  from  its  genuine  meaning,  betrays  the  most  monstrous 
impudence.  Christ  says  that  the  appellation  of  gods  is  given 
by  the  prophet  to  kings  and  magistrates,  because  they  sustain 
an  office  of  Divine  appointment.  But  that  which  is  directed  to 
certain  individuals  respecting  the  jtarticular  charge  of  govern- 
ors, this  dexterous  interpreter  applies  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel,  in  order  to  exclude  infants  from  the  Church.  16.  He 
objects,  again,  that  infants  cannot  be  accounted  new  crea- 
tures, because  they  are  not  begotten  by  the  word.  I  must 
again  repeat,  what  1  have  so  often  remarked,  that  the  doctrine 
of  the  gospel  is  the  incorruptible  seed,  to  regenerate  those  who 
are  capable  of  understanding  it ;  but  that  where,  by  reason  of 
age,  there  is  not  yet  any  capacity  of  learning,  God  has  his 
different  degrees  of  regenerating  those  whom  he  has  adopted. 
17.  Then  he  returns  to  his  allegories,  and  alleges  that  sheeiiand 
goats  were  not  offered  in  sacrifice  immediately  after  they  were 
brought  forth,  (z)  If  I  approved  of  the  application  of  figures  to 
this  subject,  I  might  easily  retort,  that  all  the  first  born  imme- 
diately on  their  birth  are  consecrated  to  the  Lord,  (a)  and  that  a 

(s)  Gal.  iii.  2.  (y)  Jo'm  x-  ^-     Psalm  Ixxxii.  6. 

(t)  Acts  X.  44—48.  (z)  Exod.  xii.  5. 

(v)  Acts  viii.  IG,  17,  26,  &c.  (a)  Exod.  xiii.  12.     iNuiiib.  viii.  17. 

(z)  2Peter  i.  4. 


524  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

lamb  was  to  be  sacrificed  in  its  first  year ;  whence  it  should 
follow,  that  it  is  not  at  all  necessary  to  wait  for  many  years,  but 
that  our  children  ought  to  be  dedicated  to  God  in  their  earliest 
infancy.  18.  He  further  contends,  that  none  can  come  to  Christ 
but  those  who  have  been  prepared  by  John  ;  as  though  the  of- 
fice of  John  had  not  been  a  temporary  one.  But  to  pass  over 
this  ;  the  children  whom  Christ  took  up  in  his  arms  and  blessed, 
had  certainly  no  such  preparation.  Wherefore  let  him  depart 
with  his  false  principle.  19.  At  length  he  calls  in  the  assist- 
ance of  Trismegistus  and  the  Sibyls,  to  show  that  sacred 
ablutions  are  not  suitable  to  any  but  adults.  See  what  honour- 
able sentiments  he  entertains  respecting  the  baptism  of  Christ, 
which  he  would  conform  to  the  profane  rites  of  the  heathen, 
that  its  administration  might  be  regulated  by  the  pleasure  of 
Trismegistus.  But  we  have  more  reverence  for  the  authority 
of  God,  who  has  been  pleased  to  consecrate  infants  to  himself, 
and  to  initiate  them  by  a  sacred  sign,  the  meaning  of  which 
they  were  too  young  to  be  able  to  understand.  Nor  do  we 
esteem  it  lawful  to  borrow  from  the  ablutions  of  the  heathen 
any  thing  that  may  introduce  into  our  baptism  the  least  change 
of  that  eternal  and  inviolable  law  which  God  has  established 
respecting  circumcision.  20.  In  the  last  place,  he  argues,  that 
if  it  be  lawful  to  baptize  infants  without  understanding,  baptism 
may  be,  in  mimicry  and  jest,  administered  by  boys  in  play. 
But  he  must  contest  this  subject  with  God,  by  whose  command 
circumcision  was  performed  upon  infants,  before  they  had  at- 
tained any  understanding.  Was  it  a  ludicrous  ceremony,  then, 
or  a  fit  subject  for  the  sports  of  children,  that  they  could  over 
turn  the  sacred  institution  of  God  ?  But  it  is  no  Avonder  that 
these  reprobate  spirits,  as  if  transported  with  frenzy,  bring 
forward  the  most  enormous  absurdities  in  defence  of  their 
errors ;  for  such  delusion  is  the  just  judgment  of  God  upon 
their  pride  and  obstinacy.  And  I  trust  I  have  clearly  shown 
the  futility  of  all  the  arguments  with  which  Servetus  has  en- 
deavoured to  assist  the  cause  of  his  Anabaptist  brethren. 

XXXII.  No  doubt,  I  conceive,  can  now  remain  in  the  mind 
of  any  sober  man,  that  those  who  raise  controversies  and  con- 
tentions on  the  subject  of  infant  baptism  are  presumptuous  dis- 
turbers of  the  Church  of  Christ.  But  it  is  worth  while  to  no- 
tice the  object  which  Satan  aims  at  promoting  by  so  much 
subtlety;  which  is,  to  deprive  us  of  the  peculiar  benefit  of 
confidence  and  spiritual  joy,  which  is  to  be  derived  from  this 
source,  and  in  the  same  degree  also  to  diminish  the  glory  of 
the  Divine  goodness.  For  how  delightful  is  it  to  pious  minds, 
not  only  to  have  verbal  assurances,  but  even  ocular  proof,  of 
their  standing  so  high  in  the  favour  of  their  heavenly  Father, 
that  their  posterity  are  also  the  obj^ts  of  his  care  I     For  here 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  '  525 

we  see  how  he  sustains  the  character  of  a  most  provident  Fa- 
ther to  us,  since  he  discontinues  not  liis  soHcitude  for  us  even 
after  our  death,  but  regards  and  provides  for  our  children. 
Ought  we  not,  then,  after  the  example  of  David,  to  exult  in 
praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God  with  our  whole  heart,  that  his 
name  may  be  glorified  by  such  an  expression  of  his  goodness  ? 
This  is  evidently  the  reason  why  Satan  makes  such  great  ex- 
ertions in  opposition  to  infant  baptism ;  that  the  removal  of 
this  testimony  of  the  grace  of  God  may  cause  the  promise 
which  it  exhibits  before  our  eyes  gradually  to  disappear,  and 
at  length  to  be  forgotten.  The  consequence  of  this  would  be, 
an  impious  ingratitude  to  the  mercy  of  God,  and  negligence 
of  the  instruction  of  our  children  in  the  principles  of  piety. 
For  it  is  no  small  stimulus  to  our  education  of  them  in  the 
serious  fear  of  God,  and  the  observance  of  his  law,  to  reflect, 
that  they  are  considered  and  acknowledged  by  hiin  as  his 
children  as  soon  as  they  are  born.  Wherefore,  unless  we  are 
obstinately  determined  to  obscure  the  goodness  of  God,  let  us 
present  to  him  our  children,  to  whom  he  assigns  a  place  in  his 
family,  that  is,  among  the  members  of  his  Church. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

THE    lord's    supper    AND    ITS    ADVANTAGES. 

After  God  has  once  received  us  into  his  family,  and  not 
only  so  as  to  admit  us  among  his  servants,  but  to  number  us 
with  his  children,  —  in  order  to  fulfil  the  part  of  a  most  excel- 
lent father,  solicitous  for  his  oft'spring,  he  also  undertakes  to 
sustain  and  nourish  us  as  long  as  we  live  ;  and  not  content 
with  this,  he  has  been  pleased  to  give  us  a  pledge,  as  a  further 
assurance  of  tbis  never-ceasing  liberality.  For  this  purpose, 
therefore,  by  the  hand  of  his  only  begotten  Son,  he  has  fa- 
voured his  Church  with  another  sacrament,  a  spiritual  ban- 
quet, in  which  Christ  testifies  himself  to  be  the  bread  of  lile, 
to  feed  our  souls  for  a  true  and  blessed  immortality.  Now,  as 
the  knowledge  of  so  great  a  mystery  is  higbly  necessary,  and 
on  account  of  its  importance,  requires  an  accurate  explication  ; 
and,  on  the  other  hand,  as  Satan,  m  order  to  deprive  the  Church 
of  this  inestimable  treasure,  long  ago  endeavoured,  first  by 
mists,  and  afterwards  by  thicker  shades,  to  obscure  its  lusire, 
and  then  raised  disputes  and  contentions  to  alienate  the  minds 
of  the  simple  from  a  relish  for  this  sacred  food,  and  m  our  time 


526  '  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IT. 

also  has  attempted  the  same  artifice  ;  after  having  exhibited  a 
summary  of  what  relates  to  the  subject,  adapted  to  the  capaci- 
ty of  the  unlearned,  I  will  disentangle  it  from  those  sophis- 
tries with  which  Satan  has  been  labouring  to  deceive  the 
world.  In  the  first  place,  the  signs  are  bread  and  wine,  which 
represent  to  us  the  invisible  nourishment  which  we  receive 
from  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ.  For  as  in  baptism  God 
regenerates  us,  incorporates  us  into  the  society  of  his  Church, 
and  makes  us  his  children  by  adoption,  so  we  have  said,  that 
he  acts  towards  us  the  part  of  a  provident  father  of  a  family,  in 
constantly  supplying  us  with  food,  to  sustain  and  preserve  us 
in  that  life  to  which  he  has  begotten  us  by  his  word.  Now, 
the  only  food  of  our  souls  is  Christ ;  and  to  him,  therefore,  our 
heavenly  Father  invites  us,  that  being  refreshed  by  a  participa- 
tion of  him,  we  may  gain  fresh  vigour  from  day  to  day,  till 
we  arrive  at  the  heavenly  immortality.  And  because  this 
mystery  of  the  secret  union  of  Christ  with  believers  is  incom- 
prehensible by  nature,  he  exhibits  a  figure  and  image  of  it  in 
visible  signs,  peculiarly  adapted  to  our  feeble  capacity  ;  and,  as 
it  were,  by  giving  tokens  and  pledges,  renders  it  equally  as 
certain  to  us  as  if  we  beheld  it  with  our  eyes ;  for  the  dullest 
minds  understand  this  very  familiar  similitude,  that  our  souls 
are  nourished  by  Christ,  just  as  the  life  of  the  body  is  supported 
by  bread  and  wine.  We  see,  then,  for  what  end  this  mystical 
benediction  is  designed ;  namely,  to  assure  us  that  the  body  of 
the  Lord  was  once  offered  as  a  sacrifice  for  us,  so  that  we  may 
now  feed  upon  it,  and,  feeding  on  it,  may  experience  within  us 
the  efficacy  of  that  one  sacrifice  ;  and  that  his  blood  was  once 
shed  for  us,  so  that  it  is  our  perpetual  drink.  And  this  is  the 
import  of  the  words  of  the  promise  annexed  to  it :  '•  Take, 
eat;  this  is  my  body,  which  is  given  for  you."  The  body, 
therefore,  which  was  once  oftcred  for  our  salvation,  we  are 
commanded  to  take  and  eat ;  that  seeing  ourselves  made  parta- 
kers of  it,  we  may  certainly  conclude,  that  the  virtue  of  that 
life-giving  death  will  be  efficacious  within  us.  Hence,  also, 
he  calls  the  cnp  "  the  new  testament,"  or  rather  covenant,  in 
his  blood,  {d)  For  the  covenant  which  he  once  ratified  with 
his  blood,  he  in  some  measure  renews,  or  rather  continues,  as 
far  as  relates  to  the  confirmation  of  our  faith,  whenever  he  pre- 
sents us  that  sacred  blood  to  drink. 

II.  From  this  sacrament  pious  souls  may  derive  the  benefit 
of  considerable  satisfaction  and  confidence ;  because  it  afibrds 
us  a  testimony  that  we  are  incorporated  into  one  body  with 
Christ,  so  that  whatever  is  his,  we  are  at  liberty  to  call  ours. 
The  consequence  of  this  is,  that  we  venture  to  assure  ourseh-es 

(d)  Matt.  xxvi.  2(3,  28.      Mark  xiv.  22,  24.     L^lie  xxii.  19,  20.     1  Cor.  xi.  24,  25. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  527 

of  our  interest  in  eternal  life,  of  which  he  is  the  heir,  and  that 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  into  which  he  has  already  entered,  can 
no  more  be  lost  by  us  than  by  him  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand, 
that  we  cannot  be  condemned  by  our  sins,  from  the  guilt  of 
Avhich  he  absolved  us,  when  he  wished  them  to  be  imputed  to 
himself,  as  if  they  were  his  own.  This  is  the  wonderful  exchange 
which,  in  his  infinite  goodness,  he  lias  made  with  us.  Submit- 
ting to  our  poverty,  he  has  transferred  to  us  his  riches ;  assum- 
ing our  weakness,  he  has  strengthened  us  by  his  power ;  ac- 
cepting our  mortality,  he  has  conferred  on  us  his  immortality  ; 
taking  on  himself  the  load  of  iniquity  with  which  we  were 
oppressed,  he  has  clothed  us  with  his  righteousness  ;  descend- 
ing to  the  earth,  he  has  prepared  a  way  for  our  ascending  to 
heaven ;  becoming  with  us  the  Son  of  man,  he  has  made  us, 
with  himself,  the  sons  of  God. 

III.  Of  all  these  things  we  have  such  a  complete  attestation 
in  this  sacrament,  that  we  may  confidently  consider  them  as 
truly  exhibited  to  us,  as  if  Christ  himself  were  presented  to 
our  eyes,  and  touched  by  our  hands.  For  there  can  be  no 
falsehood  or  illusion  in  this  word,  "  Take,  eat,  drink  ;  this  is 
my  body  which  is  given  for  you  ;  this  is  my  blood  which  is 
shed  for  the  remission  of  sins."  By  commanding  us  to  take, 
he  signifies  that  he  is  ours ;  by  commanding  us  to  eat  and 
drink,  he  signifies  that  he  is  become  one  substance  with  us. 
In  saying  that  his  body  is  given  for  us,  and  his  blood  shed  for 
us,  he  shows  that  both  are  not  so  much  his  as  ours,  because  he 
assumed  and  laid  down  both,  not  for  his  own  advantage,  but 
for  our  salvation.  And  it  ought  to  be  carefully  observed,  that 
the  principal  and  almost  entire  energy  of  the  sacrament  lies  in 
these  words,  "which  is  given  for  you;"  "which  is  shed  for 
you  ;  "  for  otherwise  it  would  avail  us  but  little,  that  the  body 
and  blood  of  the  Lord  are  distributed  to  us  now,  if  they  had 
not  been  once  delivered  for  our  redemption  and  salvation. 
Therefore  they  are  represented  to  us  by  bread  and  wine,  to 
teach  us  that  they  are  not  only  ours,  but  are  destined  for  the 
support  of  our  spiritual  life.  This  is  what  we  have  already 
suggested  —  that  by  the  corporeal  objects  which  are  presented 
in  the  sacrament,  we  are  conducted,  by  a  kind  of  analogy,  to 
those  which  are  spiritual.  So,  when  bread  is  given  to  us  as  a 
symbol  of  the  body  of  Christ,  we  ought  immediately  to  con- 
ceive of  this  comparison,  that,  as  bread  nourishes,  sustains,  and 
preserves  the  life  of  the  body,  so  the  body  o(  Christ  is^  the 
only  food  to  animate  and  support  the  life  of  the  soul.  When 
we  see  wine  presented  as  a  symbol  of  his  blood,  we  ought  to 
think  of  the  uses  of  wine  to  the  human  body,  that  we  may 
contemplate  the  same  advantages  conferred  upon  us  in  a  spi- 
ritual manner  by  the  blood  of  Christ  j  which  are  these  —  that  it 


528  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

nourishes,  refreshes,  strengthens,  and  exhilarates.  For  if  we 
duly  consider  the  benefits  resulting  to  us  from  the  oblation  of 
his  sacred  body,  and  the  effusion  of  his  blood,  we  shall  clearly 
perceive  that  these  properties  of  bread  and  wine,  according  to 
this  analogy,  are  most  justly  attributed  to  those  symbols,  as 
administered  to  us  in  the  Lord's  supper. 

IV.  The  principal  object  of  the  sacrament,  therefore,  is  not 
to  present  us  the  body  of  Christ,  simply,  and  without  any  ul- 
terior consideration,  but  rather  to  seal  and  confirm  that  promise, 
where  he' declares  that  his  "flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and"  his 
"  blood  drink  indeed,"  by  which  we  are  nourished  to  eternal 
life  ;  where  he  affirms  that  he  is  "  the  bread  of  life,"  and  that 
"  he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live  for  ever ; "  (e)  to  seal 
and  confirm  that  promise,  I  say ;  and,  in  order  to  do  this,  it 
sends  us  to  the  cross  of  Christ,  where  the  promise  has  been 
fully  verified,  and  entirely  accomplished.  For  we  never 
rightly  and  advantageously  feed  on  Christ,  except  as  crucified, 
and  when  we  have  a  lively  apprehension  of  the  efficacy  of  his 
death.  And,  indeed,  when  Christ  called  himself  "  the  bread 
of  life,"  he  did  not  use  that  appellation  on  account  of  the  sacra- 
ment, as  some  persons  erroneously  imagine,  but  because  he 
had  been  given  to  us  as  such  by  the  Father,  and  showed  him- 
self to  be  such,  when,  becoming  a  partaker  of  our  human  mor- 
tality, he  made  us  partakers  of  his  Divine  immortality  ;  when, 
offering  himself  a  sacrifice,  he  sustained  our  curse,  to  fill  us 
with  his  blessing  ;  when,  by  his  death,  he  destroyed  and 
swallowed  up  death  ;  when,  in  his  resurrection,  this  corrupti- 
ble flesh  of  ours,  which  he  had  assumed,  was  raised  up  by  him, 
in  a  state  of  incorruption  and  glory. 

V.  It  remains  for  all  this  to  be  applied  to  us ;  which  is 
done  in  the  first  place  by  the  gospel,  but  in  a  more  illustrious 
manner  by  the  sacred  supper,  in  which  Christ  oflers  himself  to 
us  with  all  his  benefits,  and  we  receive  him  by  faith.  The 
sacrament,  therefore,  does  not  first  constitute  Christ  the  bread 
of  life  ;  but,  by  recalling  to  our  remembrance  that  he  has  been 
made  the  bread  of  life,  upon  which  we  may  constantly  feed, 
and  by  giving  us  a  taste  and  relish  for  that  bread,  it  causes  us  to 
experience  the  support  which  it  is  adapted  to  aflbrd.  For  it 
assures  us,  in  the  first  place,  that  whatever  Christ  has  done  or 
suflered,  was  for  the  purpose  of  giving  life  to  us  :  and,  in  the 
next  place,  that  this  life  will  never  end.  For  as  Christ  would 
never  have  been  the  bread  of  life  to  us,  if  he  had  not  been  born, 
and  died,  and  risen  again  for  us,  so  now  he  would  by  no  means 
conth)ue  so,  if  the  eflicacy  and  benefit  of  his  nativity,  death,  and 
resurrection,  were  not  permanent  and  immortal.  All  this  Christ 
has  beautifully  expressed  in  these  words :  "  The  bread  that  I 

(f)  John  VI.  35,  55—58. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  529 

will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the 
world;"  (/)  in  which  he  clearly  signifies,  that  his  body 
would  be  as  bread  to  us,  for  the  spiritual  lile  of  the  soul,  be- 
cause it  was  to  be  exposed  to  death  for  our  salvation ;  and 
that  it  is  given  to  us  to  feed  upon  it,  when  he  makes  us  parta- 
kers of  it  by  faith.  He  gave  it  once,  therefore,  to  be  made 
bread,  when  he  surrendered  it  to  be  crucified  for  the  redenij)- 
tion  of  the  world  ;  he  gives  it  daily,  when,  by  the  word  of  the 
gospel,  he  presents  it  to  us,  that  we  may  partake  of  it  as  cruci- 
fied ;  when  he  confirms  that  presentation  by  the  sacred  mystery 
of  the  supper  ;  when  he  accomplishes  within  that  which  he 
signifies  without.  Here  it  behoves  us  to  guard  against  two 
errors  ;  that,  on  the  one  hand,  we  may  not.  by  undervaluing 
the  signs,  disjoin  them  from  the  mysteries  with  which  they 
are  connected ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  by  extolling  them 
beyond  measure,  obscure  the  glory  of  the  mysteries  themselves. 
That  Christ  is  the  bread  of  life,  by  which  believers  are  nou- 
rished to  eternal  salvation,  there  is  no  man,  not  entirely  destitute 
of  religion,  who  hesitates  to  acknowledge ;  but  all  slw,  not 
equally  agreed  respecting  the  manner  of  partaking  of  him. 
For  there  are  some  who  define  in  a  word,  that  to  eat  the  ilesh 
of  Christ,  and  to  drink  his  blood,  is  no  other  than  to  believe  in 
Christ  himself.  But  I  conceive  that,  in  that  remarkable  dis- 
course, in  which  Christ  recommends  us  to  feed  upon  his  body, 
he  intended  to  teach  us  something  more  striking  and  sub- 
lime ;  namely,  that  we  are  quickened  by  a  real  participation 
of  him,  which  he  designates  by  the  terms  of  eating  and 
drinking,  that  no  person  might  suppose  the  life  which  we 
receive  from  him  to  consist  in  simple  knowledge.  For  as  it 
is  not  seeing,  but  eating  bread,  that  administers  nourishment 
to  the  body,  so  it  is  necessary  for  the  soul  to  have  a  true  and 
complete  participation  of  Christ,  that  by  his  power  it  may 
be  quickened  to  spiritual  life.  At  the  same  time,  we  confess 
that  there  is  no  other  eating  than  by  faith,  as  it  is  impossible 
to  imagine  any  other;  but  the  difference  between  me  and  the 
persons  whose  sentiment  I  am  opposing,  is  this  ;  they  consider 
eatmg  to  be  the  very  same  as  believing  ;  I  say,  that  in  believing 
we  eat  the  flesh  of  Christ,  because  he  is  actually  made  ours  by 
faith,  and  that  this  eating  is  the  fruit  and  etfect  of  faith  ;  or,  to 
express  it  more  plainly,  they  consider  the  eating  to  be  faith 
itself;  but  I  apprehend  it  to  be  rather  a  consequence  of  faith. 
The  difl'erence  is  small  in  words,  but  in  the  thing  itself  it  is 
considerable.  For  though  the  apostle  teaches  that  "Christ 
dwelleth  in  our  hearts  by  faith,"  {g)  yet  no  one  will  explain 
this  inhabitation  to  be  faith  itself     Every  one  must  perceive 

(/)  John  vi.  51.  {g)  Ei'l>  "'•  !*• 

VOL.  II.  67 


630  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

that  the  apostle  intended  to  express  a  peculiar  advantage  arising 
from  faith,  of  which  the  residence  of  Christ  in  the  hearts  of 
believers  is  one  of  the  eflects.  In  the  same  manner,  when  the 
Lord  called  himself  "  the  bread  of  life,"  {h)  he  intended  not 
only  to  teach  that  salvation  is  laid  up  for  us  in  the  faith  of  his 
death  and  resurrection,  but  also  that,  by  our  real  participation  of 
him,  his  life  is  transferred  to  us,  and  becomes  ours  ;  just  as  bread, 
when  it  is  taken  for  food,  communicates  vigour  to  the  body. 

VI.  When  Augustine,  whom  they  bring  forward  as  their 
advocate,  said  that  we  eat  the  body  of  Christ  by  believing  in 
him,  it  was  with  no  other  meaning  than  to  show  that  this 
eating  is  not  of  a  corporeal  nature,  but  solely  by  faith.  This 
I  admit ;  but  at  the  same  time  I  add,  that  we  embrace  Christ 
by  faith,  not  as  appearing  at  a  distance,  but  as  uniting  himself 
with  us,  to  become  our  head,  and  to  make  us  his  members. 
I  do  not  altogether  disapprove,  however,  such  a  mode  of  ex- 
pression, but  if  they  mean  to  define  what  it  is  to  eat  the  flesh  of 
Christ,  I  deny  this  to  be  a  complete  explanation.  Otherwise, 
I  see  that  Augustine  has  frequently  used  this  phrase  ;  as  when 
he  says,  "  Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  ye  have 
no  life  in  you  ;  (?)  this  is  a  figure  which  enjoins  a  participation 
of  the  sulferings  of  our  Lord,  and  a  sweet  and  useful  recollection 
in  the  memory,  that  his  flesh  was  wounded  and  crucified  for  us  :  " 
and  again,  when  he  says,  "  That  the  three  thousand,  who  were 
converted  by  the  preaching  of  Peter,  {k)  drank  the  blood  of  Christ 
by  believing  in  him,  which  they  had  shed  in  persecuting  him." 
But  in  many  other  passages  he  highly  celebrates  that  beneficial 
consequence  of  faith,  and  states  our  souls  to  be  as  much  refresh- 
ed by  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ,  as  our  bodies  are 
by  the  bread  which/  we  eat.  And  the  very  same  idea  is  con- 
veyed by  Chrysostom,  when  he  says,  "  That  Christ  makes  us 
his  body,  not  only  by  faith,  but  also  in  reality."  For  he  does 
not  mean  that  this  benefit  is  obtained  any  otherwise  than  by 
faith;  he  only  intends  to  preclude  a  supposition  from  being 
entertained  by  any  one,  that  this  faith  is  nothing  more  than  a 
speculative  apjirehension.  I  say  nothing  at  present  of  those 
who  maintain  the  Lord's  supper  to  be  a  mere  mark  of  external 
profession,  because  I  think  1  have  sufficiently  refuted  their 
error,  when  treating  of  the  sacraments  in  general.  Only  let  it 
be  observed,  that  when  Christ  says,  "  This  cup  is  the  new 
testament,  or  covenant,  in  my  blood,"  {I)  this  is  the  expression 
of  a  promise  calculated  for  the  confirmation  of  faith  ;  whence 
it  follows,  that  unless  we  direct  our  views  to  God,  and  embrace 
what  he  ofters  us,  we  never  properly  celebrate  the  sacred  supper. 

VII.  Nor  am  I  satisfied  with  those  persons,  who,  after  having 
acknowledged  that   we   have   some   communion  with  Christ, 

(h)  John  vi.  35.         (J)  John  vi.  53.         (A)  Acts  ii.  41.  (/)  Luke  xxii.  20 


CHAP.   XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  531 

when  they  mean  to  describe  it,  represent  us  merely  as  parta- 
kers of  his  Spirit,  but  make  no  mention  of  his  tiesh  and  blood  ; 
as  thougli  there  were  no  meaning  in  these  and  other  similar 
expressions :  "  That  his  flesh  is  meat  hideed  ;  that  his  blood  is 
drink  indeed  ;  that  except  we  eat  his  flesh,  and  drink  his  blood, 
we  have  no  life  in  us."  Wherefore,  if  it  be  evident  that  the 
full  communion  of  Christ  goes  beyond  their  too  confined  de- 
scription of  it,  1  will  endeavour  to  state,  in  few  words,  how  far 
it  extends,  before  I  speak  of  the  contrary  error  of  carrying  it  to 
excess.  For  1  shall  have  a  longer  controversy  with  the  hyper- 
bolical doctors,  who,  while  in  their  folly  they  imagine  an  absurd 
and  extravagant  way  of  eating  the  flesh  of  Christ,  and  drinking 
his  blood,  deprive  him  of  his  real  body,  and  metamorphose 
him  into  a  mere  phantom  ;  if,  however,  it  be  possible,  in  any 
words,  to  unfold  so  great  a  mystery,  which  I  find  myself  inca- 
pable of  properly  comprehending,  even  in  my  mind  ;  and  this 
I  am  ready  to  acknowledge,  that  no  person  may  measure  the 
sublimity  of  the  subject  by  my  inadequate  representation  of  it. 
On  the  contrary,  I  exhort  my  readers  not  to  confine  their  thoughts 
within  such  narrow  and  insufficient  limits,  but  to  endeavour  to  rise 
much  higher  than  I  am  able  to  conduct  them  ;  for  as  to  ihyself, 
whenever  I  handle  this  subject,  after  having  endeavoured  to  say 
every  thing,  I  am  conscious  of  having  said  but  very  little,  in 
comparison  of  its  excellence.  And  though  the  conceptions  of 
the  mind  can  far  exceed  the  expressions  of  the  tongue,  yet, 
with  the  magnitude  of  the  subject,  the  mind  itself  is  oppressed 
and  overwhelmed.  Nothing  remains  for  me,  therefore,  but  to 
break  forth  in  admiration  of  that  mystery,  which  the  mind  is 
miable  clearly  to  understand,  or  the  tongue  to  express.  I  will 
nevertheless  state  the  substance  of  my  opinion,  which,  as  I 
have  no  doubt  of  its  truth,  I  trust  will  also  be  received  with 
approbation  by  godly  minds. 

VIII.  In  the  first  place,  we  learn  from  the  Scriptures,  that 
Christ  was  from  the  beginning  that  life-giving  Word  of  the 
Father,  the  fountain  and  origin  of  life,  from  wiiich  all  things 
have  ever  derived  their  existence.  Therefore  John  in  one 
place  calls  him  "  The  Word  of  life,"  and  in  another  says,  tiiat 
"  in  him  was  life  ;  "  (m)  signifying,  that  even  then  he  diffused 
his  energy  over  all  the  creatures,  and  endued  them  with  life 
and  breath.  Yet  the  same  apostle  immediately  adds,  that 
''the  life  was  manifested"  then,  and  not  before,  when  the  Son 
of  God,  by  assuming  our  flesh,  rendered  himself  visilile  to  the 
eyes,  and  palpable  to  the  hands  of  men.  For  though  he  dif- 
fused his  influence  over  all  the  creatures  before  that  period, 
yet,  because  man  was  alienated  from  God  by  sin,  had  lost  the 

(m)  1  John  i.  1—4. 


632  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

participation  of  life,  and  saw  nothing  on  every  side  but  im- 
pending deatli,  it  was  necessary  to  his  recovery  of  any  hope  of 
immortality,  that  he  should  be  received  into  the  communion 
of  that  word.  For  what  slender  hopes  shall  we  form,  if  we 
hear  that  the  Word  of  God  contains  in  himself  all  the  pleni- 
tude of  life,  while  we  are  at  an  infinite  distance  from  him, 
and,  withersoever  we  turn  our  eyes,  see  nothing  but  death 
presenting  itself  on  every  side  ?  But  since  he  who  is  the 
fountain  of  life  has  taken  up  his  residence  in  our  flesh,  he 
remains  no  longer  concealed  at  a  distance  from  us,  but  openly 
exhibits  himself  to  our  participation.  He  also  makes  the  very 
flesh  in  which  he  resides  the  means  of  giving  life  to  us,  that, 
by  a  participation  of  it,  we  may  be  nourished  to  immortality. 
'*I  am  the  living  bread,"  says  he,  "which  came  down  from 
heaven.  And  the  bread  that  I  will  give  is  my  flesh,  which  I 
will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  {n)  In  these  words,  he 
shows,  not  only  that  he  is  life,  as  he  is  the  eternal  Word  who 
descended  from  heaven  to  us,  but  that  in  descending  he  impart- 
ed that  power  to  the  flesh  which  he  assumed,  in  order  that 
it  might  communicate  life  to  us.  Hence  follow  these  declara- 
tions :  "  That  his  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  that  his  blood  is 
drink  indeed;"  (o)  meat  and  drink  by  which  believers  are 
nourished  to  eternal  life.  Here,  then,  we  enjoy  peculiar  conso- 
lation, that  we  find  life  in  our  own  flesh.  For  in  this  manner 
we  not  only  have  an  easy  access  to  it,  but  it  freely  discovers 
and  offers  itself  to  our  acceptance  ;  we  have  only  to  open  our 
hearts  to  its  reception,  and  we  shall  obtain  it. 

IX.  Now,  though  the  power  of  giving  life  to  us  is  not  an 
essential  attribute  of  the  body  of  Christ,  which,  in  its  original 
condition,  was  subject  to  mortality,  and  now  lives  by  an  im- 
mortality not  its  own,  yet  it  is  justly  represented  as  the  source 
of  life,  because  it  is  endued  with  a  plenitude  of  life  to  commu- 
nicate to  us.  In  this  I  agree  with  Cyril,  in  understanding  that 
declaration  of  Christ,  "  As  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself, 
so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself."  {p)  For 
in  this  passage,  he  is  not  speaking  of  the  attributes  which  he 
possessed  with  the  Father  from  the  beginning,  but  of  the  gifts 
with  which  he  was  adorned  in  the  flesh  in  which  he  appeared  ; 
therefore  he  showed  that  the  fulness  of  life  dwelt  in  his  hu- 
manity, that  whoever  partook  of  his  flesh  and  blood  might,  at 
the  same  time,  enjoy  a  participation  of  life.  For,  as  the  water 
of  a  fountain  is  sometimes  drunk,  sometimes  drawn,  and  some- 
times conveyed  in  furrows  for  the  irrigation  of  lauds,  yet  the 
fountain  does  not  derive  such  an  abundance  for  so  many  uses 
from  itself,  but  from  the  spring  which  is  perpetually  flowing 

(n)  John  vi.  51.  (o)  John  vi.  55.  {-p)  John  v.  26. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  533 

to  furnish  it  with  fresh  supplies,  so  the  flesh  of  Christ  is  hkb 
a  rich  and  inexhaustible  fountain,  which  receives  the  life  flow- 
ing from  the  Divinity,  and  conveys  it  to  us.  Now,  who  does 
not  see  that  a  participation  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  is 
necessary  to  all  who  aspire  to  heavenly  life  ?  This  is  implied 
in  those  passages  of  the  apostle,  that  the  Church  is  the  body 
of  Christ,  and  his  fulness;  (q)  that  he  is  "  the  head,  from  whom 
the  whole  body,  joined  together  and  compacted  by  that  which 
every  joint  supplieth,  maketh  increase  of  the  body ;  "  (r)  that 
our  bodies  are  "  the  members  of  Christ ;  "  (s)  things  which  we 
know  can  no  otherwise  be  effected  than  by  his  entire  union 
both  of  body  and  spirit  with  us.  But  that  most  intimate  fel- 
lowship, by  which  we  are  united  with  his  flesh,  the  apostle  has 
illustrated  in  a  still  more  striking  representation,  when  he  says, 
"  We  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his  bones."  (t) 
At  length,  to  declare  the  subject  to  be  above  all  description,  lie 
concludes  his  discourse  by  exclaiming,  "  This  is  a  great  mys- 
tery." (u)  It  would  be  extreme  stupidity,  therefore,  to  ac- 
knowledge no  communion  of  believers  with  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord,  which  the  apostle  declares  to  be  so  great, 
that  he  would  rather  admire  than  express  it. 

X.  We  conclude,  that  our  souls  are  fed  by  the  flesh  and 
blood  of  Christ,  just  as  our  corporeal  life  is  preserved  and  sus- 
tained by  bread  and  wine.  For  otherwise  there  would  be  no 
suitableness  in  the  analogy  of  the  sign,  if  our  souls  did  not  And 
their  food  in  Christ ;  which  cannot  be  the  case  unless  Christ 
truly  becomes  one  with  us,  and  refreshes  us  by  the  eating  of 
his  flesh  and  the  drinking  of  his  blood.  Though  it  appears 
incredible  for  the  flesh  of  Christ,  from  such  an  immense  local 
distance,  to  reach  us,  so  as  to  become  our  food,  we  should  re- 
member how  much  the  secret  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  tran- 
scends all  our  senses,  and  what  folly  it  is  to  apply  any  measure 
of  ours  to  his  immensity.  Let  our  faith  receive,  therefore, 
what  our  understanding  is  not  able  to  comprehend,  that  the 
Spirit  really  unites  things  which  are  separated  by  local  dis- 
tance. Now,  that  holy  participation  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  by 
which  Christ  communicates  his  life  to  us,  just  as  if  he  actually 
penetrated  every  part  of  our  frame,  in  the  sacred  supper  he  also 
testifies  and  seals ;  and  that  not  by  the  exhibition  of  a  vain  or 
ineflfectual  sign,  but  by  the  exertion  of  the  energy  of  his  Spirit, 
by  which  he  accomplishes  that  which  he  ])romises.  And  the 
thing  signified  he  exhibits  and  otfers  to  all  who  come  to  that 
spiritual  banquet  :  though  it  is  advantageously  enjoyed  by  be- 
lievers alone,  who  receive  such  great  goodness  with  true  lailh 

(q)  Eph.  i.  23.  (r)  Eph.  iv.  15,  10.  W  1  Cor.  vi.  15. 

(0  Epli.  V.  30.  («)  Eph.  V.  32. 


534  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

and  gratitude  of  mind.  For  which  reason  the  apostle  said, 
"  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion 
of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  "  (v)  Nor  is  there  any 
cause  to  object,  that  it  is  a  figurative  expression,  by  which  the 
name  of  the  thing  signified  is  given  to  the  sign.  I  grant,  in- 
deed, that  the  breaking  of  the  bread  is  symbolical,  and  not  the 
substance  itself :  yet,  this  being  admitted,  from  the  exhibition 
of  the  symbol  we  may  justly  infer  the  exhibition  of  the  sub- 
stance ;  for,  unless  any  one  would  call  God  a  deceiver,  he  can 
never  presume  to  affirm  that  he  sets  before  us  an  empty  sign. 
Therefore,  if,  by  the  breaking  of  the  bread,  the  Lord  truly  re- 
presents the  participation  of  his  body,  it  ought  not  to  be  doubted 
that  he  truly  presents  and  communicates  it.  And  it  must  al- 
ways be  a  rule  with  believers,  whenever  they  see  the  signs 
instituted  by  the  Lord,  to  assure  and  persuade  themselves  that 
they  are  also  accompanied  with  the  truth  of  the  thing  signified. 
For  to  what  end  would  the  Lord  deliver  into  our  hands  the 
symbol  of  his  body,  except  to  assure  us  of  a  real  participation 
of  it  ?  If  it  be  true  that  the  visible  sign  is  given  to  us  to  seal 
the  donation  of  the  invisible  substance,  we  ought  to  entertain 
a  confident  assurance,  that  in  receiving  the  symbol  of  his  body, 
we  at  the  same  time  truly  receive  the  body  itself. 

XL  In  harmony,  therefore,  with  the  doctrine  which  has 
always  been  received  in  the  Church,  and  which  is  maintained 
in  the  present  day  by  all  who  hold  right  sentiments,  I  say,  that 
the  sacred  mystery  of  the  supper  consists  of  two  parts  :  the 
corporeal  signs,  which,  being  placed  before  our  eyes,  represent 
to  us  invisible  things  in  a  manner  adapted  to  the  weakness  of 
our  capacities ;  and  the  spiritual  truth,  which  is  at  the  same 
time  typified  and  exhibited  by  those  symbols.  When  I  intend 
to  give  a  familiar  view  of  this  truth,  I  am  accustomed  to  state 
three  particulars  which  it  includes :  the  signification  ;  the  mat- 
ter, or  substance,  which  dejiends  on  the  signification ;  and  the 
virtue,  or  effect,  which  follows  from  both.  The  signification 
consists  in  the  promises  which  are  interwoven  with  the  sign. 
What  I  call  the  matter  or  substance,  is  Christ,  with  his  death 
and  resurrection.  By  the  efiect,  I  mean  redemption,  righteous- 
ness, sanctification,  eternal  life,  and  all  the  other  benefits 
which  Christ  confers  upon  us.  Now,  though  all.  these  things 
are  connected  with  faith,  yet  I  leave  no  room  for  this  cavil  ; 
as  though,  when  I  say  that  Christ  is  received  by  faith,  I  in- 
tended that  he  is  received  merely  in  the  understanding  and 
imagination ;  for  the  promises  present  him  to  us,  not  that  we 


(r)  1  Cor.  X.  16. 


CHAP.    XVn.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  635 

that  we  may  enjoy  a  real  participation  of  him.  And,  in  fact, 
I  see  not  how  any  man  can  attain  a  solid  confidence  that  he 
has  redemption  and  righteousness  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  and 
life  in  his  death,  unless  he  first  has  a  real  communion  with 
Christ  himself;  for  those  blessings  would  never  be  imparted  to 
us,  if  Christ  did  not  first  make  himself  ours.  I  say,  therefore, 
that  in  the  mystery  of  the  supper,  under  the  symbols  of  bread 
and  wine,  Christ  is  truly  exhibited  to  us,  even  his  body  and 
blood,  in  which  he  has  fulfilled  all  obedience  to  procure  our 
justification.  And  the  design  of  this  exhibition  is,  first,  that 
we  may  be  united  into  one  body  with  him,  and,  secondly, 
that  being  made  partakers  of  his  substance,  we  may  experience 
his  power  in  the  communication  of  all  blessings. 

XII.  I  now  proceed  to  the  hyperbolical  additions  which  su- 
perstition has  made  to  this  sacrament.  For  here  Satan  has 
exerted  amazing  subtlety  to  withdraw  the  minds  of  men  from 
heaven,  and  involve  them  in  a  preposterous  error,  by  persuading 
them  that  Christ  is  attached  to  the  element  of  bread.  In  the 
first  place,  we  must  be  careful  not  to  dream  of  such  a  presence 
of  Christ  in  the  sacrament  as  the  ingenuity  of  the  Romanists 
has  invented  ;  as  if  the  body  of  Christ  were  exhibited,  by  a 
local  presence,  to  be  felt  by  the  hand,  bruised  by  the  teeth,  and 
swallowed  by  the  throat.  For  this  was  the  form  of  recantation 
which  Pope  Nicolas  directed  to  Berengarius  as  a  declaration  of 
his  repentance  ;  the  language  of  which  is  so  monstrous,  that 
the  scholiast  exclaims,  that  there  is  danger,  unless  the  readers 
be  very  prudent  and  cautious,  of  their  imbibing  from  it  a  worse 
heresy  than  that  of  Berengarius ;  and  Peter  Lombard,  though 
he  takes  great  pains  to  defend  it  from  the  charge  of  absurdity, 
yet  rather  inclines  to  a  different  opinion.  For,  as  we  have  not 
the  least  doubt  that  Christ's  body  is  finite,  according  to  the 
invariable  condition  of  a  human  body,  and  is  contained  in 
heaven,  where  it  was  once  received,  till  it  shall  return  to  judg- 
ment, so  we  esteem  it  utterly  unlawful  to  bring  it  back  under 
these  corruptible  elements,  or  to  imagine  it  to  be  present  every 
where.  Nor  is  there  any  need  of  this,  in  order  to  our  enjoying 
the  participation  of  it  ;  since  the  Lord  by  his  Spirit  gives  us  the 
privilege  of  being  united  with  himself  in  body,  soul,  and  spirit. 
The  bond  of  this  union,  therefore,  is  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  by 
whom  we  are  conjoined,  and  Avho  is,  as  it  were,  the  channel 
by  which  all  that  Christ  himself  is  and  has  is  conveyed  to  us. 
For,  if  we  behold  the  sun  darting  his  rays  and  transmitting  his 
substance,  as  it  were,  in  them,  to  generate,  nourish,  and  mature 
the  roots  of  the  earth,  wliy  should  the  irradiation  of  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  be  less  effectual  to  convey  to  us  the  connnunication 
of  his  body  and  blood  ?  Wherefore,  the  Scripture,  when  it 
si5eaks  of  our  participation  of  Christ,  attributes  all  the  power  of 


536  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

it  to  the  Spirit.  One  passage  shall  suffice  instead  of  many. 
In  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  Paul 
represents  Christ  as  dwelling  in  us  no  otherwise  than  hy  his 
Spirit.  (?«)  By  this  representation,  the  apostle  does  not  destroy 
that  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  of  which  we 
we  are  now  treating,  but  teaches  that  it  is  solely  owing  to  the 
agency  of  the  Spirit  that  we  possess  Christ  with  all  his  benefits, 
and  have  him  dwelling  within  us. 

XIII.  Deterred  by  a  horror  of  such  barbarous  impiety,  the 
schoolmen  have  expressed  themselves  in  more  modest  language, 
yet  they  only  trifle  with  equal  fallacy  and  greater  subtlety. 
They  admit  that  Christ  is  not  contained  in  the  bread  and 
wine  in  a  local  or  corporeal  manner  ;  but  they  afterwards  invent 
a  manner  which  they  neither  understand  themselves  nor  can 
explain  to  others ;  which,  however,  amounts  to  this,  that  Christ 
is  to  be  sought,  as  they  express  it,  in  the  form  of  bread. 
When  they  say  that  the  substance  of  bread  is  transmuted  into 
Christ,  do  they  not  attach  his  substance  to  the  whiteness, 
which  they  pretend  is  all  that  remains  of  the  bread?  But, 
they  say,  he  is  so  contained  in  the  sacrament,  that  he  remains 
in  heaven,  and  we  maintain  no  other  presence  than  that  of 
habitude.  But  whatever  words  they  employ  to  gloss  over 
their  notions,  they  all  terminate  in  this,  that,  by  the  conse- 
cration, that  which  was  before  bread  becomes  Christ,  so  that 
the  substance  of  Christ  is  concealed  under  the  colour  of  bread. 
This  they  are  not  ashamed  to  express  in  plain  terms ;  for 
Lombard  says,  "  That  the  body  of  Christ,  which  is  visible  in 
itself,  is  hidden  and  concealed,  after  the  consecration,  under  the 
form  of  bread."  Thus  the  figure  of  the  bread  is  nothing  but  a 
veil,  which  prevents  the  flesh  from  being  seen.  Nor  is  there 
any  need  of  many  conjectures,  to  discover  what  snares  they 
intended  to  lay  in  these  words,  which  the  thing  itself  plainly 
evinces.  For  it  is  evident  in  what  profound  superstition  not 
only  the  people  in  general,  but  even  the  principal  men,  have 
now  for  several  ages  been  involved,  and  are  involved,  at  the 
present  day,  in  the  Papal  churches.  True  faith,  which  is  the 
sole  medium  of  our  union  and  communion  with  Christ,  being 
an  object  of  little  solicitude  to  them,  provided  they  have 
that  carnal  presence  which  they  have  fabricated  without  any 
authority  from  the  Divine  word,  they  consider  "him  as  sufli- 
ciently  present  with  them.  The  consequence  of  tliis  inge- 
nious subtlety,  therefore,  we  find  to  be  this,  that  bread  has  been 
taken  for  God. 

XIV.  Hence  proceeded  that  pretended  transubstantiation, 
for  which  they  now  contend  with  more  earnestness  than  for  all 

■>< 

{w)  Rom.  viii.  9, 11. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  537 

the  other  articles  of  their  faith.  For  the  first  inventors  of  the 
local  presence  were  unable  to  explain  how  the  body  of  Christ 
could  be  mixed  with  the  substance  of  the  bread,  wiiiiout  biiino- 
immediately  embarrassed  by  many  absurdities.  Therefure 
they  found  it  necessary  to  have  recourse  to  this  fiction,  that 
the  bread  is  transmuted  into  the  body  of  Christ  ;  not  that  his 
body  is  properly  made  of  the  bread,  but  that  Christ  annihilates 
the  substance  of  the  bread,  and  conceals  himself  under  its  form. 
It  is  astonishing  that  they  could  fall  into  such  ignorance,  and 
even  stupidity,  as  to  promulgate  such  a  monstrous  notion,  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  Scripture  and  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
primitive  Church.  I  confess,  indeed,  that  some  of  the  ancient 
writers  sometimes  used  the  word  conversion^  not  with  a  view 
to  destroy  the  substance  of  the  external  signs,  but  to  signify 
that  the  bread  dedicated  to  that  sacrament  is  unlike  common 
bread,  and  different  from  what  it  was  before.  But  they  all 
constantly  and  expressly  declare,  that  the  sacred  supper  con- 
sists of  two  parts,  earthly  and  heavenly;  and  the  earthly  part 
they  explain,  without  the  least  hesitation,  to  be  bread  and 
wine.  Whatever  the  Romanists  may  pretend,  it  is  very  clear 
that  the  authority  of  the  ancients,  which  they  frequently  pre- 
sume to  oppose  to  the  plain  word  of  God,  aflords  them  no 
assistance  in  the  support  of  this  dogma  ;  and,  indeed,  it  is 
comparatively  but  of  recent  invention,  for  it  was  not  only 
unknown  to  those  better  times,  when  the  doctrine  of  religion 
still  flourished  in  its  purity,  but  even  when  that  purity  had 
already  been  much  corrupted.  There  is  not  one  of  the  ancient 
writers  who  does  not  acknowledge  in  express  terms  that  the 
consecrated  symbols  of  the  supper  are  bread  and  wine  ;  though, 
as  we  have  observed,  they  sometimes  distinguish  them  with 
various  titles,  to  celebrate  the  dignity  of  the  mystery.  For 
when  they  say,  that  a  secret  conversion  takes  place  in  the 
consecration,  so  that  they  are  something  different  from  bread 
and  wine,  I  have  already  stated  their  meaning  to  be,  not  that 
the  bread  and  wine  are  annihilated,  but  that  they  are  to  be 
considered  in  a  difl^erent  light  from  common  aliments,  which  are 
merely  designed  for  the  nourishment  of  the  body  ;  because,  in 
those  elements,  we  are  presented  with  the  spiritual  meat  and 
drink  of  the  soul.  In  this  we  also  coincide.  But,  say  our 
opponents,  if  there  be  a  conversion,  one  thing  must  be  changed 
into  another.  If  they  mean  that  something  is  made  wliat  it 
was  not  before,  I  agree  with  them.  If  they  wish  to  apply  this 
to  their  absurd  notion,  let  them  tell  me  what  change  they  think 
takes  place  in  baptism.  For  in  that  also  the  fathers  state  a 
wonderful  conversion,  when  they  say,  that  from  the  corrupt- 
ible element  proceeds  a  spiritual  ablution  of  the  soul,  yet  not 
one  of  them  denies  that  it  retains  the  substance  of  water.  But 
VOL.  II.  68 


538  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

there  is  no  such  declaration,  they  say,  respecting  baptism  as 
there  is  respecting  the  supper:  "  This  is  my  body."  As  though 
the  question  related  to  those  words,  which  have  a  meaning  ob- 
vious enough,  and  not  rather  to  the  conversion  or  change  spoken 
of,  which  ought  to  signify  no  more  in  the  supper  than  in  bajjtism. 
Let  them  cease  their  verbal  subtleties,  therefore,  Avhich  only 
betray  their  own  absurdity.  Indeed,  there  would  be  no  consis- 
tency in  the  signification,  if  the  external  sign  were  not  a  living 
image  of  the  truth  which  is  represented  in  it.  By  the  external 
sign,  Christ  intended  to  declare  that  his  flesh  is  meat.  If  he 
were  to  set  before  us  a  mere  spectre  of  bread,  and  not  real 
bread,  where  would  be  the  analogy  or  similitude,  which  ought 
to  lead  us  from  the  visible  emblem  to  the  invisible  substance  ? 
For,  to  preserve  the  correspondence  complete,  the  signification 
would  extend  no  further  than  that  we  should  be  fed  with  an 
appearance  of  the  flesh  of  Christ.  As  in  baptism,  if  there  were 
nothing  but  an  appearance  of  water  to  deceive  our  eyes,  we 
should  have  no  certain  pledge  of  our  ablution ;  and  such  an 
illusive  representation  we  should  find  a  source  of  painful  uncer- 
tainty. The  nature  of  the  sacrament,  therefore,  is  subverted, 
unless  the  earthly  sign  correspond  in  its  signification  to  the 
lieavenly  substance  ;  and,  consequently,  we  lose  the  truth  of 
this  mystery,  unless  the  true  body  of  Christ  be  represented 
by  real  bread.  I  repeat  it  again  ;  since  the  sacred  supper  is 
nothing  but  a  visible  attestation  of  the  promise,  that  Christ  is 
"  the  bread  of  life  which  cometh  down  from  heaven,"  (i-)  it 
requires  the  use  of  visible  and  material  bread  to  represent  that 
which  is  spiritual ;  unless  we  are  determined  that  the  means 
which  God  kindly  affords  to  support  our  weakness  shall  be 
altogether  unavailing  to  us.  With  what  reason  could  Paul  con- 
clude that  "  we,  being  many,  are  one  bread,  for  we  are  all  par- 
takers of  that  one  bread,"  (?/)if  there  were  nothing  but  a  mere 
phantom  of  bread,  and  not  the  true  and  real  substance  of  it? 
XV.  They  would  never  have  been  so  shamefully  deluded 
by  the  fallacies  of  Satan,  if  they  had  not  been  previously  fas- 
cinated with  this  error  —  that  the  body  of  Christ  contained  in 
the  bread  was  received  in  a  corporeal  manner  into  the  mouth, 
and  actually  swallowed.  The  cause  of  such  a  stupid  notion 
was,  that  they  considered  the  consecration  as  a  kind  of  magical 
incantation.  But  they  were  unacquainted  with  this  principle, 
that  the  bread  is  a  sacrament  only  to  those  to  whom  the  word 
is  addressed  ;  as  the  water  of  baptism  is  not  changed  in  itself, 
but  on  the  annexation  of  the  promise,  begins  to  be  to  us  that 
which  it  was  not  before.  This  will  be  further  elucidated  by 
the  example  of  a  similar  sacrament.  The  water  which  flowed 
from  the  rock  in  the  wilderness,  was^^to  the  fathers  a  token  and 

(x)  John  vi.  35,  50.  (y)  1  Cor.  x.  17 


CHAP.   XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  539 

sign  of  the  same  thing  which  is  represented  to  ns  by  the  wine 
in  the  sacred  supper;  for  Paul  says,  '•  They  did  drink  tlie  same 
spiritual  drink."  (z)  But  the  same  water  served  also  for  their 
flocks  and  herds.  Hence  it  is  easily  inferred,  that  when  earthly 
elements  are  applied  to  a  spiritual  use,  no  other  change  takes 
place  in  them  than  with  regard  to  vieji,  to  whom  they  become 
seals  of  the  promises.  Besides,  since  the  design  of  God  is,  as 
I  have  often  repeated,  by  suitable  vehicles  to  elevate  us  to 
himself,  this  object  is  impiously  frustrated  by  the  obstinacy  of 
those  who  invite  us  to  Christ  indeed,  but  invisibly  concealed 
mider  the  form  of  bread.  It  is  not  possible  for  the  human 
mind  to  overcome  the  immensity  of  local  distance,  and  to  pene- 
trate to  Christ  in  the  highest  heavens.  What  nature  denied 
them,  they  attempted  to  correct  by  a  remedy  yet  more  per- 
nicious, that  while  remaining  on  the  earth,  they  might  attain 
a  proximity  to  Christ  without  any  need  of  ascending  to  heaven. 
This  is  all  the  necessity  which  constrained  them  to  metamor- 
phose the  body  of  Christ.  In  the  time  of  Bernard,  though  a 
harsh  mode  of  expression  had  been  adopted,  still  transubstan- 
tiation  was  yet  unknown;  and  in  all  preceding  ages  it  was  a 
common  similitude,  in  the  mouths  of  all,  that  in  this  sacra- 
ment the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  were  spiritually  united 
with  the  bread  and  wine.  They  argue  respecting  the  terms, 
in  their  own  apprehension,  with  great  acuteness,  but  without 
adducing  any  thing  applicable  to  the  present  subject.  The 
rod  of  Moses,  they  say,  though  it  took  the  form  of  a  serpent, 
still  retained  its  original  name,  and  was  called  a  rod.  {a)  So 
they  think  it  equally  probable,  that  though  the  bread  be 
changed  into  another  substance,  yet  it  may  by  a  catachresis, 
without  any  violation  of  propriety,  be  denominated  according 
to  its  visible  appearance.  But  what  similitude  or  connection 
can  they  discover  between  that  illustrious  miracle  and  their 
fictitious  illusion,  which  no  eye  on  earth  witnesses?  The 
magicians  had  practised  their  sorceries,  so  that  the  Egyptians 
believed  them  to  possess  a  Divine  power  to  etfect  changes 
in  the  creatures  above  the  order  of  nature.  Moses  confronted 
them,  and  defeating  all  their  enchantments,  showed  the  invin- 
cible power  of  God  to  be  on  his  side  ;  because  his  one  rod 
swallowed  up  all  the  rest.  But  that  being  a  transmutation 
visible  to  the  eye,  makes  nothing  to  the  present  argument,  as  we 
have  already  observed  ;  and  the  rod  soon  after  visibly  returned  to 
its  original  form.  Moreover,  it  is  not  known  wiietlicr  that  was 
in  reality  a  temporary  transmutation  of  substance  or  not.  The 
allusion  to  the  rods  of  the  magicians  deserves  also  to  he  ob- 
seived;  for  Moses  says,  that  '-Aaron's  rod  swallowed  up  their 

(z)  1  Cor.  X.  4.  (a)  Exod.  iv.  2—4;  vii.  10,  12. 


540  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

rods :  "  he  would  not  call  them  serpents,  lest  he  might  appear 
to  miply  a  transmutation  which  did  not  exist ;  for  those  im- 
postors had  done  nothing  but  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  spectators. 
What  resemblance  has  this  to  the  following  and  other  similar 
expressions:  "The  bread  which  we  break  ;"  (6)  "As  often 
as  ye  eat  this  bread ;  "  (c)  "  They  continued  in  breaking  of 
bread  ?"(</)  It  is  certain  that  their  eyes  were  only  deceived 
by  the  incantations  of  the  magicians.  There  is  greater  uncer- 
tainty with  respect  to  Moses,  by  whose  hand  it  was  no  more 
difficult  for  God  to  make  a  rod  into  a  serpent,  and  afterwards 
to  make  the  serpent  into  a  rod  again,  than  to  invest  angels 
with  material  bodies,  and  soon  after  to  disembody  them  again. 
If  the  nature  of  this  sacrament  were  the  same,  or  bore  any 
affinity  to  the  case  we  have  mentioned,  our  opponents  would 
have  some  colour  for  their  solution.  We  must,  therefore,  con- 
sider it  as  a  fixed  principle,  that  the  flesh  of  Christ  is  not  truly 
promised  to  us  for  food  in  the  sacred  supper,  unless  the  true 
substance  of  the  external  symbol  corresponds  to  it.  And  as 
one  error  gives  birth  to  another,  a  passage  of  Jeremiah  is  so 
stupidly  perverted,  in  order  to  prove  transubstantiation,  that  I 
am  ashamed  to  recite  it.  The  prophet  complains  that  wood 
was  put  into  his  bread  ;  (e)  signifying  that  his  enemies  by  their 
cruelty  had  taken  away  all  the  relish  of  his  food ;  as  David  in 
a  similar  figure  utters  the  following  complaint :  "  They  gave 
me  also  gall  for  my  meat,  and  in  my  thirst  they  gave  me  vine- 
gar to  drink."  (/)  These  disputants  explain  it  as  an  allegory, 
that  the  body  of  Christ  was  affixed  to  the  wood  of  the  cross  ; 
and  this,  they  say,  was  the  opinion  of  some  of  the  fathers. 
I  reply,  we  ought  rather  to  pardon  their  ignorance,  and  bury 
their  disgrace  in  oblivion,  than  to  add  the  eflrontery  of  con- 
straining them  continually  to  combat  the  genuine  meaning  of 
the  prophet, 

XVI.  Others,  who  perceive  it  to  be  impossible  to  destroy 
the  analogy  of  the  sign  and  the  thing  signified,  without  sub- 
verting the  truth  of  the  mystery,  acknowledge  that  the  bread 
in  the  sacred  supper  is  the  true  substance  of  that  earthly  and 
corruptible  element,  and  undergoes  no  change  in  itself;  but 
they  maintain  that  it  has  the  body  of  Christ  included  under  it. 
If  they  explained  their  meaning  to  be,  that  when  the  bread  is 
presented  in  the  sacrament,  it  is  attended  with  an  exhibition 
of  the  body  of  Christ,  because  the  truth  represented  is  insepa- 
rable from  its  sign,  I  should  make  little  objection;  but  as,  by 
placing  the  body  itself  in  the  bread,  they  attribute  ubiquity  to 
it,  which  is  incompatible  with  its  nature,  and  by  stating  it  to 


//)  1  Cor.  X.  16.  (f)  Jer.  xi.  10,   (according  to  the 

1  Cor.  xi.  26.  ^     Vulgate  and  Septuagint.) 

')  Acts  ii.  42.  {fy  Psalm  Ixix.  21. 


id) 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  541 

be  under  the  bread,  represent  it  as  lying  concealed  in  it  ;  it  is 
necessary  to  unmask  such  subtleties :  not  that  it  is  my  inten- 
tion to  enter  on  a  professed  examination  of  the  whole  of  this 
subject  at  present ;  I  shall  only  lay  the  foundations  of  the  dis- 
cussion, which  will  follow  in  its  proper  place.  They  maintain 
the  body  of  Christ,  therefore,  to  be  invisible  and  infinite,  that 
it  may  be  concealed  under  the  bread  ;  because  tiiey  suppose  it 
to  be  impossible  for  them  to  partake  of  him,  any  otherwise 
than  by  his  descending  into  the  bread  ;  but  they  know  nothing 
of  that  descent  of  which  we  have  spoken,  by  which  he  elevates 
us  to  himself.  They  bring  forward  every  plausible  pretext  that 
they  can ;  but  when  they  have  said  all,  it  is  evident  that  they 
are  contending  for  a  local  presence  of  Christ.  And  what  is  the 
reason  of  it  ?  It  is  because  they  cannot  conceive  of  any  other 
participation  of  his  flesh  and  blood,  except  what  would  consist 
in  local  conjunction  and  contact,  or  in  some  gross  enclosure. 

XVII.  And  to  defend  with  obstinacy  the  error  which  they 
have  once  embraced,  some  of  them  hesitate  not  to  aliirm  that 
the  body  of  Christ  never  had  any  other  dimensions  than  the 
whole  extent  of  heaven  and  earth.  His  birth  as  an  infant,  his 
growth  to  maturity,  his  extension  on  the  cross,  his  incarceration 
in  the  sepulchre, —  all  this,  they  say,  took  place  in  consequence 
of  a  kind  of  dispensation,  that  he  might  as  a  man  accomplish 
every  thing  necessary  to  our  salvation.  His  appearance  in 
the  same  corporeal  form  after  his  resurrection,  his  ascension 
to  heaven,  his  subsequent  appearances  to  Stephen  and  to  Paul, 
—  all  this  also  resulted  from  a  similar  dispensation,  that  he 
might  manifest  himself  to  the  view  of  man  as  appointed  King  in 
heaven.  Now,  what  is  this  but  to  raise  Marcion  from  the  dead  ? 
For  if  such  were  the  condition  of  Christ's  body,  every  one 
must  perceive  it  to  have  been  a  mere  phantom  or  visionary  form, 
without  any  real  substance.  Some  [)lead,  with  a  little  more  sub- 
tlety, that  the  body  of  Christ,  which  is  given  in  the  sacrament,  is 
glorious  and  immortal,  and  tliat  therefore  it  involves  no  absurdity, 
if  it  be  contained  under  the  sacrament  in  various  places,  or  in  no 
place,  or  without  any  form.  But  I  ask  what  kind  of  body  did 
Jesus  Christ  give  to  his  disciples,  the  night  before  he  suft'ered  ? 
Do  not  the  words  imply,  that  he  gave  them  the  same  mortal 
body  which  was  just  about  to  be  betrayed  ?  They  reply,  that 
he  had  already  manifested  his  glory  in  the  eyes  of  three  of  his 
disciples,  on  the  mount.  That  is  true  ;  but  his  design  was,  in 
that  splendour,  to  give  them  a  transient  glimpse  of  his  inuuortal- 
ity.  They  will  not  find  tiicre  a  twofold  body,  but  the  very  same 
which  Christ  was  accustomed  to  carry  about  with  him,  adorned 
with  unusual  glory,  from  which  it  speedily  returned  to  its 
natural  condition.     When  he  distributed  his  body  at  the  insti- 


542  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

tution  of  the  sacred  supper,  the  hour  was  approaching,  in 
which,  "stricken  and  smitten  of  God,"  he  was  to  he  down  hke 
a  leper  "  without  form  or  comehness  :  "  (g)  he  was  then  far 
from  intending  to  display  the  glory  of  his  resurrection.  What 
a  door  does  this  open  to  the  error  of  Marcion,  if  the  body  of 
Christ  appeared  in  one  place  mortal  and  mean,  and  in  another 
was  received  as  immortal  and  glorious  ?  On  their  principle, 
however,  this  happens  every  day  ;  for  they  are  constrained  to 
confess  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  visible  in  itself,  while  at  the 
same  time  they  say  that  it  is  invisibly  concealed  under  the 
symbol  of  bread.  And  yet  the  promulgators  of  such  monstrous 
absurdities  are  so  far  from  being  ashamed  of  their  disgrace, 
that  they  stigmatize  us  with  unprovoked  and  enormous  calum- 
nies, because  we  refuse  to  subscribe  to  them. 

XVIII.  If  they  are  determined  to  fasten  the  body  and  blood 
of  the  Lord  to  the  bread  and  wine,  one  must  of  necessity  be 
severed  from  the  other.  For  as  the  bread  is  presented  sepa- 
rately from  the  cup,  the  body,  being  united  to  the  bread,  must 
consequently  be  divided  from  the  blood  contained  in  the  cup. 
For  when  they  afhrm  that  the  body  is  in  the  bread,  and  the 
blood  in  the  cup,  while  the  bread  and  the  wine  are  at  some 
distance  from  each  other,  no  sophistry  will  enable  them  to  evade 
this  conclusion  —  that  the  body  is  separated  from  the  blood. 
Their  usual  pretence,  that  the  blood  is  in  the  body,  and  the 
body  in  the  blood,  by  what  they  call  concomitance,  is  perfectly 
frivolous,  while  the  symbols  in  which  they  are  contained  are 
so  divided.  But  if  we  elevate  our  views  and  thoughts  towards 
heaven,  to  seek  Christ  there  in  the  glory  of  his  kinsdom,  as 
the  symbols  invite  us  to  him  entire,  under  the  symbol  of 
bread  we  shall  eat  his  body,  under  the  symbol  of  wine  we 
shall  distinctly  drink  his  blood,  so  that  we  shall  thus  enjoy 
him  entire.  For  though  he  has  removed  his  flesh  from  us, 
and  in  his  body  is  ascended  to  heaven,  yet  he  sits  at  the 
Father's  right  hand,  that  is,  he  reigns  in  the  power,  and 
majesty,  and  glory  of  the  Father.  This  kingdom  is  neither 
limited  to  any  local  space,  nor  circumscribed  by  any  dimen- 
sions ;  Christ  exerts  his  power  wherever  he  pleases  in  heaven 
and  earth,  exhibits  himself  present  in  his  energetic  influence, 
is  constantly  with  his  people,  inspiring  his  life  into  them,  lives 
in  them,  sustains  them,  strengthens  and  invigorates  them,  just 
as  if  he  were  corporeally  present ;  in  short,  he  feeds  them  with 
his  own  body,  of  which  lie  gives  them  a  participation  by  the 
influence  of  his  Spirit.  This  is  the  way  in  which  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ  arc  exhibited  to  us  in  the  sacrament. 

XIX.    It  is  necessary  for  us  to  establish  such  a  presence  of 

{g)  Isaiah  liii.  %  4. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  543 

Christ  in  the  sacred  supper,  as  neither,  on  the  one  hand,  to 
fasten  him  to  the  element  of  bread,  or  to  enclose  him  in  it.  or 
in  any  way  to  circumscribe  him,  which  would  derogate  from 
his  celestial  glory  ;  nor,  on  the  other  hand,  to  deprive  him  of  his 
corporeal  dimensions,  or  to  represent  his  body  as  in  dilferent 
places  at  once,  or  to  assign  it  an  immensity  ditlused  through 
heaven  and  earth,  which  would  be  clearly  inconsistent  with  the 
reality  of  his  human  nature.  Let  us  never  sntrcr  ourselves  to 
be  driven  from  these  two  exceptions  ;  that  nothing  be  main- 
tained derogatory  to  Christ's  celestial  glory  ;  which  is  the  case 
when  he  is  represented  as  brought  under  the  corruptible  ele- 
ments of  this  world,  or  fastened  to  any  earthly  objects  ;  and 
that  nothing  be  attributed  to  his  body  incompatible  with  the 
human  nature ;  which  is  the  case  when  it  is  rei)resented  as 
infinite,  or  is  said  to  be  in  more  places  than  one  at  the  same 
time.  These  absurdities  being  disclaimed,  I  readily  admit 
whatever  may  serve  to  express  the  true  and  substantial  com- 
munication of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord,  which  is  given 
to  believers  under  the  sacred  symbols  of  the  supper  ;  and  to 
express  it  in  a  manner  implying  not  a  mere  reception  of  it  in 
the  imagination  or  apprehension  of  their  mind,  but  a  real  enjoy- 
ment of  it  as  the  food  of  eternal  life.  Nor  can  any  cause  be 
assigned,  why  this  opinion  is  so  odious  to  the  world,  and  the 
minds  of  multitudes  are  so  unjustly  prejudiced  against  any 
defence  of  it,  but  that  they  have  been  awfully  infatuated  with 
the  delusions  of  Satan.  It  is  certain  that  the  doctrine  we  ad- 
vance is  in  all  respects  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  Scriptures ; 
it  contains  nothing  absurd,  ambiguous,  or  obscure ;  it  is  not 
at  all  inimical  to  true  piety,  or  solid  edification  ;  in  short,  it 
includes  nothing  that  can  offend,  except  that  for  several  ages, 
while  the  ignorance  and  barbarism  of  the  sophists  prevailed 
over  the  Church,  this  very  clear  light  and  obvious  truth  was 
shamefully  suppressed.  Yet,  as,  in  the  ])resent  age  also,  Satan 
is  making  the  most  powerful  exertions  to  ojjpose  it,  and  is  em- 
ploying tin-bulent  spirits  to  endeavour  to  blacken  it  by  every 
possible  calumny  and  reproach,  it  is  necessary  to  be  the  more 
diligent  in  asserting  and  defending  it. 

XX.  Now,  before  we  proceed  any  further,  it  is  requisite  to  dis- 
cuss the  institution  itself;  because  the  most  plausible  objection 
of  our  adversaries  is,  that  we  depart  from  the  words  of  Christ. 
To  exonerate  ourselves  from  the  false  charge  which  they  bring 
against  us,  it  is  highly  proper,  therefore,  to  begin  with  an  expo- 
sition of  the  words.  The  account  given  by  three  of  the  evan- 
gelists, and  by  Paul,  informs  us,  that  "  Jesus  took  bread,  and  gave 
thanks,  and  blessed  it,  and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  the  disciples, 
and  said,  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my  body,  which  is  given  or  broken 
for  you.     And  he  took  the  cup,  and  said,  This  cup  is  my  blood 


544  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    17, 

of  the  new  testament,  or  the  new  testament  in  my  blood,  which 
is  shed  for  you,  and  for  many,  for  the  remission  of  sins."  (A) 
The  advocates  of  transubstantiation  contend  that  the  pronoun 
this  denotes  the  appearance  of  the  bread,  because  the  conse- 
cration is  made  by  the  whole  of  the  sentence,  and  there  is  no 
visible  substance,  according  to  them,  which  can  be  indicated 
by  it.  But  if  they  are  guided  by  a  scrupulous  attention  to  the 
words,  because  Christ  declared  that  which  he  gave  into  the 
hands  of  his  disciples  to  be  his  body,  nothing  can  be  more  at 
variance  with  a  just  interpretation  of  them,  than  the  notion  that 
what  before  was  bread  had  now  become  the  body  of  Christ. 
For  it  was  that  which  Christ  took  into  his  hands  to  deliver  to  his 
disciples,  that  he  asserts  to  be  his  body;  but  he  took  "  bread.''^ 
Who  does  not  perceive,  then,  that  that  to  which  this  pronoun 
referred  was  bread  still  ?  and  therefore  nothing  would  be  more 
absurd  than  to  transfer  to  a  mere  appearance  or  visionary  form 
that  which  was  spoken  of  real  bread.  Others,  when  they  ex- 
plain the  word  is  to  denote  transubstantiation,  have  recourse  to 
an  interpretation  still  more  violently  perverted  and  unnatural. 
They  have  not  the  least  colour,  therefore,  for  a  pretence  that 
they  are  influenced  by  a  scrupulous  reverence  for  the  words  of 
Christ.  For  to  use  the  word  is  to  signify  a  transmutation  into 
another  substance,  is  a  thing  never  heard  of,  in  any  country  or 
in  any  language.  Those  who  acknowledge  the  continuance  of 
bread  in  the  supper,  and  affirm  that  it  is  accompanied  with 
the  real  body  of  Christ,  differ  considerably  among  themselves. 
Those  of  them  who  express  themselves  more  modestly,  though 
they  strenuously  insist  on  the  literal  meaning  of  these  words, 
''This  is  my  body,^^  yet  afterwards  depart  from  their  literal 
precision,  and  explain  them  to  import  that  the  body  of  Christ 
is  with  the  bread,  in  the  bread,  and  under  the  bread.  Of  the 
opinion  maintained  by  them,  we  have  already  spoken,  and  shall 
soon  have  occasion  to  take  further  notice  ;  at  present  I  am  only 
arguing  respecting  the  words,  by  which  they  consider  them- 
selves bound,  so  that  they  cannot  admit  the  bread  to  be  called 
his  body,  because  it  is  a  sign  of  it.  But  if  they  object  to  every 
trope,  and  insist  on  taking  the  words  in  a  sense  strictly  literal, 
why  do  they  forsake  the  language  of  Christ,  and  adopt  a  phra- 
seology of  their  own  so  very  dissimilar  ?  For  there  is  a  wide 
difference  between  these  two  assertions,  that  "  the  bread  is  the 
body,"  and  that  "  the  body  is  with  the  bread."  But  because 
they  perceived  the  impossibility  of  supporting  this  simple  propo- 
sition, "  that  the  bread  is  the  body,"  they  have  endeavoured 
to  escape  from  their  embarrassment  by  those  evasions.  Others, 
more  daring,  hesitate  not  to  assert,  that,  in  strict  propriety  of 

(/*)  Matt.  .Txvi.  20— 2S.    Mark  xiv.  22—24.    Luke  x.\ii.  ID,  20.     1  Cor.  xi.  23—25. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  545 

speech,  the  bread  is  the  body  ;  and  thereby  prove  themselves 
to  be  advocates  for  a  truly  literal  interpretation.  If  it  be  object- 
ed, that  then  the  bread  is  Christ,  and  Christ  is  God,  they  will 
deny  this,  because  it  is  not  expressed  in  the  words  of  Christ. 
But  they  will  gain  nothing  by  their  denial  of  it,  for  it  is  univer- 
sally admitted  that  the  whole  person  of  Christ  is  offered  to  us 
in  the  sacrament.  Now,  it  would  be  intolerable  blasphemy  to 
affirm  of  a  frail  and  corruptible  element,  without  any  figure,  that 
it  is  Christ.  I  ask  them  whether  these  two  propositions  are 
equivalent  to  each  other  —  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  and 
Bread  is  the  body  of  Christ.  If  they  confess  them  to  be  differ- 
ent,—  a  confession  which,  if  they  hesitated,  it  would  be  easy  to 
extort  from  them,  — let  them  say  wherein  the  difference  consists. 
I  suppose  they  will  adduce  no  other  point  of  difference,  than  that 
the  bread  is  called  t/ie  body  in  a  sacramental  sense.  Whence  it 
follows,  that  the  words  of  Christ  are  not  subject  to  any  common 
rule,  and  ought  not  to  be  examined  on  the  principles  of  grammar. 
I  would  likewise  inquire  of  the  inflexible  champions  of  a  literal 
interpretation,  whether  the  words  attributed  to  Christ,  by  Luke 
and  Paul,  "  This  cup  is  the  new  testament  hi  my  blood,"  do 
not  express  the  same  idea  as  the  former  clause,  in  which  the 
bread  is  called  his  body.  Surely  the  same  reverence  ought  to 
be  shown  to  one  part  of  the  sacrament  as  to  the  other  ;  and 
because  brevity  is  obscure,  the  sense  is  elucidated  by  a  fidlei* 
statement.  Whenever,  therefore,  they  shall  argue,  from  that  one 
word,  that  the  bread  is  the  body  of  Christ,  I  shall  adduce  the 
interpretation  furnished  by  the  fuller  account,  that  it  is  the 
testament  in  his  body.  For  shall  we  seek  for  an  expositor 
of  greater  fidelity  or  accuracy  than  Paul  and  Luke  ?  Nor  is  it 
my  design  to  diminish  in  the  smallest  degree  that  participation 
of  the  body  of  Christ,  which  I  have  acknowledged  is  enjoyed: 
my  only  object  is,  to  silence  tliat  foolish  obstinacy  which  dis- 
plays itself  in  violent  contentions  about  words.  From  the 
authority  of  Paul  and  Luke,  I  understand  the  bread  to  be  the 
body  of  Christ,  because  it  is  the  covenant  in  his  body.  If  they 
resist  this,  their  contention  is  not  with  me,  but  with  the  Spirit 
of  God.  Notwithstanding  they  profess  to  be  influenced  by 
such  reverence  for  the  words  of  Christ,  that  they  dare  not  un- 
derstand an  explicit  declaration  of  his  in  a  figurative  sense,  yet 
this  pretext  is  not  sufficient  to  justify  their  pertinacious  rejec- 
tion of  all  the  reasons  which  we  allege  to  the  contrary.  At  the 
same  time,  as  I  have  already  snggested,  it  is  necessary  to  un- 
derstand what  is  meant  by  "the  testament  hi  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ  ;  "  because  we  should  derive  no  benefit  Irom 
the  covenant  ratified  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  death,  if  it  were 
not  followed  by  that  secret  communication  by  which  we  be- 
come one  with  him. 
VOL.  II.  69 


546  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

XXI.  It  remains  for  us,  therefore,  to  acknowledge  that,  on 
account  of  the  allinity  which  the  things  signified  have  with 
their  symbols,  the  name  of  the  substance  has  been  given  to  the 
sign,  m  a  figurative  sense  indeed,  but  by  a  most  apt  analogy. 
I  forbear  to  introduce  any  thing  of  allegories  and  parables,  lest 
any  one  sliould  accuse  me  of  having  recourse  to  subterfuges, 
and  travelling  out  of  the  present  subject.  I  observe  that  this 
is  a  metonymical  form  of  expression,  which  is  commonly  used 
in  the  Scripture  in  reference  to  sacraments.  For  in  no  other 
sense  is  it  possible  to  understand  such  passages  as  these  :  when 
of  circumcision  it  is  said,  "  This  is  my  covenant ;  "  (i)  of  the 
paschal  lamb,  "  It  is  the  Lord's  passover  ;  "  (k)  of  the  legal 
sacrifices,  that  they  were  expiations,  or  atonements ;  (/)  of  the 
rock,  from  which  the  water  issued  in  the  desert,  "  That  Rock 
was  Christ."  (m)  And  not  only  is  the  name  of  sometliing  su- 
perior transferred  to  that  which  is  inferior,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
the  name  of  the  visible  sign  is  likewise  given  to  the  thing  sig- 
nified ;  as  when  God  is  said  to  have  appeared  to  Moses  in  the 
bush,  (ji)  when  the  ark  of  the  covenant  is  called  God,  (o)  and 
the  Holy  Spirit,  a  dove,  (p)  For,  though  there  is  an  essential 
difference  between  the  symbol  and  the  thing  signified,  the 
former  being  corporeal,  terrestrial,  and  visible,  and  the  latter 
spiritual,  celestial,  and  invisible,  yet,  as  the  symbol  is  not  a 
vain  and  useless  memorial,  a  mere  adumbration  of  the  thing 
which  it  has  been  consecrated  to  represent,  but  also  a  true  and 
real  exhibition  of  it,  why  may  not  the  name  of  that  which  it 
signifies  be  justly  applied  to  it  ?  If  symbols  invented  by  man, 
which  are  rather  emblems  of  things  absent,  than  tokens  of 
things  present,  of  which  also  they  very  frequently  give  a  delu- 
sive representation,  are,  nevertheless,  sometimes  distinguished 
by  the  names  of  the  things  which  they  signify,  there  is  far 
greater  reason  why  the  symbols  instituted  by  God  should  bor- 
row the  names  of  those  things  of  which  they  always  exhibit  a 
correct  and  faithful  representation,  and  by  the  truth  of  which 
they  are  always  accompanied.  So  great,  therefore,  is  the  simili- 
tude and  affinity  of  the  one  to  the  other,  that  there  is  nothing 
at  all  unnatural  in  such  a  mutual  interchange  of  appellations. 
Let  our  adversaries  cease,  then,  to  assail  us  with  then-  ridicu- 
lous wit,  by  calling  us  Tropologists,  because  we  explain  the 
sacramental  phraseology  according  to  the  common  usage  of  the 
Scripture.  For  as  there  is  a  great  similarity  in  many  respects 
between  the  various  sacraments,  so  this  metonymical  transfer 
of  names  is  common  to  them  all.  As  the  apostle,  therefore, 
states,  that  "  the  Rock  "  from  which  flowed  "  spiritual  drink  " 
for  the   Israelites,  "  was  Christ,"  (q)  because  it  was  a  visible 

(/)    Gon.  xvii.  10.  (;»)   1  Cor.  x.  4.  (p)  Matt.  iii.  16. 

(/c)  Kxod.  xii.  11.  («)  K.Yoii.  iii.2."'  (<?)  1  Cor.  X.  4. 

(/)   Exod,  et  Lev.  passim.       (o)  Fsalm  Ixxxiv.  7 ;  xlii.  2. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  547 

symbol,  under  which  ''that  spiritual  drink"  was  received, 
though  not  in  a  manner  discernible  by  the  corporeal  eye,  so 
bread  is  now  called  the  body  of  Christ,  because  it  is  the  sym- 
bol under  which  the  Lord  truly  offers  us  his  body  to  eat.  And 
that  no  one  may  despise  this  as  a  novel  sentiment,  we  shall 
show  that  the  same  was  entertained  by  Augustine.  He  says, 
"  If  the  sacraments  had  not  some  similitude  to  those  things  of 
which  they  are  sacraments,  they  would  be  no  sacraments  at  all. 
On  account  of  this  similitude,  they  frequently  take  the  names 
even  of  the  things  which  they  represent.  Therefore,  as  the 
sacrament  of  the  body  of  Christ  is  in  some  sense  that  body  it- 
self, and  the  sacrament  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  is  that  blood  it- 
self, so  the  sacrament  of  faith  is  called  faith."  His  works  contain 
many  similar  passages,  which  it  would  be  useless  to  collect,  as 
this  one  is  sufficient ;  only  the  reader  ought  to  be  apprized  that 
this  holy  father  repeats  and  confirms  the  same  observation  in 
an  epistle  to  Euodius.  It  is  a  frivolous  subterfuge  to  plead,  that 
when  Augustine  speaks  of  metonymical  expressions,  as  fre- 
quently and  commonly  used  respecting  the  sacraments,  he 
makes  no  mention  of  the  Lord's  supper ;  for,  if  this  were  ad- 
mitted, we  could  no  longer  reason  from  the  genus  to  the  species, 
or  from  the  whole  to  a  part ;  it  would  not  be  a  good  argument 
to  say,  that  every  animal  is  endued  with  the  power  of  motion, 
therefore  oxen  and  horses  are  endued  with  the  power  of  motion. 
All  further  dispute  on  this  point,  however,  is  precluded  by  the 
language  of  the  same  writer  on  another  occasion  —  "  that  Christ 
did  not  hesitate  to  call  it  his  body,  when  he  gave  it  as  the  sign 
of  his  body."  Again:  "It  was  wonderful  patience  in  Christ, 
to  admit  Judas  to  the  feast,  in  which  he  instituted  and  gave  to 
his  disciples  the  emblem  of  his  body  and  of  his  blood." 

XXII.  But  if  some  obstinate  man,  shutting  his  eyes  against 
every  other  consideration,  should  insist  on  this  single  expression, 
"  This  is  my  body,"  as  though  it  made  a  distinction  between 
the  supper  and  all  other  sacraments,  the  answer  is  easy.  They 
allege  that  the  verb  substantive  is  too  emphatical  to  admit  of 
any  figure.  If  we  grant  this,  the  verb  substantive  is  also  used 
by  Paul,  where  he  says,  "  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  "  (r)  But  the  commu- 
nion of  the  body  is  something  different  from  the  body  itself. 
In  almost  all  cases  of  sacraments,  we  find  the  same  word  used  — 
"  This  is  my  covenant."  "  It  is  the  Lord's  passover."  (s) 
And  to  mention  no  more,  when  Paul  says,  "  That  Rock  was 
Christ,"  {t)  why  do  they  consider  the  verb  substantive  less 
emphatical  in  that  passage  than  in  the  speech  of  Christ  ?  Let 
them  also  explain  the  force  of  the  verb  substantive  in  that  place 

(r)  1  Cor.  X.  16.  (5)  Gen.  xvii.  10.     Exod.  xii.  11.  (t)  1  Cor.  x.  4. 


548  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

where  John  says,  "  The  Holy  Ghost  ivas  not  yet,  because  that 
Jesus  was  not  yet  glorified."  (u)  For  if  they  obstinately  ad- 
here to  their  rule,  they  will  destroy  the  eternal  existence  of  the 
Spirit,  as  if  it  commenced  at  the  ascension  of  Christ.  Let  them 
answer,  in  the  last  place,  what  is  the  meaning  of  Paul,  when 
he  calls  baptism  "  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  renew- 
ing," (v)  though  it  is  evidently  useless  to  many.  But  nothing 
is  more  conclusive  against  them  than  that  passage  where  Paul 
says,  that  the  Church  is  Christ.  For  having  drawn  a  similitude 
from  the  human  body,  he  adds,  "So  also  is  Christ  ;"(w)  by 
which  he  means  not  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God,  in  himself, 
but  in  his  members.  I  think  I  have  so  far  succeeded,  that  all 
men  of  sense  and  integrity  must  be  disgusted  with  the  foul 
calumnies  of  our  adversaries,  when  they  charge  us  with  giving 
no  credit  to  the  words  of  Christ,  which  we  receive  with  as 
much  submission  as  themselves,  and  consider  with  greater  re- 
verence. Indeed,  their  supine  negligence  is  a  proof  that  it  is  a 
subject  of  little  concern  to  them,  what  was  the  will  or  meaning 
of  Christ,  provided  they  can  use  him  as  a  shield  to  defend  their 
obstinacy ;  as  our  diligence  in  inquiring  into  Christ's  true 
meaning  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  our  high  regard  to  his  authori- 
ty. They  maHciously  represent,  that  human  reason  prevents 
us  from  believing  what  Christ  himself  has  declared  with  his 
sacred  mouth ;  but  how  unjustly  they  stigmatize  us  with  this 
reproach,  I  have  explained,  in  a  great  measure,  already,  and 
shall  presently  make  still  more  evident.  Nothing  prevents  us, 
therefore,  from  believing  Christ  when  he  speaks,  and  immedi- 
ately acquiescing  in  every  word  he  utters.  The  only  question 
is,  whether  it  be  criminal  to  inquire  into  his  genuine  meaning. 
XXIII.  To  show  themselves  men  of  letters,  these  good 
doctors  prohibit  even  the  least  departure  from  the  literal  signi- 
fication. I  reply,  When  the  Scripture  calls  God  "a  man  of 
war,"  because  this  language  would  be  too  harsh,  unless  it  be 
explained  in  a  figurative  sense,  I  hesitate  not  to  consider  it  as  a 
comparison  borrowed  from  men.  And  indeed  it  was  upon  no 
other  pretext  that  the  ancient  Anthropomorphites  molested  the 
orthodox  fathers,  than  by  laying  hold  of  such  expressions  as 
these  :  "  The  eyes  of  the  Lord  behold ;  It  entereth  into  the 
ears  of  the  Lord ;  His  hand  is  stretched  out  ;  The  earth  is  his 
footstool ;  "  and  accusing  them  of  depriving  God  of  his  body, 
which  the  Scripture  ascribes  to  him.  If  this  canon  of  interpre- 
tation be  admitted,  all  the  light  of  faith  will  be  overwhelmed 
in  the  crudest  barbarism.  For  what  monstrous  absurdities  will 
not  fanatics  be  able  to  elicit  from  the  Scripture,  if  they  are  per- 
mitted to  allege  every  detached  and  ill-understood  word  and 

(u)  John  vii.  39.  (p)  Titus  iii.  2.  (m?)  1  Cor.  xii.  12. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  549 

syllable  in  confirmation  of  their  notions  ?  The  objection  which 
they  urge,  from  the  improbability  that  Christ,  when  he  was  pre- 
paring peculiar  consolation  for  his  disciples  in  seasons  of  adver- 
sity, should  express  himself  in  enigmatical  or  obscure  language, 
is  completely  in  our  favour.  For  if  it  had  not  been  understood 
by  the  apostles,  that  the  bread  was  called  his  body  in  a  figura- 
tive sense,  because  it  was  a  symbol  of  his  body,  they  would 
undoubtedly  have  been  disturbed  about  so  monstrous  a  declara- 
tirn.  Almost  at  the  same  moment,  John  states  that  they  were 
embarrassed  and  perplexed  with  every  minute  difficulty.  They 
who  debated  among  themselves  how  Christ  was  to  go  to  the 
Father,  and  were  at  a  loss  to  know  how  he  would  depart  from 
this  world  ;  who  could  understand  nothing  that  was  said  of 
a  heavenly  Father,  because  they  had  not  seen  him ;  how  could 
they  have  been  so  ready  to  believe  any  thing  so  entirely  repug- 
nant to  every  dictate  of  reason,  as  that  Christ  was  sitting  at  the 
table  before  their  eyes,  and  yet  was  invisibly  enclosed  in  the 
bread  ?  By  eating  the  bread  without  any  hesitation,  they  testi- 
fied their  consent,  and  hence  it  appears  that  they  understood  the 
words  of  Christ  in  the  same  sense  that  we  do,  considering  that  it 
is  common  in  all  sacraments  for  the  name  of  the  sign  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  thing  signified.  To  the  disciples,  therefore,  it  was, 
as  it  is  to  us,  a  certain  and  clear  consolation,  involved  in  no 
enigma ;  nor  is  there  any  other  cause  to  be  assigned  why  some 
reject  our  interpretation,  except  that  the  devil  has  blinded  them 
by  his  delusions,  in  consequence  of  which  they  imagine  enig- 
matical obscurities,  where  a  beautiful  figure  furnishes  such  an 
obvious  and  natural  meaning.  Besides,  if  we  rigidly  adhere  to 
the  letter,  what  Christ  said  of  the  bread  would  be  inconsistent 
with  what  he  said  of  the  cup.  He  calls  the  bread  his  body,  he 
calls  the  wine  his  blood  :  either  this  must  be  a  vain  repetition, 
or  a  distinction  which  separates  the  body  from  the  blood.  It 
might  be  said  of  the  cup.  This  is  my  body,  as  truly  as  of  the 
bread  ;  and  the  converse  of  this  proposition  would  be  equally 
correct,  that  the  bread  is  his  blood.  If  they  reply,  that  we 
ought  to  consider  for  what  end  or  use  the  symbols  were  insti- 
tuted,—  this  I  acknowledge;  but  it  is  impossible  to  free  their 
error  from  this  absurd  consequence,  that  the  bread  is  the  blood, 
and  the  wine  the  body.  Now  I  am  at  a  loss  how  to  understand 
them,  when  they  admit  the  bread  and  the  body  to  be  diU'ercnt 
things,  and  yet  assert  that  the  bread  is  properly  and  without 
any  figure  called  the  body  ;  as  if  any  one  should  say  that  a 
garment  is  different  from  a  man,  and  yet  that  it  is  properly 
called  a  man.  At  the  same  time,  as  if  their  victory  consisted 
in  obstinacy  and  calumny,  they  charge  us  with  accusing  Christ 
of  falsehood,  if  we  in<iuire  into  the  true  meaning  ol  his  words. 
Now   it  will  be  easy  for  the  readers  to  judge  how  unjustly  we 


550  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

are  treated  by  these  syllable-hunters,  when  they  persuade  the 
simple  to  believe  that  we  derogate  from  the  authority  due  to 
the  words  of  Christ,  which  we  have  prov^ed  to  be  outrageously 
perverted  and  confounded  by  them,  but  to  be  faithfully  and 
accurately  explained  by  us. 

XXIV.  But  the  infamy  of  this  falsehood  cannot  be  entirely 
effaced,  without  repelling  another  calumny  ;  for  they  accuse 
us  of  being  so  devoted  to  human  reason,  as  to  limit  the  power 
of  God  by  the  order  of  nature,  and  to  allow  him  no  more  than 
our  own  understanding  teaches  us  to  ascribe  to  him.  Against 
such  iniquitous  aspersions  I  appeal  to  the  doctrine  which  I  have 
maintained  ;  which  will  sufficiently  evince  that  I  am  far  from 
measuring  this  mystery  by  the  capacity  of  human  reason,  or 
subjecting  it  to  the  laws  of  nature.  Is  it  from  natural  philoso- 
phy that  we  have  learned  tbat  Christ  feeds  our  souls  with  his 
flesh  from  heaven,  just  as  our  bodies  are  nourished  with  bread 
and  wine?  Whence  is  it  that  flesh  has  the  power  of  giving 
life  to  our  souls  ?  Every  one  will  pronounce  it  not  to  be  from 
nature.  No  more  will  it  accord  with  human  reason  that  the 
flesh  of  Christ  descends  to  us  to  become  nourishment  to  us. 
In  short,  whoever  shall  understand  our  doctrine,  will  be  enrap- 
tured with  admiration  of  the  secret  power  of  God.  But  these 
good  zealots  contrive  a  miracle,  without  which  God  himself, 
with  all  his  power,  disappears  from  their  view.  I  would  again 
request  of  my  readers  a  diligent  consideration  of  the  nature  and 
tendency  of  our  doctrine,  whether  it  depends  on  human  reason, 
or  on  the  wings  of  faith  rises  above  the  world  and  ascends  to 
heaven.  We  say  that  Christ  descends  to  us  both  by  the  exter- 
nal symbol  and  by  his  Spirit,  that  he  may  truly  vivify  our  souls 
with  the  substance  of  his  flesh  and  blood.  He  who  perceives 
not  that  many  miracles  are  comprehended  in  these  few  words, 
is  more  than  stupid  ;  for  there  is  nothing  more  preternatural 
than  for  souls  to  derive  spiritual  and  heavenly  lile  from  the 
flesh,  which  had  its  origin  from  the  earth,  and  was  subject  to 
death ;  nothing  is  more  incredible  than  for  things  separated 
from  each  other  by  all  the  distance  of  heaven  and  earth,  not- 
withstanding that  immense  local  distance,  to  be  not  only  con- 
nected, but  united,  so  that  our  souls  receive  nourishment  from 
the  flesh  of  Christ.  Let  these  fanatics,  then,  no  longer  attempt 
to  render  us  odious  by  such  a  foul  calumny,  as  though  we, 
m  any  respect,  limited  the  infinite  power  of  God  ;  which  is 
either  a  most  stupid  mistake,  or  an  impudent  falsehood.  For 
the  question  here  respects  not  what  God  could  do,  but  what  he 
has  chosen  to  do.  We  affirm  that  what  pleased  him,  came  to 
pass.  It  pleased  him  for  Christ  to  become  in  all  respects  like 
his  brethren,  sin  excepted,  (.r)     What    is  the   nature   of  our 

(f)  Heb.  ii.  14 ;  iv.  15. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  651 

body  ?  Has  it  not  its  proper  and  certain  dimensions  ?  is  it  not 
contained  in  some  particular  place,  and  capable  of  being  felt 
and  seen  ?  And  why,  say  they,  may  not  God  cause  the  same 
flesh  to  occupy  many  ditferent  places,  to  be  contained  in  no 
particular  place,  and  to  have  no  form  or  dimensions?  But  how 
can  they  be  so  senseless  as  to  require  the  power  of  God  to 
cause  a  body  to  be  a  body,  and  not  to  be  a  body,  at  the  same 
time  ?  It  is  like  demanding  of  him  to  cause  light  to  be  at  once 
both  light  and  darkness.  But  he  wills  light  to  be  light,  dark- 
ness to  be  darkness,  and  flesh  to  be  flesh.  Whenever  it  shall 
be  his  pleasure,  indeed,  he  will  turn  darkness  into  light,  and 
light  into  darkness  ;  but  to  require  that  light  and  darkness  shall 
no  longer  be  diflerent,  is  to  aim  at  perverting  the  order  of 
Divine  wisdom.  Therefore  body  must  be  body,  spirit  must 
be  spirit,  every  thing  must  be  subject  to  that  law,  and  retain 
that  condition,  which  was  fixed  by  God  at  its  creation.  And 
the  condition  of  a  body  is  such,  that  it  must  occupy  one  par- 
ticular place,  and  have  its  proper  form  and  dimensions.  In 
this  condition  did  Christ  assume  a  body,  to  which,  as  Augus- 
tine observes,  "  he  gave  incorrnption  and  glory,  but  without 
depriving  it  of  its  nature  and  reality."  The  testimony  of  the 
Scripture  is  clear  —  that  he  ascended  to  heaven,  whence  he 
will  come  again,  in  like  nwnner  as  he  was  seen  to  ascend,  (i/) 
XXV.  They  reply,  that  they  have  the  word  in  which  the 
will  of  God  is  clearly  revealed  ;  that  is,  if  they  be  allowed  to 
banish  from  the  Church  the  gift  of  interpretation  which  eluci- 
dates the  word.  I  confess  that  they  have  the  word  and  quote 
the  letter  of  Scripture  ;  but  just  as  did  the  Anthropomorphites 
in  past  ages,  who  represented  God  to  be  corporeal  ;  just  as  did 
Marcion  and  the  Manicha3ans,  who  attributed  to  Christ  a  celes- 
tial or  visionary  body.  For  they  quoted  these  texts  :  "  The 
first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy ;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord 
from  heaven."  (z)  "  Christ  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  man."  (a)  These  groveling  souls  imagine  that 
God  can  have  no  power,  unless  the  whole  order  of  nature  be 
reversed  by  the  monster  which  they  have  fabricated  in  their 
own  brains  ;  but  this  is  an  attempt  to  circumscribe  God,  and  to 
measure  his  power  by  the  fancies  of  men.  For  from  what 
word  have  they  learned  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  visible  in 
heaven,  and  yet  is  on  earth,  concealed  in  an  invisible  manner 
under  innumerable  pieces  of  bread  ?  They  will  say  that  ne- 
cessity requires  this,  in  order  to  the  body  of  Chri.^-t  being  given 
in  the  supper.  The  truth  is,  that  when  they  had  determined 
to  conclude,  from    the  language  of  Christ,  that   his  body  was 

(y)  Acts  i.  11.  (2)  1  Cor.  XV.  47.  (a)  Pbil.  ii.  7. 


552  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

eaten  in  a  carnal  manner,  carried  away  \vith  this  prejudice, 
they  found  it  necessary  to  invent  that  subtlety,  which  the 
whole  tenor  of  the  Scripture  contradicts.  That  we  derogate 
any  thing  from  the  power  of  God,  is  so  far  from  being  true,  that 
our  doctrine  peculiarly  tends  to  magnify  it.  But  as  they  never 
cease  to  accuse  us  of  defrauding  God  of  his  due  honour,  by  a 
rejection  of  every  thing  which  natural  reason  finds  it  difficult 
to  believe,  though  promised  by  the  mouth  of  Christ  himself, 
I  repeat  the  answer  which  I  have  lately  given,  that  we  consult 
not  natural  reason  respecting  the  mysteries  of  faith,  but  that, 
with  the  placid  docility  and  gentleness  of  spirit  recommended 
by  James,  (6)  we  receive  the  doctrine  which  comes  down  from 
heaven.  Yet,  in  a  point  in  which  they  run  into  a  pernicious 
error,  I  admit  that  we  pursue  a  useful  moderation.  On  hearing 
the  words  of  Christ,  "  This  is  my  body,"  they  imagine  a  miracle 
the  most  distant  from  his  intention.  This  notion  gives  birth  to 
prodigious  absurdities  ;  but,  having  already  embarrassed  them- 
selves by  their  foolish  precipitation,  they  plunge  themselves 
into  the  abyss  of  the  Divine  omnipotence,  in  order  to  extinguish 
the  light  of  truth.  Hence  the  haughty  presumption,  with 
which  they  profess  to  have  no  wish  to  know  how  Christ  is 
concealed  under  the  bread,  being  content  with  that  declaration, 
"  This  is  my  body."  We,  on  the  contrary,  with  equal  obedi- 
ence and  care,  endeavour  to  ascertain  the  true  meaning  of  this 
passage,  as  we  do  of  all  others  ;  nor  do  we,  with  preposterous 
eagerness,  temerity,  and  indiscretion,  seize  the  first  thought 
which  presents  itself  to  our  minds,  but  after  diligent  meditation 
we  embrace  that  sense  which  the  Spirit  of  God  suggests ;  es- 
tablished in  which,  we  look  down  with  contempt  on  every 
opposition  made  to  it  by  the  wisdom  of  this  world ;  we  even 
impose  restraints  on  our  own  minds,  that  they  may  not  dare  to 
ntter  a  word  of  cavil,  and  keep  them  humble  to  prev^ent  their 
murmuring  against  the  authority  of  God.  Hence  has  proceeded 
that  exposition  of  the  words  of  Christ,  which  all,  who  are  but 
moderatelj''  versed  in  the  Scripture,  know  to  be  agreeable  to  its 
invariable  usage  respecting  sacraments.  Nor  do  we  esteem  it 
unlawful,  in  a  difficult  case,  after  the  example  of  the  holy 
virgin,  to  inquire  how  it  can  be.  (c) 

XXVI.  But  as  nothing  will  be  more  efiectual  to  confirm 
the  faith  of  true  believers,  than  a  knowledge  that  the  doctrine 
which  we  have  advanced  is  drawn  from  the  pure  word  of  God, 
and  rests  upon  its  authority,  I  will  demonstrate  this  with  all 
possible  brevity.  It  is  not  from  Aristotle,  but  from  the  Holy 
Spirit,  that  we  have  learned  that  the  body  of  Christ,  since  its 
resurrection,  is  limited,  and  received  into  heaven  till  the  last 

V 
(b)  James  i.  21.  (c)  Luke  i.  34. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  555 

day.  I  am  fully  aware  that  our  adversaries  contemptuously 
elude  the  passages  which  are  adduced  for  this  purpose,  (d) 
Whenever  Christ  speaks  of  his  approaching  departure  frotn  the 
world,  they  reply  that  this  departure  was  nothing  more  tlian  a 
change  of  his  mortal  state.  But  if  this  were  correct,  Christ 
would  not  substitute  the  Holy  Spirit  to  supply  the  defect  of 
his  absence,  as  they  express  it,  since  the  Spirit  does  not 
succeed  to  his  place,  nor  does  Christ  himself  descend  again 
from  the  glory  of  heaven  to  assume  the  condition  of  this  mortal 
life.  The  advent  of  the  Spirit,  and  the  ascension  of  Christ, 
are  clearly  opposed  to  each  other ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  impossi- 
ble for  Christ  to  dwell  with  us,  according  to  his  flesh,  in  the 
same  manner  in  which  he  sends  his  Spirit.  Besides,  he  ex- 
pressly declares  that  he  shall  not  always  be  with  his  disciples 
in  the  world,  (e)  This  declaration  also  they  think  they  have 
completely  explained  away,  by  saying  that  Christ  merely 
intended  that  he  should  not  always  be  poor  and  mean,  and 
exposed  to  the  necessities  of  this  transitory  life.  But  they  are 
evidently  contradicted  by  the  context,  which  relates,  not  to 
his  poverty,  or  indigence,  or  any  of  the  miseries  of  this  life, 
but  to  his  reception  of  respect  and  honour.  The  unction  per- 
formed by  the  woman  displeased  the  disciples,  because  they 
thought  it  an  unnecessary  and  useless  expense,  bordering  on 
hixury ;  and,  therefore,  they  wished  that  the  value  of  the  oint- 
ment, wdiich  they  considered  as  improperly  lavished,  had  been 
distributed  to  the  poor.  Christ  said,  that  he  should  not  always  be 
present  to  receive  such  honour.  Augustine  has  given  the  same 
explanation  of  this  passage,  in  the  following  explicit  language : 
—  "When  Christ  said,  Me  ye  have  not  always  with  you, 
he  spoke  of  the  presence  of  his  body.  For  according  to  his 
majesty,  his  providence,  and  his  inelfable  and  invisible  grace, 
is  accomplished  what  he  said  on  another  occasion  —  Lo,  I  am 
with  you  always,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  but,  with 
respect  to  the  body,  which  the  Word  assumed,  which  was 
born  of  the  virgin,  which  was  apprehended  by  the  Jews,  which 
was  affixed  to  the  tree,  which  was  taken  down  from  the  cross, 
which  was  wrapped  in  linen  clothes,  which  was  laid  in  the 
sepulchre,  which  was  manifested  at  the  resurrection,  this  de- 
claration is  fulfilled  —  Me  ye  have  not  always  with  you.  Why  ? 
Because  in  his  corporeal  presence  he  conversed  with  his  disci- 
ples for  forty  days,  and  while  they  were  attending  him,  seen, 
but  not  followed  by  them,  he  ascended  to  lieaven.  He  is  not 
here  ;  for  he  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father :  and  yet  lie 
is  here  ;  for  he  has  not  withdrawn  the  presence  of  his  majesty: 
otherwise,  according  to  the  presence  of  his  majesty,  we  have 

(d)  John  xiv.  2,  3,  28.  W  ^I'^".  xxvi.  11. 

VOL.  II.  TO 


654  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

Christ  always  with  us ;  but,  with  respect  to  his  corporeal  pre- 
sence, he  said  with  truth.  Me  ye  have  not  always  with  you. 
For  the  Church  had  his  bodily  presence  for  a  few  days ;  now 
it  retains  him  by  faith,  but  does  not  behold  him  with  corporeal 
eyes."  Here  let  us  briefly  remark,  this  father  represents 
Christ  as  present  with  us  in  three  respects  —  in  his  majesty, 
his  providence,  and  his  ineffable  grace  ;  under  the  last  of 
which  I  comprehend  the  wonderful  communion  of  his  body 
and  blood ;  only  we  must  understand  this  to  be  efl"ected  by 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  not  by  a  fictitious  enclosure 
of  his  body  under  the  bread.  For  our  Lord  has  declared  that 
he  has  flesh  and  bones,  capable  of  being  felt  and  seen  ;  and  to 
go  away  and  to  ascend  import  not  a  mere  appearance  of  ascent 
and  departure,  but  an  actual  performance  of  that  which  the 
words  express.  Shall  we,  then,  it  will  be  said  by  some,  assign 
to  Christ  a  particular  district  of  heaven  ?  I  reply,  with  Augus- 
tine, that  this  question  is  too  curious,  and  altogether  unneces- 
sary ;  provided  we  believe  that  he  is  in  heaven,  that  is  enough. 
XXVH.  Does  not  the  term  ascension,  which  is  so  frequently 
repeated,  signify  a  removal  from  one  place  to  another  ?  This 
they  deny,  because  they  consider  his  exaltation  as  only  deno- 
ting the  majesty  of  his  empire.  But  I  ask.  What  was  the  man- 
ner of  his  ascent?  Was  he  not  carried  up  on  high  in  the  view 
of  his  disciples  ?  Do  not  the  evangelists  expressly  state  that 
he  was  received  up  into  heaven  ?(/)  These  acute  sophists 
reply  that  he  was  concealed  from  their  sight  by  an  interposing 
cloud,  to  teach  believers  that  thenceforward  he  would  not  be 
visible  in  the  world.  As  though,  to  produce  a  belief  of  his 
invisible  presence,  he  ought  not  rather  to  have  vanished  in  a 
moment,  or  to  have  been  enveloped  in  the  cloud  without 
moving  from  where  he  stood.  But  as  he  was  carried  up  into 
the  air,  and,  by  the  interposition  of  a  cloud  between  him  and 
his  disciples,  showed  that  he  was  no  longer  to  be  souglit  for 
on  earth,  we  confidently  conclude  that  his  residence  is  now  in 
heaven.  This  also  is  affirmed  by  Paul,  who  teaches  us  to  ex- 
pect him  from  thence,  (g)  For  this  reason  the  angels  admo- 
nished the  disciples  —  "  Why  stand  ye  gazing  up  into  heaven? 
This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven, 
shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven."  (h)  Here  also  the  adversaries  of  sound  doctrine 
have  recourse  to  what  they  think  an  ingenious  evasion  — that 
he  will  then  become  visible  who  has  never  departed  iVom  the 
word,  but  remained  invisible  with  his  people.  As  thougli  the 
angels,  in  that  address,  insinuated  a  tM'ofold  presence,  and  did 


(/)  Mark  xvi.  19.     Luke  xxiv.  51.     Acts  i.  9. 
(g)  Phil.  iii.  20.  (A)  Ac'/  i.  11. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  555 

not  simply  make  the  disciples  ocular  witnesses  of  his  ascension, 
with  a  view  to  preclude  every  doubt ;  just  as  if  they  had  said, 
Received  up  into  heaven  in  your  sight,  he  has  taken  possession 
of  the  celestial  empire  ;  it  remains  for  you  to  wait  with  pa- 
tience till  he  shall  come  again  as  the  judge  of  the  world ;  for 
he  is  now  entered  into  heaven,  not  to  occupy  it  alone,  but  to 
assemble  you  and  all  the  godly  to  enjoy  it  whh  him. 

XXVIII.  As  the  advocates  of  this  spurious  doctrine  are  not 
ashamed  to  defend  it  by  the  suflrages  of  the  fathers,  and  parti- 
cularly of  Augustine,  I  will  briefly  expose  the  disingenuousness 
of  this  attempt.  Their  testimonies  having  been  collected  by 
learned  and  pious  writers,  I  have  no  inclination  to  go  over  the 
same  ground  ;  any  one  who  wishes  may  consult  their  writings. 
Nor  even  from  Augustine  shall  I  adduce  every  passage  which 
would  serve  the  argument ;  but  shall  content  myself  with 
showing,  by  a  few  extracts,  that  he  is,  beyond  all  doubt,  per- 
fectly in  harmony  with  us.  In  order  to  deprive  us  of  him,  our 
adversaries  allege  that,  in  various  parts  of  his  works,  he  states 
the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ,  even  the  victim  once  ofl'ered  on 
the  cross,  to  be  dispensed  in  the  sacred  supper  ;  but  this  is  alto- 
gether frivolous ;  since  he  also  calls  the  consecrated  symbols 
either  "the  eucharist,"  or  "the  sacrament  of  Christ's  body  and 
blood."  But  in  what  sense  he  uses  the  words  Jlcsh  and  blood,  it 
is  unnecessary  to  make  any  long  or  circuitous  inquiry  ;  for  he 
explains  himself  by  saying,  "  that  sacraments  take  their  names 
from  the  similitude  of  those  things  which  they  signify,  and, 
therefore,  in  some  sense,  the  sacrament  of  the  body  is  the  body^ 
With  this  corresponds  another  well  known  passage :  '•  The 
Lord  hesitated  not  to  say.  This  is  my  body,  when  he  delivered 
the  sign  of  it."  They  object  again,  that  Augustine  expressly 
says,  that  the  body  of  Christ  falls  to  the  earth,  and  enters  into 
the  mouth.  I  reply,  that  he  says  this  in  the  same  sense  in 
which  he  afiirms  it  to  be  consumed  ;  because  he  connects  both 
these  things  together.  Nor  does  any  objection  arise  from  his 
saying,  that  when  the  mystery  is  finished,  the  bread  is  con- 
sumed ;  because  he  had  just  before  said,  "  As  these  things  are 
known  to  man,  being  done  by  man,  they  may  have  honour  as 
holy  things,  but  not  as  miracles."  And  to  the  same  eff"ect  is 
another  expression,  which  our  adversaries,  without  su/licient 
consideration,  represent  as  in  their  favour  ;  that,  "when  Christ 
presented  the  mystical  bread  to  his  disciples,  he,  in  a  certain 
sense,  held  himself  in  his  own  hands."  For,  by  introducing  this 
qualifying  phrase  in  a  certain  sense,  he  sufliciently  declares  that 
the  body  of  Christ  was  not  truly  or  really  enclosed  in  the  bread. 
Nor  ought  this  to  be  thought  strange,  for  m  another  place  he 
expressly  maintains,  "That  if  bodies  be  deprived  of  tiieir  local 
spaces,  they  will  be  nowhere,  and  consequently  will  cease  to 


556  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [kOOK    IV. 

have  any  existence."  It  is  a  poor  cavil,  to  say  that  this  passage 
does  not  relate  to  the  sacred  supper,  in  which  God  exerts  a 
special  power ;  because  the  question  had  been  agitated  respect- 
ing tlie  body  of  Christ,  and  this  holy  father,  professedly  an- 
swering it,  says,  "  Christ  has  given  immortality  to  his  body, 
but  has  not  deprived  it  of  its  nature.  In  a  corporeal  form, 
therefore,  he  is  not  to  be  considered  as  universally  diffused  ; 
for  we  must  beware  of  asserting  his  Divinity  in  such  a  way  as 
to  destroy  the  truth  of  his  body.  It  does  not  follow,  that,  be- 
cause God  is  every  where,  all  that  is  in  him  is  every  Avhere  also."' 
The  reason  is  immediately  added  —  "  For  one  person  is  God  and 
man,  and  both  constitute  one  Christ ;  as  God,  he  is  every  where  ; 
as  man,  he  is  in  heaven."  What  stupidity  would  it  have  be- 
trayed not  to  except  the  mystery  of  the  supper,  a  thing  so  serious 
and  important,  if  it  contained  any  thing  inconsistent  with  the 
doctrine  he  was  maintaining  !  Yet,  if  any  one  will  attentively 
read  what  follows,  he  will  find,  that  under  that  general  doc- 
trine, the  Lord's  supper  is  also  comprehended.  He  says,  that 
Christ,  who  is,  in  one  person,  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God 
and  the  Son  of  man,  is  every  where  present  as  God;  that,  as 
God,  he  resides  in  the  temple  of  God,  that  is,  in  the  Church  ;  and 
yet  that  he  occupies  some  particular  place  in  heaven,  according 
to  the  dimensions  of  a  real  body.  To  unite  Christ  with  his 
Church,  we  see  he  does  not  bring  down  his  body  from  heaven  ; 
which  he  certainly  would  have  done,  if  that  body  could  not 
become  our  food  without  being  enclosed  under  the  bread.  In 
another  place,  describing  how  Christ  is  now  possessed  by  be- 
lievers, he  says,  "  You  have  him  by  the  sign  of  the  cross,  by 
the  sacrament  of  baptism,  by  the  food  and  drink  of  the  altar." 
Whether  he  is  correct  in  placing  a  superstitious  ceremony 
among  the  symbols  of  Christ's  presence,  I  am  not  now  discuss- 
ing ;  but  in  comparing  the  presence  of  the  flesh  to  the  sign  of  the 
cross,  he  sufliciently  shows  that  he  does  not  imagine  Christ  to 
have  two  bodies,  one  visibly  seated  in  heaven,  and  the  other 
invisibly  concealed  under  the  bread.  If  any  further  explication 
be  necessary,  it  is  soon  after  added,  "  That  we  always  have 
Christ,  according  to  the  presence  of  his  majesty  ;  but  that,  ac- 
cording to  the  presence  of  his  flesh,  it  is  rightly  said,  Me  ye 
have  not  always."  Our  adversaries  reply,  that  it  is  also  ob- 
served, at  the  same  time,  "  that  according  to  his  ineffable  and 
invisible  grace,  iiis  declaration  is  fulfilled  —  Lo,  I  am  with  you 
always,  even  to  the  end  of  the  world."  But  this  is  nothing  in 
their  favour,  because,  after  all,  it  is  restricted  to  that  majesty 
which  is  always  opposed  to  the  body,  and  his  flesh  is  expressly 
distinguished  from  his  power  and  grace.  In  another  passage 
of  this  author,  we  fiud  the  same  antithesis,  or  contrast,  "  that 
Christ  left  his  disciples  in  his  corporeh,l  presence,  that  he  might 


CHAP.    XVn.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  557 

be  with  them  by  his  spiritual  presence  ;  "  which  clearly  distin- 
guishes the  substance  of  the  flesh  from  the  power  of  the  S|.irit, 
which  conjoins  us  with  Cln'ist,  notwithstanding  we  are  widely 
separated  from  him  by  local  distance.  He  frequently  uses  the 
same  mode  of  expression,  as  when  he  says,  "  Christ  will  come 
again,  in  his  corporeal  presence,  to  judge  the  living  and  the 
dead,  according  to  the  rule  of  faith  and  sound  doctrine.  For 
in  his  spiritual  presence,  he  was  to  come  to  his  disciples,  and  to 
be  with  his  whole  Church  on  earth,  to  the  end  of  time.  Tliis 
discourse,  therefore,  was  addressed  to  the  believers,  whom  he 
had  already  begun  to  keep  with  his  corporeal  presence,  and 
whom  he  was  about  to  leave  by  his  corporeal  absence,  that 
with  the  Father  he  might  keep  them  by  his  spiritual  presence." 
To  explain  corporeal  to  mean  visible^  is  mere  trifling  ;  for  he 
opposes  the  body  of  Christ  to  his  Divine  power ;  and  by  add- 
ing, "  that  ^oitk  the  Father  he  might  keep  them,''  clearly 
expresses  that  the  Saviour  communicates  his  grace  to  us  from 
heaven  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

XXIX.  As  they  place  so  much  confidence  in  this  subterfuge 
of  an  invisible  presence,  let  us  see  how  far  it  serves  their  cause. 
In  the  first  place,  they  cannot  produce  a  single  syllable  from 
the  Scriptures  to  prove  that  Christ  is  invisible  ;  but  they  take 
for  granted,  what  no  man  of  sound  judgment  will  concede  to 
them,  that  the  body  of  Christ  cannot  be  given  in  the  supper, 
without  being  concealed  under  the  form  of  bread.  Now,  so  far 
is  this  from  being  an  admitted  axiom,  that  it  is  the  very  point 
in  dispute  between  them  and  us.  And  while  they  talk  in  this 
way,  they  are  constrained  to  attribute  to  Christ  a  double  body, 
because,  upon  their  principle,  he  is  visible  in  heaven,  and  at 
the  same  time,  by  a  special  dispensation,  is  invisible  in  the 
sacred  supper.  Whether  this  is  correct  or  not.  it  is  easy  to 
judge  from  various  passages  of  Scripture,  and  particularly  fiom 
the  testimony  of  Peter;  who  says  of  Christ,  that  "the  hea- 
vens must  receive  him,  until  the  times  of  restitution  of  all 
things."  (i)  These  men  maintain  that  he  is  in  all  ])laccs,  but 
without  any  form.  They  object  that  it  is  unreasonable  to 
subject  the  nature  of  a  glorified  body  to  the  laws  of  common 
nature.  But  this  objection  leads  to  the  extravagant  notion  of 
Servetus,  which  justly  deserves  the  detestation  of  all  believers, 
that  the  body  of  Christ,  after  his  ascension,  was  absorbed  in  his 
Divinity.  I  will  not  assert,  that  they  hold  this  opinion  ;  but 
if  it  be  considered  as  one  of  the  attributes  of  the  glorified  body, 
to  fill  all  places  in  an  invisible  manner,  it  is  evident  that  the 
corporeal  substance  must  be  destroyed,  and  no  diflcrence  will 
be  left  between  the  Divinity  and  the  humanity.     Besides,  if 

(i)  Acts  iii.  21. 


558  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

the  body  of  Christ  be  muhiform  and  variable,  so  as  to  appear 
in  one  place,  and  to  be  invisible  in  another^  what  becomes  of 
the  nature  of  a  body  which  consists  in  having  its  proper  dimen- 
sions ?  and  where  is  its  unity?  With  far  greater  propriety 
Tertullian  argues,  that  the  body  of  Christ  was  a  true  and  natu- 
ral body,  because  the  emblem  of  it  is  presented  to  us  in  the 
mystery  of  the  supper,  as  a  pledge  and  assurance  of  spiritual 
life.  And,  indeed,  it  was  of  his  glorified  body,  that  Christ 
said,  "  Handle  me,  and  see  ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and 
bones,  as  ye  see  me  have."  (k)  We  see  how  the  truth  of  his 
body  is  proved  by  the  lips  of  Christ  himself,  because  it  can  be 
felt  and  seen ;  deprive  it  of  these  qualities,  and  it  will  cease  to 
be  a  body.  They  are  always  recurring  to  their  subterfuge  of 
the  dispensation  which  they  have  invented.  But  it  is  our  duty 
to  receive  what  Christ  absolutely  declares,  in  such  a  manner, 
as  to  admit,  without  any  exception,  whatever  he  is  pleased  to 
affirm.  He  proved  that  he  was  not  a  phantom,  because  he 
was  visible  in  his  flesh.  If  that  be  taken  away  which  he 
asserts  to  belong  to  the  nature  of  his  body,  will  it  not  be  neces- 
sary to  frame  a  new  definition  of  a  body  ?  Now,  with  all  their 
sophistry,  they  can  extract  nothing  to  support  their  imaginary 
dispensation  from  that  passage  of  Paul,  where  he  says,  that 
"  From  heaven  we  look  for  the  Saviour,  who  shall  change  our 
vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto  his  glorious 
body."  (/)  For  we  cannot  hope  for  a  conformity  to  Christ  in 
those  qualities  which  they  attribute  to  him,  which  would  make 
all  our  bodies  invisible  and  infinite ;  nor  will  they  find  a  man 
foolish  enough  to  be  persuaded  to  believe  so  great  an  absurdity. 
Let  them,  then,  no  longer  ascribe  to  the  glorified  body  of  Christ 
the  property  of  being  in  many  places  at  once,  or  of  being  con- 
tained within  no  particular  space.  In  short,  let  them  either 
deny  the  resurrection  of  the  flesh,  or  admit  that  Christ,  though 
clothed  with  celestial  glory,  has  not  divested  himself  of  his 
flesh  ;  for  he  will  make  us,  in  our  flesh,  partakers  of  the  same 
glory,  as  we  shall  enjoy  a  resurrection  similar  to  his.  For 
what  is  there  more  clearly  stated  in  any  part  of  the  Scripture, 
than  that  as  Christ  really  assumed  our  flesh  when  he  was  born 
of  the  virgin,  and  suflered  in  our  flesh  to  atone  for  our  sins,  so 
he  resumed  the  same  flesh,  at  his  resurrection,  and  carried  it 
up  into  heaven  ?  For  all  the  hope  that  we  have  of  our  resur- 
rection and  ascension  to  heaven,  is  founded  on  the  resurrection 
and  ascension  of  Christ;  who,  as  Tertullian  says,  "has  taken 
the  pledge  of  our  resurrection  into  heaven  with  him.''  Now, 
how  weak  and  faint  would  this  hope  be,  if  the  real  flesh  of 
Christ  had  not  truly  risen  from  the  dead,  and  entered  into  the 

{k)  Luke  xxiv.  39.  (/)  Phil.  iii.  20,  21. 


CHAP.    XVII. J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  559 

kingdom  of  heavren  !  But  it  is  essential  to  a  real  body,  to  liave 
its  particular  form  and  dimensions,  and  to  be  contained  within 
some  certain  space.  Let  us  hear  no  more,  then,  of  this  ridicu- 
lous notion,  which  fastens  the  minds  of  men,  and  Clirist  him- 
self, to  the  bread.  For  what  is  the  use  of  this  invisible  pre- 
sence concealed  under  the  bread,  but  to  lead  those  who  desire 
to  be  united  to  Christ,  to  confine  their  attention  to  that  symbol? 
But  the  Lord  intended  to  withdraw,  not  only  our  eyes,  but  all 
our  senses,  from  the  earth,  when  he  forbade  the  woman  to 
touch  him,  because  he  was  not  yet  ascended  to  his  Father,  (w) 
When  he  saw  Mary,  with  pious  affection  and  reverence,  hasten- 
ing to  kiss  his  feet,  there  was  no  reason  for  his  disapprobation 
and  prohibition  of  such  an  act,  before  his  ascension  to  heaven, 
except  that  heaven  was  the  only  place  where  he  chose  to  be 
sought.  It  is  objected,  that  he  was  afterwards  seen  by  Ste- 
phen ;  («)  \)in  the  answer  is  easy ;  for,  in  order  to  this,  no 
change  of  place  was  necessary  to  Christ,  who  could  impart  to 
the  eyes  of  his  servant  a  supernatural  perspicacity,  capable  of 
penetrating  into  heaven.  The  same  observation  is  applicable 
to  his  appearance  to  Paul,  (o)  They  allege  that  Christ  came 
out  of  the  sepulchre,  while  the  sepulchre  remained  closed,  and 
entered  into  the  room  where  his  disciples  were  assembled, 
while  the  doors  continued  shut ;  but  this  contributes  no  sup- 
port to  their  error.  For  as  the  water  was  like  a  solid  pavement, 
forming  a  road  for  Christ  when  he  walked  on  the  lake,  so  it 
is  no  wonder  if  the  hardness  of  the  stone  gave  way,  to  make 
him  a  passage  ;  though  it  is  more  probable  that  the  stone  re- 
moved at  his  command,  and  after  his  departure  returned  to  its 
place.  And  to  enter  while  the  doors  remained  shut,  does  not 
imply  his  penetrating  through  the  solid  matter,  but  his  open- 
ing an  entrance  for  himself  by  his  Divine  power,  so  that,  in  a 
miraculous  manner,  he  instantaneously  stood  in  the  midst  of 
his  disciples,  though  the  doors  were  shut.  What  they  adduce 
from  Luke,  that  "  he  vanished  out  of  the  sight  "  of  his  two 
disciples,  with  whom  he  had  walked  to  Emmaus,  (p)  is  of  no 
service  to  their  cause,  but  is  in  favour  of  ours  ;  for,  according 
to  the  testimony  of  the  same  evangelist,  when  he  joined  these 
disciples,  he  assumed  no  new  appearance  in  order  to  conceal 
himself;  but  "their  eyes  were  holden,  that  they  should  not 
know  him."  (</)  Our  adversaries,  however,  not  only  transform 
Christ,  to  keep  him  in  the  world,  but  they  represent  him  as 
unlike  nimself,  and  altogether  dillcrent  on  earth  from  what  he 
is  in  heaven.  By  such  extravagances,  in  short,  they  turn  the 
body  of  Christ  into  a  spirit,  though  not  by  positive  assertion, 

(m)  John  XX.  17.  (n)  Acts  vii.  55.  (o)  Acts  xxii.  13.     1  Cor.  xv.  b. 

^^  ip)  Luke  XXIV.  31.  (?)  i^uke  ixiv.  16. 


660  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

yet  by  direct  implication  ;  and  not  content  with  this,  they 
attribute  to  it  qualities  utterly  incompatible  with  each  other; 
whence  it  follows,  of  necessity,  that  he  must  have  two  bodies. 
XXX.  Though  we  should  grant  them  what  they  contend 
for,  respecting  its  invisible  presence,  still  this  would  be  no  proof 
of  its  infinity,  without  which  it  will  be  a  vain  attempt  to 
enclose  Christ  under  the  bread.  Unless  the  body  of  Christ  be 
capable  of  being  every  where  at  once,  without  any  limitation 
of  place,  it  will  not  be  credible  that  it  is  concealed  under  the 
bread  in  the  sacred  supper.  It  was  this  necessity  which  caused 
them  to  introduce  their  monstrous  notion  of  its  ubiquity.  But 
it  has  been  shown,  by  clear  and  strong  testimonies  of  Scripture, 
that  the  body  of  Christ  was,  like  other  human  bodies,  circum- 
scribed by  certain  dimensions  ;  and  its  ascension  to  heaven 
made  it  evident  that  it  was  not  in  all  places,  but^that  it  left 
one  place,  when  it  removed  to  another.  Nor  is  the  promise, 
"  I  am  with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world,"  (r) 
to  be  applied,  as  they  suppose  it  should  be,  to  his  body.  In 
the  first  place,  on  this  supposition,  there  will  be  no  such  per- 
petual connection,  unless  Christ  dwells  in  us  in  a  corporeal 
manner,  without  the  use  of  the  sacramental  supper ;  and  there- 
fore they  have  no  sufficient  cause  for  contending  so  fiercely 
respecting  the  words  of  Christ,  in  order  to  enclose  Christ  under 
the  bread.  In  the  next  place,  the  context  evinces,  that  Christ 
there  has  not  the  most  distant  reference  to  his  flesh,  but  pro- 
mises his  disciples  invincible  aid  to  sustain  and  defend  them 
against  all  the  assaults  of  Satan  and  the  world.  For  having 
assigned  them  a  difficult  province,  to  encourage  them  to  under- 
take it  without  hesitation,  and  to  discharge  it  with  undaunted 
resolution,  he  supports  them  with  the  assurance  of  his  presence  ; 
as  though  he  had  said,  they  should  never  want  his  aid,  which 
nothing  could  overcome.  Unless  these  men  wished  to  iuvolve 
every  thing  in  confusion,  ought  they  not  to  distinguish  the 
nature  of  this  presence  ?  It  is  evident  that  some  persons  M^ould 
rather  incur  the  greatest  disgrace  by  betraying  their  ignorance, 
than  relinquish  even  the  least  particle  of  their  error.  I  speak 
not  of  the  Romanists,  whose  doctrine  is  more  tolerable,  or  at 
least  more  modest ;  but  some  are  so  carried  away  with  the 
heat  of  contention,  as  to  affirm  that,  on  account  of  the  union 
of  the  two  natures  in  Christ,  wherever  his  Divinity  is,  his  flesh, 
which  cannot  be  separated  from  it,  is  there  also  ;  as  if  that  union 
had  mingled  the  two  natures  so  as  to  form  some  intermediate 
kind  of  being,  which  is  neither  God  nor  man.  This  notion  was 
maintained  by  Eutyches,  and  since  his  time  by  Servetus.  But 
It  is  clearly  ascertained  from  the  Scriptures,  that  in  the  one 

(r)  Matt,  x.wiii.  20. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  ;5gl 

person  of  Christ  the  two  natures  are  united  in  such  a  manner, 
that  each  retains  its  peculiar  properties  undiminished.  That 
Eutyches  was  justly  condemned  as  a  heretic,  our  adversaries 
will  not  deny ;  it  is  surprising  that  they  overlook  the  cause  of 
his  condemnation,  which  was,  that  by  taking  away  the  diffor- 
ence  between  the  two  natures,  and  insisting  on  the  unity  of  t/ie 
person,  he  made  the  Divinity  human,  and  deified  the  humanity. 
What  absurdity,  therefore,  is  it  to  mingle  heaven  and  earth 
together,  rather  than  not  to  draw  the  body  down  from  the 
celestial  sanctuary  !  They  endeavour  to  justify  themselves  by 
adducing  these  texts:  "No  man  hath  ascended  up  to  hea- 
ven, but  he  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even  the  Son  of 
man,  which  is  in  heaven  ;  •'  and,  "  The  only  begotten  Son, 
which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared  him."(s) 
But  it  argues  the  same  stupidity  to  disregard  the  communica- 
tion of  properties,  a  term  which  was  with  good  reason  adopted 
by  the  holy  fathers  in  the  early  ages.  When  Paul  says  that 
"The  Lord  of  glory  "  was  "crucified,"  (^)  he  certainly  does 
not  intend  that  Christ  suffered  any  thing  in  his  Divinity, 
but  that  the  same  person,  who  suffered  as  an  abject  and  de- 
spised man,  was  also,  as  God,  the  Lord  of  glory.  In  the  same 
sense,  the  Son  of  man  was  in  heaven  ;  because  the  same  Christ, 
who,  according  to  the  flesh,  dwelt  on  earth  as  the  Son  of 
man,  as  God,  was  always  in  heaven.  For  this  reason,  in  the 
same  passage,  he  represents  himself  as  having  descended  from 
heaven,  according  to  his  Divinity  ;  not  that  his  Divinity  quitted 
heaven  to  confine  itself  in  the  prison  of  the  body  ;  but  because, 
though  it  filled  all  space,  yet  it  dwelt  corporeally,  or  naturally, 
and  in  a  certain  ineffable  manner,  in  the  humanity.  It  is  a  dis- 
tinction common  in  the  schools,  and  which  I  am  not  asliamed 
to  repeat,  that  though  Christ  is  every  where  entire,  yet  all  that 
is  in  him  is  not  every  where.  And  I  sincerely  wish  that  the 
schoolmen  themselves  had  duly  considered  the  meaning  of 
this  observation  ;  for  then  we  should  never  have  heard  of 
their  stupid  notion  of  the  corporeal  presence  of  Christ  in  the 
sacrament.  Therefore,  our  Mediator,  as  he  is  every  where  en- 
tire, is  always  near  to  his  people  ;  and  in  the  sacred  supper 
exhibits  himself  present  in  a  peculiar  manner,  yet  not  with 
all  that  belongs  to  him  ;  because,  as  we  have  stated,  his  body 
has  been  received  into  heaven,  and  remains  there  till  he  shall 
come  to  judgment. 

XXXI.  They  are  exceedingly  deceived,  who  cannot  con- 
ceive of  any  presence  of  the  flesh  of  Christ  in  the  supper,  ex- 
cept it  be  attached  to  the  bread.  For  on  this  principle  they 
leave  nothing  to  the  secret  operation  of  the  Spirit,  which  unites 

(s)  John  iii.  13 ;  i.  13.  (0  1  Cor.  ii.  8. 

VOL.  II.  Tl 


562  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

US  to  Christ.  They  suppose  Christ  not  to  be  present,  unless 
lie  descends  to  us  ;  as  though  we  cannot  equally  enjoy  his 
presence,  if  he  elevates  us  to  himself.  The  only  question 
between  us,  therefore,  respects  the  manner  of  this  presence  ; 
because  they  place  Christ  in  the  bread,  and  we  think  it  unlaw- 
ful for  us  to  bring  him  down  from  heaven.  Let  the  readers 
judge  on  which  side  the  truth  lies.  Only  let  us  hear  no  more 
of  that  calumny,  that  Christ  is  excluded  from  the  sacrament, 
unless  he  be  concealed  under  the  bread.  For  as  this  is  a  hea- 
venly mystery,  there  is  no  necessity  to  bring  Christ  down  to 
the  earth,  in  order  to  be  united  to  us. 

XXXII.  If  any  one  inquire  of  me  respecting  the  manner,  I 
shall  not  be  ashamed  to  acknowledge,  that  it  is  a  mystery  too 
sublime  for  me  to  be  able  to  express,  or  even  to  comprehend  ; 
and,  to  be  still  more  explicit,  I  rather  experience  it,  than  un- 
derstand it.  Here,  therefore,  without  any  controversy,  1  em- 
brace the  truth  of  God,  on  which  I  can  safely  rely.  He  pro- 
nounces his  flesh  to  be  the  food,  and  his  blood  the  drink,  of 
my  soul.  I  offer  him  my  soul,  to  be  nourished  with  such  ali- 
ment. In  his  sacred  supper,  he  commands  me,  under  the  sym- 
bols of  bread  and  wine,  to  take,  and  eat,  and  drink,  his  body 
and  blood.  I  doubt  not  that  he  truly  presents,  and  that  I  re- 
ceive them.  Only  I  reject  the  absurdities  which  appear  to  be 
either  degrading  to  his  majesty,  or  inconsistent  with  the  reality 
of  his  human  nature,  and  are  at  the  same  time  repugnant  to 
the  word  of  God,  which  informs  us  that  Christ  has  been  re- 
ceived into  the  glory  of  the  celestial  kingdom,  where  he  is 
exalted  above  every  condition  of  the  world,  and  which  is  equally 
careful  to  attribute  to  his  human  nature  the  properties  of  real 
humanity.  Nor  ought  this  to  seem  incredible  or  unreasonable, 
because,  as  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  wholly  spiritual,  so  his 
communications  with  his  Church  are  not  at  all  to  be  regulated  by 
the  order  of  the  present  world  ;  or,  to  use  the  words  of  Augus- 
tine, "  This  mystery,  as  well  as  others,  is  celebrated  by  man, 
but  in  a  Divine  manner  ;  it  is  administered  on  earth,  but  in  a 
heavenly  manner."  The  presence  of  Christ's  body,  I  say,  is 
such  as  the  nature  of  the  sacrament  requires  ;  where  we  affirm 
that  it  appears  with  so  much  virtue  and  eflicacy,  as  not  only  to 
afford  our  minds  an  undoubted  confidence  of  eternal  life,  but 
also  to  give  us  an  assurance  of  the  resurrection  and  immortality 
of  our  bodies.  For  they  are  vivified  by  his  immortal  tlesh, 
and  in  some  degree  participate  his  immortality.  Those  who 
go  beyond  this  in  their  hyperbolical  representations,  merely 
obscure  the  simple  and  obvious  truth  by  such  intricacies.  If 
any  person  be  not  yet  satisfied,  I  would  request  him  to  con- 
sider, that  we  are  now  treating  of  a  sacrament,  every  part  of 
Which  ought  to  be  referred  to  faith^    Now,  we  feed  our  faith 


CHAP.   XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION,  663 

by  this  participation  of  the  body  of  Christ  which  we  have 
mentioned,  as  fully  as  they  do,  who  bring  Jiini  down  from 
heaven.  At  the  same  time,  1  candidly  confess,  that  1  reject 
that  mixture  of  the  flesh  of  Christ  with  our  souls,  or  that  trans- 
fusion of  it  into  us,  which  they  teach ;  because  it  is  snfllcient 
for  us  that  Christ  inspires  life  into  our  souls  from  the  substance 
of  his  flesh,  and  even  infuses  his  own  life  into  us,  though  his 
flesh  never  actually  enters  into  us.  I  may  also  remark,  that 
the  analogy  of  faith,  to  which  Paul  directs  us  to  conform  every 
interpretation  of  the  Scripture,  is  in  this  case,  beyond  all  doubt, 
eminently  in  our  favour.  Let  the  adversaries  of  so  clear  a 
truth  examine  by  what  rule  of  faith  they  regulate  themselves. 
"  He  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh, 
is  not  of  God."  (y)  Such  persons,  though  they  may  conceal 
it,  or  may  not  observe  it,  do,  in  effect,  deny  the  reality  of  his 
flesh. 

XXXIII.  The  same  judgment  is  to  be  formed  of  our  par- 
ticipation, which  they  suppose  not  to  be  enjoyed  at  all,  unless 
the  flesh  of  Christ  be  swallowed  in  the  bread.  But  we  do  no 
small  injury  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  unless  we  believe  that  our 
communion  with  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  is  the  effect  of 
his  incomprehensible  influence.  Ev^en  if  the  virtue  of  this 
mystery,  such  as  we  have  represented  it,  and  as  it  was  under- 
stood by  the  ancient  Church,  had  received  the  consideration 
justly  due  to  it,  for  fotu-  hundred  years  past,  there  would  have 
been  quite  enough  to  satisfy  us,  and  the  door  would  have  been 
shut  against  many  pernicious  errors,  which  have  kindled  dread- 
ful dissensions,  by  which  the  Church  has  been  miserably  agi- 
tated in  the  present,  as  well  as  past  ages.  But  soi)histical  men 
insist  on  a  hyperbolical  kind  of  presence,  which  is  never  taught 
in  the  Scripture  ;  and  they  contend  as  eagerly  for  this  foolish 
and  absurd  imagination,  as  if  the  whole  of  religion  consisted  in 
the  enclosure  of  Christ  in  the  bread.  It  principally  concerns 
us  to  know  how  the  body  of  Christ,  which  was  once  delivered 
for  us,  is  made  ours,  and  how  we  are  made  partakers  of  his 
blood  which  was  shed;  for  the  entire  possession  of  Christ 
crucified  consists  in  an  enjoyment  of  all  his  benefits.  Now, 
leaving  these  things,  which  are  of  such  great  importance,  and 
even  neclecting  and  forgetting  them,  these  sophists  take  no 
pleasure  but  in  this  thorny  question;  how  the  body  of  Christ 
is  concealed  under  the  bread,  or  under  the  Ibrm  of  the  bread. 
They  falsely  pretend  that  all  that  we  teach  respecting  a  spi- 
ritual participation,  is  contrary  to  what  they  call  the  true  and 
real  participation ;  because  we  regard  nothing  but  the  manner, 
which,  in  their  opinion,  is  corporeal,  as  they  enclose  Christ  m 
the  bread,  but  in  ours  is  spiritual,  because  the  secret  influence 

(r)  1  John  iv.  3. 


564  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

of  the  Spirit  is  the  bond  which  unites  ns  to  Christ.  Nor  is 
there  any  more  truth  in  their  other  objection,  that  we  attend 
to  nothing  but  the  fruit  or  eflect  which  behevers  experience 
from  feeding  on  the  flesh  of  Christ.  For  we  have  aheady 
said,  that  Christ  himself  is  the  matter  or  substance  of  the 
sacred  supper,  and  that  it  is  in  consequence  of  this,  that  we 
are  absolved  from  our  sins  by  the  sacrifice  of  his  death,  are 
washed  in  his  blood,  and  by  his  resurrection  are  raised  to  the 
hope  of  the  heavenly  life.  But  the  foolish  imagination,  of 
which  Lombard  was  the  author,  has  perverted  their  minds, 
while  they  have  supposed  the  sacrament  to  consist  in  eating 
the  flesh  of  Christ.  F^r  these  are  his  words :  "  The  sacra- 
ment, without  the  thing,  consists  in  the  forms  of  bread  and 
wine ;  the  sacrament  and  the  thing  are  the  flesh  and  blood  of 
Christ ;  the  thing,  without  the  sacrament,  is  his  mystical 
flesh."  Again,  a  little  after  :  "  The  thing  signified  and  con- 
tained is  the  proper  flesh  of  Christ ;  the  thing  signified  and 
not  contained,  is  his  mystical  body."  With  his  distinction 
between  the  flesh  of  Christ,  and  the  power  which  it  has  to 
nourish,  I  fully  agree ;  but  his  notion,  of  what  is  a  sacrament, 
and  as  contained  under  the  bread,  is  an  error  not  to  be  endured. 
Hence  proceeded  a  false  idea  of  sacramental  eating,  because 
they  supposed  the  body  of  Christ  to  be  eaten  by  impious  and 
profane  persons,  notwithstanding  they  were  strangers  to  him. 
But  the  flesh  of  Christ  itself,  in  the  mystery  of  the  supper,  is 
as  much  a  spiritual  thing,  as  our  eternal  salvation.  Whence 
we  conclude,  that  persons  who  are  destitute  of  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  can  no  more  eat  the  flesh  of  Christ,  than  drink  wine 
which  has  no  taste.  It  is  certainly  oflering  an  insult,  and 
doing  violence  to  Christ,  to  attribute  to  him  a  body  all  feeble 
and  dead,  which  is  promiscuously  distributed  to  unbelievers; 
and  it  is  expressly  contradicted  by  his  own  words  :  "  He  that 
eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I 
in  him."  (x)  They  reply,  that  the  discourse  from  which  this 
text  is  quoted  does  not  treat  of  sacramental  eating ;  and  this  I 
concede  to  them  ;  only  let  them  not  be  perpetually  striking  on 
the  same  rock,  that  the  flesh  of  Christ  may  be  eaten  without 
any  benefit.  But  I  would  wish  them  to  inform  me  how  long 
they  retain  it  after  they  have  eaten  it.  Here  I  believe  they 
will  find  it  impossible  to  escape.  But  they  object,  that  the 
truth  of  the  promises  of  God  can  sustain  no  diminution  or  fail- 
ure from  the  ingratitude  of  men.  This  I  admit ;  and  I  also 
maintain,  that  the  virtue  of  this  mystery  remains  unimpaired, 
notwithstanding  wicked  men  exert  their  utmost  eflbrts  to  de- 
stroy it.     It  is  one  thing,  however,  for  the  body  of  Christ  tc 

(r)  John  vi.  56. 


CHAP.  XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  565 

be  offered,  and  another  for  it  to  be  received.  Christ  presentsi 
this  spiritual  meat  and  spiritual  drink  to  all  ;  some  receive 
them  with  avidity,  others  fastidiously  reject  them  ;  shall  their 
rejection  cause  the  meat  and  drink  to  lose  their  nature  ?  They 
will  plead,  that  their  sentiment  is  supported  by  this  similitude  — 
that  the  flesh  of  Christ,  though  it  be  not  relished  by  unbelievers, 
nevertheless  still  continues  to  be  flesh.  But  I  deny  that  it  can 
ever  be  eaten  without  the  taste  of  faith  ;  or,  if  the  language  of 
Augustine  be  preferred,  I  deny  that  men  carry  away  from  the 
sacrament  any  more  than  they  collect  in  the  vessel  of  faith. 
Thus,  nothing  is  taken  from  the  sacrament,  but  its  truth  and 
efficacy  remain  unimpaired,  notwithstanding  the  wicked  de- 
part empty  from  its  external  participation.  If  our  adversaries 
object  again,  that  it  derogates  from  these  words,  "  This  is  my 
body,"  if  the  wicked  receive  corruptible  bread,  and  nothing 
more,  the  answer  is  easy  —  That  God  will  have  his  veracity 
discovered,  not  in  the  reception  itself,  but  in  the  constancy 
of  his  goodness,  since  he  is  ready  to  impart  to  the  unworthy, 
and  even  liberally  offers  to  them,  that  which  they  reject.  And 
this  is  the  perfection  of  the  sacrament,  which  the  whole  world 
cannot  violate,  that  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ  are  as  truly 
given  to  the  unworthy,  as  to  the  elect  and  faithful  people  of 
God ;  but  it  is  likewise  true,  that  as  rain,  falling  upon  a  hard 
rock,  runs  off  from  it  without  penetrating  into  the  stone,  thus 
the  wicked,  by  their  obduracy,  repel  the  grace  of  God,  so  that 
it  does  not  enter  into  their  hearts.  Besides,  a  reception  of 
Christ,  without  faith,  is  as  great  an  absurdity,  as  for  seed  to 
germinate  m  the  fire.  Their  inquiry,  how  Christ  came  for 
condemnation  to  some,  unless  they  receive  him  unworthily,  is 
a  groundless  cavil ;  for  we  nowhere  read  that  the  perdition  of 
man  is  owing  to  an  unworthy  reception  of  Christ,  but  rather 
to  a  rejection  of  him.  Nor  can  they  derive  any  assistance  from 
the  parable  in  which  Christ  speaks  of  some  seed  sjjringing  up 
among  thorns,  and  being  afterwards  choked  and  destroyed  ;  for 
he  is  there  showing  what  value  belongs  to  that  temporary  faith, 
which  our  adversaries  suppose  to  be  unnecessary  to  a  partici- 
pation of  the  flesh  ajid  blood  of  Christ,  plachig  Judas,  in  this 
respect,  on  an  equality  with  Peter.  Their  error  is  rather  re- 
futed by  another  part  of  the  same  parable,  in  which  Clirist 
speaks  of  some  seed  as  having  fallen  by  the  way-side,  and 
some  on  stony  ground,  neither  of  which  took  any  root,  (y) 
Whence  it  follows,  that  the  obduracy  of  unbelievers  is  such  an 
obstacle,  that  Christ  does  not  reach  them.  Wiioever  desires 
our  scdvation  to  be  promoted  by  this  mystery,  will  find  nothing 
more   proper  than  that   believers,  conducted   to   the   fountain 

(i/)  Matt.  -xiii.  4—7. 


566  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

should  derive  life  from  the  Son  of  God.  But  the  dignity  of  it 
is  sufficiently  magnified,  when  we  remember,  that  it  is  a  me- 
dium by  which  we  are  incorporated  into  Christ ;  or  by  which, 
after  our  incorporation  into  him,  the  connection  is  more  and 
more  strengthened,  till  he  perfectly  unites  us  with  himself, 
in  the  heavenly  life.  They  object,  that  Paul  ought  not  to 
have  made  unbelievers  "  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord."  (z)  unless  they  had  been  partakers  of  them.  But  I 
answer,  that  they  are  not  condemned  for  having  eaten  and 
drunk  his  body  and  blood,  but  only  for  having  profaned  the 
mystery,  by  trampling  under  foot  the  pledge  of  our  holy  union 
with  God,  which  ought  to  have  been  received  by  them  with 
reverence. 

XXXIV.  Now,  because  Augustine  is  the  principal  among 
the  ancient  fathers  who  has  asserted  this  point  of  doctrine, 
that  the  sacraments  sustain  no  diminution,  and  that  the  grace 
which  they  represent  is  not  frustrated  by  the  unbelief  or 
wickedness  of  men,  it  will  be  useful  to  adduce  his  own  words, 
which  will  clearly  prove  that  those  who  expose  the  body  of 
Christ  to  be  eaten  by  dogs,  (a)  are  chargeable  with  an  hijudi- 
cious  and  culpable  perversion  of  his  meaning,  in  applying  it  to 
the  present  argument.  Sacramental  eating,  according  to  them, 
is  that  by  which  the  wicked  receive  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ  without  any  influence  of  his  Spirit,  or  any  effect  of  his 
grace.  Augustine,  on  the  contrary,  carefully  examining  these 
words,  "  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood  hath 
eternal  life,"  (6)  says,  "This  is  the  virtue  of  the  sacrament, 
not  the  mere  visible  sacrament ;  and  that  internally,  not  exter- 
nally ;  he  who  eats  with  his  heart,  and  not  with  his  teeth ;  " 
from  which  he  concludes  that  the  sacrament  of  the  union 
which  we  have  with  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  is  presented 
in  the  sacred  supper,  to  some  to  life,  to  others  to  perdition  ; 
but  that  the  thing  signified  by  the  sacrament  is  only  given  to 
life  to  all  who  partake  of  it,  and  in  no  case  to  perdition.  To 
preclude  any  cavil  here,  that  the  thing  signified  is  not  the  body, 
but  the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  which  may  be  separated  from  the 
body,  he  obviates  such  misrepresentations  by  the  use  of  the 
contrasted  epithets  of  visible  and  invisible;  for  the  body  of 
Christ  cannot  be  comprehended  under  the  former.  Hence  it 
follows,  that  unbelievers  receive  nothing  but  the  visible  symbol. 
And,  for  the  more  complete  removal  of  every  doubt,  after  having 
said  that  this  bread  requires  the  hunger  of  the  inner  man,  he 
adds,  "  Moses,  and  Aaron,  and  Phinehas,  and  many  others  who 
ate  the  manna,  were  acceptable  to  God.  Why  ?  Because  they 
spiritually  understood  the  visible  food,  they  spiritually  hungered, 

(z)  1  Cor.  xL.  21.  (a)  Matt.  vii.  6.  (I)  John  vi.  54. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  667 

they  spiritually  ate,  that  they  might  be  spiritually  satisfied. 
For  we  also,  in  the  present  day, have  received  visible  food;  but 
the  sacrament  is  one  thing,  and  the  virtue  of  the  sacrament  is 
another."  A  little  after  he  says,  "  Therefore  he  who  abides 
not  in  Christ,  and  in  whom  Christ  does  not  abide,  spiritually 
neither  eats  his  flesh  nor  drinks  his  blood,  though  he  may 
carnally  and  visibly  press  the  sign  of  the  body  and  blood 
with  his  teeth."  Here,  again,  we  find  the  visible  sign  opposed 
to  the  spiritual  eating ;  which  contradicts  that  error,  that  the  in- 
visible body  of  Christ  is  really  eaten  sacramentally,  though  it 
be  not  eaten  spiritually.  We  are  informed  also  that  nothing  is 
granted  to  the  profane  and  impure,  beyond  the  visible  recep- 
tion of  the  sign.  Hence  that  well  known  observation  of  his, 
that  the  other  disciples  ate  the  bread  which  was  the  Lord,  but 
that  Judas  merely  ate  the  Lord's  bread ;  by  which  he  clearly 
excludes  unbelievers  from  the  participation  of  the  body  and 
blood.  And  to  the  same  purpose  is  what  he  says  in  another 
place  :  "  Why  do  you  wonder  if  the  bread  of  Christ  was  given 
to  Judas  to  enslave  him  to  the  devil,  when  you  see,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  the  messenger  of  Satan  was  given  to  Paul 
to  make  him  perfect  in  Christ?  "(6)  He  says,  indeed,  in  ano- 
ther place,  "  That  the  sacramental  bread  was  the  body  of 
Christ  to  those  to  whom  Paul  said,  He  that  eateth  and  drinketh 
unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  judgment  to  himself:  (c)  and 
that  they  could  not,  therefore,  be  affirmed  to  have  received 
nothing,  because  they  had  received  amiss."  But  his  meaning 
is  more  fully  explained  in  another  passage.  For  professedly 
undertaking  to  describe  how  the  body  of  Christ  is  eaten  by 
the  wicked  and  profligate,  who  confess  the  Christian  faith 
with  their  lips  while  they  deny  it  in  their  actions,  and  that  in 
opposition  to  the  opinion  of  some  who  supposed  them  to  eat 
not  only  the  sacramental  symbol,  but  the  substance  itself,  he 
says,  "  They  must  not  be  considered  as  eating  the  body  of 
Christ,  because  they  are  not  to  be  numbered  among  the  mem- 
bers of  Christ.  For,  to  mention  nothing  else,  they  cannot, 
at  the  same  time,  be  the  members  of  Christ  and  the  members 
of  a  harlot.  And  where  the  Lord  himself  says.  He  that  eateth 
my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  ni 
him ;  (d)  he  shows  what  it  is  to  eat  his  body,  not  merely  hi 
a  sacramental  way,  but  in  truth ;  for  this  is  to  dwell  in 
Christ,  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  us.  This  is  the  same  as 
if  he  had  said,  Whoever  dwelleth  not  in  me,  and  in  whom 
I  dwell  not,  let  him  not  say  or  think  lie  eateth  my  body  or 
drinketh  my  blood."  Let  the  readers  consider  the  opposition 
here  stated  between  eating  mereli/  in  a  sacrammtal  way,  and 

Q,)  2  Cor.  xii.  7.  (r)  1  Cor.  x\.  29.  ('/)  Jolui  vi.  5(i. 


568  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

in  truth,  and  there  will  remain  no  doubt  respecting  his  mean- 
ing. He  confirms  the  same  with  equal  perspicuity  in  the 
following  passage  :  "  Pre[)are  not  your  jaws,  but  your  heart  ;  it 
is  for  this  that  the  supper  is  enjoined.  Behold,  we  believe  in 
Christ  when  we  receive  him  by  faith  ;  in  receiving  him,  we 
know  what  we  think  ;  we  take  a  bit  of  bread,  and  our  hearts 
are  satisfied.  We  are  fed,  therefore,  not  by  what  we  see,  but 
by  what  we  believe."  Here,  also,  what  the  wicked  partake 
of  he  restricts  to  the  visible  sign,  and  pronounces  that  Christ 
is  only  received  by  faith.  So,  in  another  place,  he  expressly 
remarks  that  the  good  and  the  wicked  partake  of  the  elementa 
in  common,  and  excludes  the  latter  from  the  true  participation 
of  the  body  of  Christ.  For,  if  they  had  enjoyed  the  substance 
itself,  he  would  not  have  been  entirely  silent  on  that  which 
would  have  strengthened  his  argument.  In  another  place  also, 
treating  of  the  eating,  and  the  benefit  of  it,  he  concludes  thus : 
*'  Then  will  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  be  life  to  every  one,  if 
that  which  is  visibly  received  in  the  sacrament,  be,  in  the  truth 
which  is  signified,  spiritually  eaten  and  spiritually  drunk." 
Let  those,  therefore,  who,  in  order  to  agree  with  Augustine, 
make  unbelievers  partakers  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ, 
exhibit  to  us  the  body  of  Christ  in  a  visible  manner,  since  he 
pronounces  the  whole  truth  of  the  sacrament  to  be  spiritual. 
And  the  evident  conclusion  from  his  language  is,  that  the  sa- 
cramental eating  is  nothing  more  than  eating  the  visible  and 
external  sign,  when  unbelief  precludes  the  entrance  of  the  sub- 
stance. If  the  body  of  Christ  could  be  eaten  truly,  without 
being  eaten  spiritually,  what  could  be  the  meaning  of  Augus- 
tine, when  he  said,  "  You  are  not  to  eat  this  body  which  you 
see,  and  to  drink  the  blood  which  will  be  shed  by  those  who 
shall  crucify  me.  I  have  appointed  a  sacrament  for  you  ; 
spiritually  understood,  it  shall  vivify  you."  He  certainly  did 
not  mean  to  deny  that  the  same  body  which  Christ  ofi'ered  in 
sacrifice  is  exhibited  in  the  supper  ;  but  he  designates  the  mode 
of  participating  in  it  —  that  though  it  has  been  received  into 
celestial  glory,  it  inspires  us  with  life  by  the  secret  influence 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  I  acknowledge  that  he  frequently  speaks 
of  the  body  of  Christ  as  eaten  by  unbelievers,  but  he  explains 
his  meaning  by  adding  that  it  is  done  sacramentally  ;  and,  in 
another  place,  he  describes  the  spiritual  eating  as  not  consisting 
in  a  corporeal  swallowing  of  the  grace  of  God.  And  that  my 
adversaries  may  not  charge  me  with  a  wish  to  overwhelm 
them  by  an  accumulation  of  passages,  I  would  request  them  to 
inform  me  how  they  can  evade  that  one  declaration  of  his, 
where  he  says,  "  that  the  sacraments  realize  what  they  repre- 
sent in  the  elect  alone."  Surely  tli^gy  will  not  dare  to  deny 
that  the  bread  represents  the  body  of  Christ.    Hence  it  follows, 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  569 

that  the  reprobate  are  excUided  from  the  particii)ation  of  it. 
The  following  passage  of  Cyril  also  shows  liim  to  have  been 
of  the  same  opinion  :  "  As  when  any  one  pours  melted  wax 
upon  other  wax,  the  whole  will  be  mingled  together  into  one 
mass,  so  it  is  necessary  to  any  person's  reception  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ,  for  him  to  be  miited  with  Christ,  so 
that  Christ  may  be  found  in  him,  and  lie  in  Christ."  Tliese 
words,  I  think,  sufficiently  prove,  that  those  who  eat  tlie 
body  of  Christ  merely  in  a  sacramental  way  are  deprived  of 
the  true  and  real  participation  of  it,  as  the  body  itself  cannot 
be  separated  from  its  efficacious  power  ;  and  yet  that  this  is  no 
impeachment  of  the  truth  of  the  promises  of  God,  who  still 
continues  to  send  us  rain  from  heaven,  though  rocks  and  stones 
imbibe  none  of  the  moisture. 

XXXV.  This  knowledge  will  also  easily  dissuade  us  from 
the  carnal  adoration  which  has  been  introduced  into  the  sa- 
crament by  the  perverse  temerity  of  some,  who  reasoned  in  this 
manner  :  If  the  body  be  there,  consequently  the  soul  and  the 
Divinity  are  there  together  with  the  body,  for  they  cannot  be 
separated  from  it  ;  therefore  Christ  ought  to  be  adored  there. 
In  the  first  place,  what  will  they  do,  if  we  refuse  to  admit  what 
they  call  concomitance  ?  For,  however  tliey  may  urge  the 
absurdity  of  separating  the  soul  and  the  Divinity  from  the  body, 
what  man  in  his  senses  can  be  persuaded  that  the  body  of 
Christ  is  Christ  ?  They  consider  it,  indeed,  as  fully  demon- 
strated by  their  arguments.  But  as  Christ  speaks  distinctly 
of  his  body  and  blood,  without  specifying  the  nature  of  the 
presence,  how  can  they  establish  what  they  wish  by  that 
which  is  itself  doubtful  ?  What  then  ?  If  their  consciences 
happen  to  be  exercised  with  any  peculiar  affliction,  will  they 
not,  with  all  their  syllogisms,  be  confounded  and  overwhelmed  ; 
when  they  shall  perceive  themselves  to  be  destitute  of  tlio 
certain  word  of  God,  which  furnishes  the  only  su})j)ort  for  our 
souls  when  they  are  called  to  give  an  account,  and  without 
which  they  sink  in  a  moment ;  when  they  shall  reflect  that  the 
doctrine  and  examples  of  the  apostles  are  against  them,  and  that 
they  are  themselves  the  sole  authors  of  their  error  ?  To  such 
reflections  will  be  added  other  sentiments  of  compunction,  and 
those  by  no  means  inconsiderable.  What!  was  it  a  thing  of 
no  consequence  to  adore  God  in  this  form,  without  any  such 
thing  being  enjoined  upon  us  ?  In  a  case  where  the  true  wor- 
ship of  God  was  concerned,  ought  that  to  have  been  so  lightly 
undertaken,  Avhich  not  a  word  in  the  Scripture  coifld  be  found 
to  sanction  ?  But  if,  with  becoming  humility,  they  had  kept 
all  their  thoughts  in  subjection  to  the  word  of  God,  they  w.mld 
certainly  have  listened  to  what  Christ  said,  "  Take,  eat,  drink," 
and  would  have  obeyed  this  command,  which  enjoins  the  sucra- 
voL.  II.  72 


570  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

ment  to  be  taken,  not  to  be  adored.  Those  who,  as  the  Lord 
has  commanded,  receive  it  without  adoration,  are  assured  that 
they  do  not  deviate  from  the  Divine  command  ;  and  such  an 
assurance  is  the  best  satisfaction  we  can  have  in  any  thing  in 
which  we  engage.  They  have  the  example  of  the  apostles,  of 
whom  we  read,  not  that  they  prostrated  themselves  in  adora- 
tion, but  that,  as  they  were  sitting  at  the  table,  they  took,  and 
did  eat.  They  have  the  practice  of  the  apostolic  Church,  in 
which  Luke  states  that  the  communion  of  believers  consisted, 
not  in  adoration,  but  in  "the  breaking  of  bread."  (e)  Tliey 
have  the  apostolic  doctrine  with  which  Paul  instructed  the 
Church  of  the  Corinthians,  accompanying  it  with  this  declara- 
tion :  "  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that  which  also  I  delivered 
unto  you."   (/) 

XXXVI.  All  these  things  lead  the  pious  reader  to  consider 
how  unsafe  it  is,  in  matters  of  such  importance,  to  leave  the 
pure  word  of  God  for  the  reveries  of  our  own  brains.  The 
remarks  which  have  already  been  made,  ought  to  relieve  our 
minds  from  every  difhculty  on  this  subject.  For,  in  order  to 
a  due  reception  of  Christ  in  the  sacrament,  it  is  necessary  for 
pious  souls  to  be  elevated  to  heaven.  If  it  be  the  design  of 
the  sacrament  to  assist  the  mind  of  man,  which  is  otherwise 
weak,  that  it  may  be  enabled  to  rise  to  discover  the  sublimity 
of  spiritual  mysteries,  —  those  who  confine  themselves  to  the 
external  sign,  wander  from  the  right  way  of  seeking  Christ. 
What,  then,  shall  we  deny  it  to  be  a  superstitious  Avorsiiip, 
when  men  prostrate  themselves  before  a  piece  of  bread,  to 
adore  Christ  in  it  ?  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Council  of  Nice 
intended  to  guard  against  this  evil,  when  it  prohibited  Christians 
from  having  their  attention  humbly  fixed  on  the  visible  signs. 
And  this  was  the  only  reason  for  that  custom  in  the  ancient 
Church,  that,  before  the  consecration,  one  of  the  deacons  should, 
with  an  audible  voice,  admonish  the  people  to  have  their  licarts 
above.  The  Scripture  itself,  also,  in  addition  to  the  particular 
account  which  it  gives  us  of  the  ascension  of  Christ,  by  which 
he  removed  his  corporeal  presence  from  the  view  and  society  of 
men,  in  order  to  divest  us  of  every  carnal  idea  respecting  him, 
whenever  it  mentions  him,  calls  us  to  lift  our  minds  upwards, 
and  to  seek  for  him  seated  "at  the  right  hand  of  God." (5^) 
According  to  this  rule,  it  was  our  duty  to  adore  him  spiritually 
in  the  glory  of  heaven,  rather  than  to  invent  such  a  dangerous 
kind  of  adoration,  involving  such  gross  and  carnal  conceptions 
of  God.  Wherefore,  those  who  have  invented  the  adoration  of 
the  sacrament,  have  not  only  dreamed  it  of  themselves,  without 
the  sanction  of  the  Scripture,  in  which  not  the  least  mention 

U)  Acts  ii.  42.  (/)  1  Cor.  xi.  23.  {g)  Col.  iii.  i. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  571 

of  it  can  be  found,  though,  if  it  had  been  agreeable  to  God,  it 
would  not  have  been  omitted  ;  but  even  in  direct  opposition  to 
the  Scripture,  forsaking  the  living  God,  they  have  fabricated  a 
new  deity,  according  to  their  own  wayward  inclinations.  For 
what  is  idolatry,  if  it  be  not  to  worship  the  gifts  instead  of  the 
giver  himself?  In  which  they  have  fallen  into  a  double  sin  ;  for 
the  honour  has  been  taken  away  from  God,  to  be  transferred  to 
the  creature  ;  and  God  himself  has  also  been  dishonoured  by  the 
pollution  and  profanation  of  his  gift,  when  his  holy  sacrament 
has  been  made  an  execrable  idol.  Let  us,  on  the  contrary,  lest 
we  fall  into  the  same  danger,  fix  our  ears,  our  eyes,  our  minds, 
and  our  tongues,  entirely  on  the  sacred  doctrine  of  God.  For 
that  is  the  school  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  best  of  all  teachers ; 
whose  instructions  require  nothing  to  be  added  from  any  other 
quarter,  and  omit  nothing  of  which  we  ought  not  to  be  willing 
to  remain  in  ignorance. 

XXXVII.  Now,  as  superstition,  when  it  has  once  gone  be- 
yond the  proper  limits,  proceeds  in  sinning  without  end,  they 
have  wandered  still  further ;  they  have  invented  ceremonies 
altogether  incompatible  with  the  institution  of  the  sacred  sup- 
per, for  the  sole  purpose  of  giving  divine  honours  to  the  sign. 
When  we  remonstrate  with  them,  they  reply,  that  they  pay 
this  veneration  to  Christ.  In  the  first  place,  if  this  were  done 
in  the  supper,  I  would  still  say  that  that  is  the  only  legitimate 
adoration,  which  terminates  not  in  the  sign,  but  is  directed  to 
Christ  enthroned  in  heaven.  Now,  what  pretence  have  they 
for  alleging  that  they  worship  Christ  in  the  bread,  when  they 
have  no  promise  of  such  a  thing  ?  They  consecrate  their  liost, 
as  they  call  it,  to  carry  it  about  in  procession,  to  display  it  in 
pomp,  and  to  exhibit  it  in  a  box,  to  be  seen,  adored,  and  in- 
voked by  the  people.  I  inquire  how  they  consider  it  to  be 
rightly  consecrated.  They  immediately  adduce  these  words: 
"  This  is  my  body."  I  object,  that  it  was  said  at  the  same 
time,  "  Take  and  eat."  And  I  have  sufficient  reason  for  this  ; 
for  when  a  promise  is  annexed  to  a  precept,  it  is  so  included  ni 
the  precept,  that,  separated  from  it,  it  ceases  to  be  a  promise  at 
all.  This  shall  be  further  elucidated  by  a  similar  example. 
The  Lord  gave  a  command,  when  he  said,  "Call  upon  me  ;  " 
he  added  a  promise,  "  I  will  deliver  thee."  (A)  If  any  one 
should  invoke  Peter  or  Paul,  and  boast  of  this  promise,  will  not 
his  conduct  be  universally  condemned  ?  And  wherein  would 
this  ditfer  from  the  conduct  of  those  who  suppress  the  command 
to  eat,  and  lay  hold  of  the  mutilated  promise,  "  Tliis  is  my 
body,"  in  order  to  misapply  it  to  ceremonies  foreign  from  the 
institution  of  Christ?     Let  us  remember,  then,  that  this  pro- 

(/t)  Psalm  1.  15. 


572  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

mise  is  given  to  those  who  observe  the  commandment  con- 
nected with  it,  but  that  they  are  entirely  unsupported  by  the 
word  of  God,  who  transfer  tlie  sacrament  to  any  other  usage. 
We  have  ah-eady  shown  how  the  mystery  of  the  supper  pro- 
motes our  faith  before  God.  But  as  God  here  not  only  recalls 
to  our  remembrance  the  vast  exuberance  of  his  goodness,  but  de- 
hvers  it,  as  it  were,  into  our  hands,  as  we  have  already  declared, 
and  excites  us  to  acknowledge  it,  so  he  also  admonishes  us 
not  to  be  ungrateful  for  such  a  profusion  of  beneficence,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  to  magnify  it  with  the  praises  it  deserves, 
aud  to  celebrate  it  with  thanksgivings.  Therefore,  when  he 
gave  the  institution  of  this  sacrament  to  the  apostles,  he  said 
to  them,  '•'  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me  ;  "  (i)  which  Paul 
explains  to  be  "showing  the  Lord's  death  ;  "  {k)  that  is,  pub- 
licly, and  all  together,  as  with  one  mouth,  to  confess  that  all 
our  confidence  of  life  and  salvation  rests  on  the  death  of 
the  Lord ;  that  we  may  glorify  him  by  our  confession,  and  by 
our  example  may  exhort  others  to  give  him  the  same  glory. 
Here,  again,  we  see  the  object  to  which  the  sacrament  tends, 
which  is,  to  exercise  us  in  a  remembrance  of  the  death  of 
Christ.  For  the  command  which  we  have  received,  to  "  show 
the  Lord's  death  till  he  come  "  to  judgment,  is  no  other  than 
to  declare,  by  the  confession  of  our  lips,  what  our  faith  has 
acknowledged  in  the  sacrament,  that  the  death  of  Christ  is  our 
life.  This  is  the  second  use  of  the  sacrament,  which  relates 
to  external  confession. 

XXXVIII.  In  the  third  place,  the  Lord  intended  it  to  serve 
us  as  an  exhortation,  and  no  other  could  be  better  adapted  to 
animate  and  influence  us  in  the  most  powerful  manner  to  purity 
and  sanctity  of  life,  as  well  as  to  charity,  peace,  and  concord. 
For  tliere  the  Lord  communicates  his  body  to  us  m  such  a 
manner  that  he  becomes  completely  one  with  us,  and  we 
become  one  with  him.  Now,  as  he  has  only  one  body,  of 
which  he  makes  us  all  partakers,  it  follows,  of  necessity,  that, 
by  such  participation,  we  also  are  all  made  one  body;  and 
this  union  is  represented  by  the  bread  which  is  exhibited  hi 
the  sacrament.  For  as  it  is  composed  of  many  grains,  mixed 
together  in  such  a  manner  that  one  cannot  be  separated  or  dis- 
tinguished from  another,  —  in  the  same  manner  we  ought,  like- 
wise, to  be  connected  and  united  together,  by  such  an  agree- 
ment of  minds,  as  to  admit  of  no  dissension  or  division  be- 
tween us.  This  I  prefer  expressing  in  the  language  of  Paul  : 
"  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion 
of  the  blood  of  Christ?  The  bread  which  we  break,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  body  of  Cluist  ?     For  we,  being  many, 

V 
(i)  Luke  xxii.  10.  (A)  1  Cor.  xi.  26. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  573 

are  one  bread  and  one  body ;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that 
one  bread."  {I)  We  have  derived  considerable  benefit  from 
the  sacrament,  if  this  thought  be  impressed  and  engraven  upon 
our  minds,  that  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  wound,  despise,  re- 
ject, injure,  or  in  any  way  to  offend  one  of  our  brethren,  but 
we,  at  the  same  time,  wound,  despise,  reject,  injure,  and  oifend 
Christ  in  him ;  that  we  have  no  discord  with  our  brethren 
without  being,  at  the  same  time,  at  variance  with  Christ ;  that 
we  cannot  love  Christ  without  loving  him  in  our  brethren; 
that  such  care  as  we  take  of  onr  own  body,  we  ought  to  ex- 
ercise the  same  care  of  our  brethren,  who  are  members  of  onr 
body  ;  that  as  no  part  of  our  body  can  be  in  any  pain  without 
every  other  part  feeling  correspondent  sensations,  so  we  ought 
not  to  suffer  our  brother  to  be  afflicted  with  any  calamity  with- 
out our  sympathizing  in  the  same.  Wherefore,  it  is  not  with- 
out reason  that  Augustine  so  frequently  calls  this  sacrament 
"  the  bond  of  charity."  For  what  more  powerful  stimulus 
could  be  employed  to  excite  mutual  charity  among  us,  than 
when  Christ,  giving  himself  to  us,  not  only  invites  us  by  his 
example  mutually  to  devote  ourselves  to  the  promotion  of  one 
another's  welfare,  but  also,  by  making  himself  common  to  all, 
makes  us  all  to  be  one  with  himself? 

XXXIX.  This  furnishes  the  best  confirmation  of  what  I 
have  stated  before,  that  there  is  no  true  administration  of  the 
sacrament  without  the  word.  For  whatever  advantage  accrues 
to  us  from  the  sacred  supper  requires  the  word  ;  whether  we 
are  to  be  confirmed  in  faith,  exercised  in  confession,  or  excited 
to  duty,  there  is  need  of  preaching.  Nothmg  more  prepos- 
terous, therefore,  can  be  done  with  respect  to  the  supper,  than 
to  convert  it  into  a  mute  action,  as  we  have  seen  done  under 
the  tyranny  of  the  pope.  For  they  have  maintained  that  all 
the  validity  of  the  consecration  depends  on  the  intention  of 
the  priests,  as  if  it  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  people,  to  whom 
the  mystery  ought  principally  to  be  explained.  They  foil  into 
this  error,  for  want  of  observing  that  those  promises  on  which 
the  consecration  rests,  are  not  directed  to  the  elements  them- 
selves, but  to  the  persons  who  receive  them.  Christ  does  not 
address  the  bread,  to  command  it  to  become  his  body  ;  but 
enjoins  his  disciples  to  eat,  and  promises  them  the  communica- 
tion of  his  body  and  blood.  Nor  does  Paul  teach  any  other 
order  than  that  the  promises  should  be  ofiered  to  believers, 
together  with  the  bread  and  the  cup.  And  this  is  the  truth. 
We  are  not  to  imagine  any  magical  incantation,  or  think  itsulFi- 
cient  to  have  muttered  over  the  words,  as  if  they  were  heard  by 
the  elements  ;  but  we  are  to  understand  those  words,  by  which 

(0  1  Cor.  J..  IG,  17. 


574  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

the  elements  are  consecrated,  to  be  a  lively  preaching,  which 
edifies  the  hearers,  which  penetrates  their  minds,  which  is 
deeply  impressed  upon  their  hearts,  which  exerts  its  efficacy 
in  the  accomplishment  of  that  which  it  promises.  These  con- 
siderations clearly  show  that  the  reservation  of  the  sacrament, 
insisted  upon  by  many  persons,  for  the  purpose  of  extraordinary 
distribution  to  the  sick,  is  perfectly  useless.  For  either  they 
will  receive  it  without  any  recital  of  the  institution  of  Christ,  or 
the  minister  will  accompany  the  sign  with  a  true  explication  of 
the  mystery.  If  nothing  be  said,  it  is  an  abuse  and  corruption. 
If  the  promises  are  repeated  and  the  mystery  declared,  that  those 
who  are  about  to  receive  it  may  communicate  with  advantage, 
we  have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  this  is  the  true  consecration. 
What  end  will  be  answered,  then,  by  the  former  consecration, 
which,  having  been  pronounced  when  the  sick  persons  u-ere 
not  present,  is  of  no  avail  to  them  ?  But  it  will  be  alleged, 
that  those  who  adopt  this  practice  have  the  example  of  the 
ancient  Church  in  their  favour.  This  I  confess  ;  but  in  a 
matter  of  such  great  importance,  and  in  which  any  error  must 
be  highly  dangerous,  there  is  nothing  so  safe  as  to  follow  the 
truth  Itself. 

XL.  Now,  as  we  perceive  this  sacred  bread  of  the  Lord's  sup- 
per to  be  spiritual  food,  grateful  and  delicious  as  well  as  salutary 
to  the  sincere  worshippers  of  God,  who,  in  the  participation  of  it, 
experience  Christ  to  be  their  life,  whom  it  stimulates  to  thanks- 
giving, whom  it  exhorts  to  mutual  charity  among  themselves  ; 
so,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  changed  into  a  most  noxious  poison  to 
all  whose  faith  it  does  not  nourish  and  confirm,  and  whom  it 
does  not  excite  to  thanksgiving  and  charity.  For  as  corporeal 
food,  when  it  offends  a  diseased  stomach,  becoming  itself  cor- 
rupted, is  found  rather  noxious  than  nutritious,  so  this  spiritual 
food,  when  it  meets  with  a  soul  polluted  by  iniquity,  only  pre- 
cipitates it  into  a  more  dreadful  ruin  ;  not,  indeed,  from  any 
fault  in  the  food,  but  because  "  unto  them  that  are  defiled  and 
unbelieving  nothing  is  pure,"  [l]  however  it  may  be  otherwise 
sanctified  by  the  blessing  of  tlie  Lord.  For,  as  Paul  says,  "  He 
that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily  is  guilty  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord,  and  eateth  and  drinketh  judgment  to  himself, 
not  discerning  the  Lord's  body."  (7/?)  Persons  of  this  descrip- 
tion, who,  without  one  particle  of  faith,  or  the  least  feeling  of 
charity,  intrude  themselves,  like  so  many  swine,  to  seize  the 
supper  of  the  Lord,  have  no  discernment  of  the  Lord's  body. 
For,  as  they  do  not  believe  that  body  to  be  their  life,  they  treat 
it  with  the  utmost  dishonour  they  are  capable  of  casting  upon 
it,  robbing  it  of  its  dignity,  and  receiving  it  in  such  a  manner 

(0  Titus  i.  15.  (m)  1  Cor.  xi.  27,  29. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  575 

as  to  pollute  and  profane  it.  And  as,  amidst  their  dissension 
and  alienation  from  their  brethren,  they  presume  to  mingle  the 
sacred  symbol  of  Christ's  body  with  their  di.^ords,  it^is  not 
owing  to  them  that  the  body  of  Christ  is  not  divided,  and  every 
member  severed  from  the  rest.  Therefore  they  are  justly 
represented  as  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord, 
which  they  so  shamefully  pollute  with  their  sacrilegious  im- 
piety. By  this  unworthy  eating  they  receive  their  own  con- 
demnation. For  though  they  have  no  faith  fixed  on  Christ, 
yet  in  their  reception  of  the  sacrament  they  profess  that  there  is 
no  salvation  for  them  any  where  except  in  him,  and  renounce! 
every  other  dependence.  Wherefore  they  are  their  own  ac- 
cusers ;  they  give  testimony  against  themselves  ;  they  seal  their 
own  condemnation.  Moreover,  while  divided  and  distracted 
from  their  brethren,  that  is,  from  the  members  of  Christ,  they 
have  no  part  in  Christ,  yet  they  testify  that  the  only  way  of 
salvation  is  to  participate  of  Christ,  and  to  be  united  to  him. 
For  this  reason,  Paul  gave  the  following  injunction  :  "  Let  a 
man  examine  himself,  and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread,  and  drink 
of  that  cup ;  "  (ii)  by  which,  I  apprehend,  he  meant  that  every 
man  should  retire  into  himself,  and  consider  whether,  with  sin- 
cere confidence  of  heart,  he  relies  on  the  salvation  procured  by 
Christ ;  whether  he  acknowledges  it  by  the  confession  of  his 
mouth  ;  whether  he  aspires  after  an  imitation  of  Christ  in  the 
pursuit  of  integrity  and  holiness  ;  whether,  after  the  example  of 
Christ,  he  is  ready  to  devote  himself  to  his  brethren,  and  to  com- 
municate himself  to  them  with  whom  he  has  a  common  interest 
in  Christ ;  whether,  as  he  himself  is  acknowledged  by  Christ,  he 
in  like  manner  considers  all  his  brethren  as  members  of  his 
body  ;  whether  he  desires  to  cherish,  preserve,  and  assist  them 
as  his  own  members.  Not  that  these  duties  of  faith  and  charity 
can  now  be  perfect  in  us  ;  but  because  this  is  the  point  which 
we  ought  to  feel  the  most  ardent  desires  and  exert  the  most 
strenuous  efforts  to  attain,  that  our  faith  maybe  more  and  more 
increased,  and  our  charity  strengthened  from  day  to  day. 

XLI.  In  general,  when  they  liave  intended  to  prepare  per- 
sons for  this  worthy  participation  of  the  sacrament,  they  have 
dreadfully  harassed  and  tortured  miserable  consciences,  and 
yet  have  not  mentioned  a  single  thing  which  the  case  recpiircd. 
They  have  said  that  those  "eat  worthily,"  wlio  are  in  a  state 
of  grace.  To  be  in  a  state  of  grace,  tliey  have  explained  to 
consist  in  being  pure  and  cleansed  from  all  sin  —  a  doctrine 
which  would  exclude  all  the  men  who  now  live,  or  ever  have 
lived  upon  earth,  from  the  benefit  of  this  sacrament.  For  if  it 
be  necessary  for  us  to  derive  our  worthiness  from  ourselves,  we 

(n)  1  Cor.  xi.  2d. 


676  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

are  undone  ;  nothing  awaits  us  but  ruin,  confusion,  and  despair. 
Though  we  strive  with  all  our  powers,  we  shall  gain  nothing, 
at  last,  but  a  discovery  that  we  are  most  unworthy,  after  hav- 
ing laboured  to  the  utmost  to  find  some  worthiness.  To  heal 
this  wound,  they  have  contrived  a  method  of  attaining  worthi- 
ness ;  which  is,  that  having,  as  far  as  we  can,  examined  our 
consciences,  and  required  from  ourselves  an  account  of  all  our 
actions,  we  should  purge  ourselves  from  our  unworthiness  by 
contrition,  confession,  and  satisfaction;  but  what  kind  of  pur- 
gation this  is,  we  have  already  stated  in  a  place  more  suitable 
to  the  discussion  of  it.  As  far  as  relates  to  the  present  subject, 
I  observe  that  these  consolations  are  too  poor  and  unsubstan- 
tial for  consciences  disturbed,  distressed,  dejected,  and  over- 
whelmed with  a  sense  of  their  sins.  For  if  the  Lord,  by  his 
express  interdiction,  admits  none  to  a  participation  of  the  sup- 
per, but  those  who  are  righteous  and  innocent,  it  requires  no 
little  care  in  any  individual  to  attain  an  assurance  of  his  pos- 
session of  that  righteousness,  which  he  finds  to  be  required  by 
God.  Now,  what  ground  of  assurance  have  we,  that  God  is 
satisfied  with  persons  who  have  done  what  they  could  ?  And 
even  if  this  were  the  case,  when  shall  any  man  be  found  Avho 
can  venture  to  declare  that  he  has  done  all  that  he  could? 
Thus,  while  no  certain  assurance  of  our  \vorthiness  can  be 
obtained,  the  entrance  to  the  sacrament  will  always  remain 
closed  by  that  dreadful  interdiction,  which  denounces  that 
"  he  that  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh 
judgment  to  himself." 

XLII.  Now,  it  is  easy  to  judge  what  kind  of  doctrine  this  is 
which  prevails  in  the  Papacy,  and  from  what  author  it  has  pro- 
ceeded ;  which  by  its  extreme  austerity  deprives  and  robs  mise- 
rable sinners,  who  are  already  afflicted  with  trepidation  and 
sorrow,  of  the  consolation  of  this  sacrament,  in  which  all  the 
comforts  of  the  gospel  were  set  before  them.  It  was  certainly 
impossible  for  the  devil  to  take  a  more  compendious  method 
of  ruining  men,  than  by  infatuating  them  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  deprive  them  of  all  taste  and  relish  for  such  food  which 
their  heavenly  and  most  merciful  Father  had  intended  for  their 
nourishment.  That  we  may  not  precipitate  ourselves  into  this 
abyss,  therefore,  let  us  remember  that  this  sacred  banquet  is 
medicine  to  the  sick,  comfort  to  the  sinner,  alms  to  the  poor  ; 
but  that  it  would  confer  no  advantage  on  the  healthy,  the 
righteous,  and  the  rich,  if  any  such  could  be  found.  For  as 
Christ  is  given  to  us  in  it  for  food,  we  understand,  that  with- 
oiU  him  we  pine,  starve,  and  faint,  as  the  body  loses  its  vigour 
from  want  of  sustenance.  Moreover,  as  he  is  given  to  us  for 
life,  we  understand  that  without  him  we  are  utterly  dead  in 
ourselves.     Wiierefore  the  best  and^only  worthiness  that  we 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  577 

can  present  to  God,  is  to  offer  him  our  vileness  and  unworthi- 
ness,  that  he  may  make  us  worthy  of  his  mercy  ;  to  des])air  in 
ourselves,  tliat  we  may  find  consolation  in  him ;  to  lunuble 
ourselves,  that  we  may  be  exalted  by  him  ;  to  accuse  ourselves, 
that  we  may  be  justified  by  him ;  likewise  to  aspire  to  tiiat 
unity  which  he  enjoins  upon  us  in  his  supper  ;  and  as  he 
makes  us  all  to  be  one  in  himself,  so  it  should  be  our  desire 
that  we  may  all  have  one  mind,  one  heart,  and  one  tongue. 
If  we  have  these  things  well  considered  and  digested  in  our 
minds,  though  we  may  be  disturbed,  we  shall  never  be  sub- 
verted by  such  reflections  as  this  :  Needy  and  destitute  of 
every  good,  defiled  with  the  pollution  of  sin,  aud  half  dead, 
how  could  we  worthily  eat  the  Lord's  body  ?  We  shall  rather 
consider,  that  we  come  as  paupers  to  the  liberal  Benefactor,  as 
patients  to  the  Physician,  as  sinners  to  the  Author  of  right- 
eousness, as  persons  dead  to  the  fountain  of  life  ;  that  the  wor- 
thiness which  is  required  by  God  consists  principally  in  fiiith, 
which  attributes  every  thing  to  Christ,  and  jjlaces  no  de- 
pendence on  ourselves,  and,  secondly,  in  charity,  even  that 
charity  which  it  is  enough  for  us  to  present  to  God  in  an  im- 
perfect state,  that  he  may  increase  and  improve  it ;  for  we 
cannot  produce  it  in  a  state  of  perfection.  Others,  who  have 
agreed  with  us  that  the  worthiness  which  is  enjoined  consists 
in  faith  and  charity,  have  nevertheless  fallen  into  a  consider- 
able error  respecting  the  degree  of  that  worthiness,  requiring  a 
perfection  of  faith  to  which  nothing  can  ever  approach,  and  a 
charity  equal  to  that  which  Christ  has  manifested  toward  us. 
But  by  this  requisition  they  exclude  all  men  from  access  to 
this  sacred  supper,  as  much  as  the  persons  to  whom  we  ad- 
verted before.  For  if  their  opinion  were  admitted,  no  person 
could  receive  it,  but  unworthily  ;  since  all,  without  a  single 
exception,  would  be  convinced  of  their  imperfection.  And 
surely  it  must  betray  extreme  ignorance,  not  to  say  stupidity, 
to  require  in  the  reception  of  the  sacrament,  that  perfection 
which  would  render  the  sacrament  unnecessary  and  useless ; 
for  it  was  not  instituted  for  the  perfect,  but  for  the  imperfect 
and  feeble,  to  awaken,  excite,  stimulate,  and  exercise  their 
graces  of  faith  and  charity,  and  to  correct  the  defects  of  both. 

XLIII.  With  respect  to  the  external  ceremonial,  whether 
believers  take  the  bread  in  their  hands  or  not ;  whether  tliey 
divide  it  between  them,  or  every  individual  eat  tliat  which  is 
given  to  him  ;  whether  they  return  the  cup  into  the  hand  of 
the  deacon,  or  deliver  it  to  the  person  who  is  next;  whether 
the  bread  be  leavened  or  unleavened  ;  whether  the  wine  be  red 
or  white  ;  is  not  of  the  least  importance.  These  things  are  in- 
dilferent,  and  left  to  the  liberty  of  the  Church.  It  is  certain, 
however,  that  the  custom  of  the  ancient  Church  was,  that  every 
VOL.  II.  73 


578  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IT 

one  should  take  the  bread  into  his  hand.  And  Christ  said 
"  Divide  it  among  yourselves."  (o)  History  informs  us,  thai 
leavened  and  common  bread  was  used  before  the  time  of  Alex- 
ander, bishop  of  Rome,  who  was  the  first  advocate  for  unleav- 
ened bread  ;  but  for  what  reason  I  know  not,  unless  it  was  to 
dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  people  with  admiration  of  a  new  specta- 
cle, rather  than  to  instruct  their  minds  in  pure  religion.  I  ap- 
peal to  all  who  feel  the  least  concern  for  piety,  whether  they  do 
not  clearly  perceive,  how  much  more  conspicuously  the  glory 
of  God  appears  in  this  use  of  the  sacrament,  and  how  much 
greater  abundance  of  spiritual  consolation  and  delight  be- 
lievers enjoy  in  it,  than  in  those  insignificant  and  theatrical 
fooleries  which  only  tend  to  deceive  the  minds  of  the  gazing 
multitude.  This  they  call  keeping  the  people  in  religion,  when 
they  lead  them  into  any  thing  they  please,  under  the  stupefac- 
tion and  infatuation  of  superstition.  If  any  one  be  inclined  to 
defend  such  inventions  by  the  plea  of  antiquity,  I  am  equally 
aware  how  early  chrism  and  exorcism  were  used  in  baptism, 
and  how  soon  after  the  age  of  the  apostles,  corruptions  were 
introduced  into  the  Lord's  sapper ;  but  this  is  the  confidence  of 
human  presumption,  which  can  never  restrain  itself  from  trifling 
with  the  mysteries  of  God.  But  let  us  remember,  that  God 
holds  the  obedience  of  his  word  in  such  high  estimation,  that  it 
is  the  standard  by  which  he  appoints  us  to  judge  even  his  angels 
and  the  whole  world.  Now,  leaving  all  this  mass  of  ceremonies, 
let  us  remark,  that  the  Lord's  supper  might  be  most  properly 
administered,  if  it  were  set  before  the  Church  very  frequently, 
and  at  least  once  in  every  week  in  the  following  manner  :  The 
service  should  commence  with  public  prayer ;  in  the  next  place, 
a  sermon  should  be  delivered  ;  then,  the  bread  and  wine  being 
placed  upon  the  table,  the  minister  should  recite  the  institution 
of  the  supper,  should  declare  the  promises  which  are  left  to 
us  in  it,  and,  at  the  same  time,  should  excommunicate  all  those 
who  are  excluded  from  it  by  the  prohibition  of  the  Lord  :  after 
this,  prayer  should  be  ofl:ered,  that  with  the  same  benignity 
with  which  our  Lord  has  given  us  this  sacred  food,  he  would 
also  teach  and  enable  us  to  receive  it  in  faith  and  gratitude  of 
heart,  and  that,  as  of  ourselves  we  are  not  worthy,  he  would, 
in  his  mercy,  make  us  worthy  of  such  a  feast.  Then  either 
some  psalms  should  be  sung,  or  a  portion  of  Scripture  should 
be  read,  and  believers,  in  a  becoming  order,  should  participate 
of  the  sacred  banquet,  the  ministers  breaking  the  bread  and 
distributing  it,  and  presenting  the  cup,  to  the  people  ;  al'ter  the 
conclusion  of  the  supper,  an  exhortation  should  be  given  to 
sincere  faith,  and  a  confession  of  the  same ;  to  charity,  and  a 

(o)  Luke  xxii.  17. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN-    RELIGON.  579 

deportment  worthy  of  Christians.  Finally,  thanksgivings 
shoiild  be  rendered,  and  praises  sung,  to  God  ;  and  to  close  tlie 
whole,  the  Church  should  be  dismissed  in  peace. 

XLIV.  The  observations  which  we  have  already  made  re- 
specting the  sacrament,  abundantly  show  that  it  was  not  in- 
stituted for  the  purpose  of  being  received  once  in  a  year,  and 
that  in  a  careless  and  formal  manner,  as  is  now  the  gene- 
ral practice  ;  but  m  order  to  be  frequently  celebrated  by  all 
Christians,  that  they  might  often  call  to  mind  the  suiferings  of 
Christ ;  the  recollection  of  which  would  sustain  and  strengthen 
their  faith,  would  incite  them  to  sing  praises  to  God,  and  to 
confess  and  celebrate  his  goodness,  and  would  also  cherish  in 
their  hearts,  and  promote  the  mutual  exercise  of  that  charity, 
the  bond  of  which  they  would  see  in  the  unity  of  the  body  of 
Christ.  For  whenever  we  communicate  in  the  symbol  of  the 
Lord's  body,  it  is  like  the  interchange  of  a  mutual  pledge,  by 
which  we  reciprocally  bind  ourselves  to  all  the  duties  of 
charity,  that  no  one  among  us  will  do  any  thing  by  which  he 
may  injure  his  brother,  or  will  omit  any  thing  by  which  he 
can  assist  him,  when  necessity  requires  and  opportunity  admits. 
That  such  was  the  practice  of  the  apostolic  Church,  is  men- 
tioned by  Luke,  when  he  says  that  believers  "continued  stead- 
fastly in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of 
bread,  and  in  prayers."  (p)  The  invariable  custom,  therefore, 
was,  that  no  assembly  of  the  Church  should  be  held  without 
the  word  being  preached,  prayers  being  offered,  the  Lord's 
supper  administered,  and  alms  given.  That  this  was  the  order 
established  among  the  Corinthians,  may  be  fairly  concluded 
from  the  Epistles  of  Paul  ;  and  it  is  well  known  to  have  been 
followed  for  many  ages  after.  For  hence  those  ancient  canons, 
which  are  attributed  to  Anacletus  and  Calixtns,  "  that,  after 
the  consecration  is  finished,  all  shall  communicate,  on  pain  of 
expulsion  from  the  Church."  And  the  ancient  canons  which 
are  ascribed  to  the  apostles,  say,  "  that  those  who  continue  not 
to  the  end,  and  receive  not  the  sacrament,  ought  to  be  cor- 
rected as  disturbers  of  the  Church."  In  the  Council  of  Antioch, 
also,  it  was  decreed,  that  those  who  enter  into  the  Church,  hear 
the  sermon,  and  retire  from  the  communion,  be  excluded  from 
the  Church  till  they  shall  have  corrected  this  fault.  And 
though  in  the  first  Council  of  Toledo,  this  decree  was  either 
mitigated,  or  at  least  enacted  in  a  milder  form,  yet  there  also 
it  was  ordained,  that  those  who  shall  be  found  never  to  com- 
municate after  having  heard  the  sermon,  be  admonished  ;  and 
that,  if  they  obev  not  the  first  admonition,  they  be  excom- 
municated. 

(p)  Acts  ii.  42. 


580  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

XLV.  These  decrees  were  evidently  passed  by  the  holy 
fathers  with  a  view  to  retain  and  perpetuate  the  frequent  cele- 
bration of  the  communion,  which  had  been  transmitted  by  the 
apostles  themselves,  and  which  they  perceived  to  be  highly 
beneficial  to  believers,  but  by  negligence  to  be  gradually  fall- 
ing into  general  disuse.  Augustine  testifies  respecting  the 
age  in  which  he  lived,  when  he  says,  "  The  sacrament  of 
this  thing,  that  is,  of  the  unity  of  the  body  of  our  Lord,  is 
prepared  on  the  table  of  the  Lord,  in  some  places  daily,  in 
other  places  on  appointed  days,  at  stated  intervals  of  time ; 
and  is  thence  received  by  some  to  life,  by  others  to  destruction." 
And  in  his  first  epistle  to  Januarius  :  "  Some  receive  the  body 
and  blood  of  the  Lord  every  day,  and  others  receive  them  on 
certain  days  ;  in  some  Churches,  not  a  day  passes  without  the 
administration  of  the  sacrament ;  in  others,  it  is  administered 
only  on  Saturday  and  Sunday  ;  and  in  others  only  on  Sunday." 
But  the  people  in  general,  being,  as  we  have  observed,  some- 
times too  remiss,  the  holy  fathers  stimulated  them  with  severe 
reproofs,  that  they  might  not  appear  to  connive  at  such  negli- 
gence. Of  this  we  have  an  example  in  a  homily  of  Chrysos- 
tom,  on  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians  :  "  To  him  who  disho- 
noured the  feast,  it  is  not  said.  Wherefore  didst  thou  sit  down  ? 
but,  How  camest  thou  in  hither?  (q)  Whoever  is  present  here, 
and  is  not  a  partaker  of  the  mysteries,  is  wicked  and  impudent. 
I  appeal  to  you,  if  any  one  be  invited  to  a  feast,  and  come, 
wash  his  hands,  sit  down,  and  apparently  make  every  prepa- 
ration for  partaking  of  it,  and  after  all  taste  nothing,  —  will  he 
not  ofler  an  insult  both  to  the  feast  and  to  him  who  has  pro- 
vided it  ?  So  you,  who  appear  among  them  who,  by  prayer 
prepare  themselves  to  receive  the  sacred  food,  who  by  the 
very  circumstance  of  not  departing,  confess  yourself  to  be  one 
of  their  number,  and  after  all  do  not  participate  with  them, 
would  it  not  have  been  better  for  you  not  to  have  made  your 
appearance  among  them  ?  You  will  tell  me  you  are  unworthy. 
Neither  then  were  you  worthy  of  the  communion  of  prayer, 
which  is  a  preparation  for  the  reception  of  the  holy  mystery." 

XLVI.  Augustine  and  Ambrose  unite  in  condemning  the 
practice  which  in  their  time  had  already  been  adopted  in  the 
Eastern  Churches,  for  the  people  to  attend  as  spectators  of  the 
celebration  of  the  sacrament,  and  not  to  partake  of  it.  And 
that  custom,  which  enjoins  believers  to  communicate  only 
once  a  year,  is  im questionably  an  invention  of  the  devil,  who- 
ever were  the  persons  by  whom  it  was  introduced.  It  is  said 
that  Zepherinus,  bishop  of  Rome,  was  the  author  of  that  de- 
cree J  which  there  is  not  the  least  reason  for  believing  to  have 

(q)  Matt.  xxii.  12. 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  581 

been  such  as  is  now  represented.  It  is  probable  that  the  regu- 
lation which  he  made  was  not  ill  calculated  for  the  interest  of 
the  Church  under  the  circumstances  of  those  times.  For  there 
is  no  doubt  that  the  sacred  supper  was  then  set  before  the 
faithful  whenever  they  assembled  for  worship ;  nor  is  there 
any  more  doubt  that  the  principal  part  of  them  used  to  com- 
municate ;  but  as  it  would  scarcely  ever  happen  that  all  could 
communicate  together,  and  it  was  necessary  that  those  who 
were  mixed  with  unbelievers  and  idolaters,  should  testify  their 
faith  by  some  external  sign,  —  that  holy  man,  for  the  sake  of 
order  and  discipline,  appointed  that  day  for  all  the  Christians 
at  Rome  to  make  a  public  confession  of  their  faith  by  a  partici- 
pation of  the  Lord's  supper.  The  regulation  of  Zepherinus 
was  good  in  itself,  but  was  grossly  perverted  by  his  successors, 
when  they  made  a  certain  law  that  there  should  be  one  com- 
munion in  a  year ;  the  consequence  of  which  has  been,  that 
almost  all  men,  when  they  have  communicated  once,  resign 
themselves  to  lethargic  repose,  as  if  they  had  fairly  excused 
themselves  for  all  the  rest  of  the  year.  A  very  dill'erent  prac- 
tice ought  to  have  been  pursued.  At  least  once  in  every  week 
the  table  of  the  Lord  ought  to  have  been  spread  before  each 
congregation  of  Christians,  and  the  promises  to  have  been  de- 
clared for  their  spiritual  nourishment ;  no  person  ought  to  have 
been  compelled  to  partake,  but  all  ought  to  have  been  exhorted 
and  stimulated,  and  those  who  were  negligent,  to  have  been 
reproved.  Then  all,  like  persons  famished,  would  have  assem- 
bled in  crowds  to  such  a  bantiuet.  1  have  sufficient  reason  for 
complaining  that  it  was  the  artifice  of  the  devil  that  introduced 
this  custom,  which,  by  prescribing  one  day  in  a  year,  renders 
men  slothful  and  careless  all  the  rest  of  the  time.  We  see  that 
this  abuse  had  already  begun  to  prevail  in  the  time  of  Chry- 
sostom,  but  we  see  at  the  same  time  how  greatly  it  displeased 
him.  For  in  the  place  which  I  have  just  quoted,  he  severely 
complains  of  a  great  inequality  in  this  matter,  that  oftentimes 
people  would  not  come  to  the  sacrament  all  the  rest  of  the 
year,  notwithstanding  they  were  prepared,  but  that  they  would 
come  at  Easter  even  without  preparation.  Then  he  exclaims, 
"O  custom  !  O  presumption  !  In  vain,  then,  is  the  daily  obla- 
tion ;  in  vain  do  we  stand  at  the  altar.  There  is  no  one  to 
partake  with  us."  So  far  is  such  a  practice  from  being  sanc- 
tioned by  the  authority  of  Chrysostom. 

XLVII.  From  the  same  source  proceeded  another  regulation, 
which  has  robbed  or  deprived  the  princijial  part  of  the  peoj)le 
of  God  of  one  half  of  the  sacred  supi)er ;  I  mean  the  symbol 
of  the  blood,  which  has  been  interdicted  to  the  laity  and  the  pro- 
fane,—  for  by  these  titles  they  distinguish  the  Lord's  heritage, — 
ajid  has  become  the  peculiar  privilege  of  the  few  who  have  re- 


582  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK   IV. 

ceived  ecclesiastical  unction  and  tonsure.  The  ordinance  of 
the  eternal  God  is,  "  Drink  ye  all  of  it,-  "  which  man  has  re- 
pealed and  abrogated  by  a  new  and  contrary  law,  ordaining 
that  all  shall  not  drink  of  it.  And  these  legislators,  that  they 
may  not  appear  to  resist  their  God  without  reason,  plead  the 
dangers  which  might  result  if  this  sacred  cup  were  indiscrimi- 
nately presented  to  all ;  as  though  those  dangers  had  not  been 
foreseen  and  considered  by  the  eternal  wisdom  of  God.  In  the 
next  place,  they  argue  with  great  subtlety,  that  one  is  sufficient 
for  both.  For,  if  it  be  the  body,  they  say,  it  is  the  whole  of 
Christ,  who  cannot  now  be  separated  from  his  body.  The 
body,  therefore,  contains  the  blood.  See  how  human  reason 
is  at  variance  with  God,  when  it  has  once  been  left  to  its  own 
vagaries.  Exhibiting  the  bread,  our  Lord  says,  "  This  is  my 
body;"  exhibiting  the  cup,  he  says,  '-This  is  my  blood." 
The  audacity  of  human  reason  contradicts  this,  and  affirms 
that  the  bread  is  the  blood,  and  that  the  wine  is  the  body ;  as 
if  the  Lord  had  distinguished  his  body  from  his  blood,  both  by 
words  and  by  signs,  without  any  cause,  and  as  if  it  had  ever 
been  heard  that  the  body  or  blood  of  Christ  was  called  God 
and  man.  Certainly,  if  he  had  intended  to  designate  his 
whole  person,  he  might  have  said,  "It  is  I,"  as  the  Scripture 
tells  us  he  did  on  other  occasions ;  and  not,  "  This  is  my 
body  ;  this  is  my  blood."  But,  with  a  view  to  aid  the  weak- 
ness of  our  faith,  he  exhibits  the  bread  and  the  cup  separately, 
to  teach  us  that  he  is  sufficient  for  drink  as  well  as  for  food. 
Now,  let  one  of  these  parts  be  taken  away,  and  we  shall  find 
only  half  of  our  nourishment  in  him.  Though  it  were  true, 
then,  as  they  pretend,  that  the  blood  is  in  the  bread,  and  the 
body  in  the  cup,  yet  they  defraud  the  souls  of  believers  of  that 
confirmation  which  Christ  has  delivered  as  necessary  for  them. 
Therefore,  leaving  their  subtleties,  let  us  hold  fast  the  benefit 
which  arises  from  the  double  pledge  which  Christ  has  ordained. 
XLVIII.  I  am  aware  of  the  cavils  advanced  on  this  subject 
by  the  ministers  of  Satan,  who  are  accustomed  to  treat  the 
Scripture  with  contempt.  In  the  first  place,  they  plead,  that 
a  simple  act  affords  no  sufficient  ground  from  which  to  deduce 
a  rule  of  perpetual  obligation  on  the  observance  of  the  Church. 
But  it  is  false  to  call  it  a  simple  act ;  for  Christ  not  only  gave 
the  cup  to  his  apostles,  but  also  commanded  them  to  do  the 
same  in  time  to  come.  For  it  is  the  language  of  command, 
"  Drink  ye  all  of  it."  And  Paul  mentions  its  having  been 
practised  in  such  a  way  as  fully,  implies  its  being  a  positive  or- 
dinance. The  second  subterfuge  is,  that  Christ  admitted  none 
but  the  apostles  to  a  participation  of  this  supper,  whom  he  had 
already  chosen  and  admitted  into  the  order  of  sacrificing  priests. 
But  I  would  wish  them  to  give  me  answers  to  five  questions, 


CHAP.    XVII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  583 

from  which  they  will  not  be  able  to  escape,  but  their  misrepre- 
sentations will  be  easily  refuted.  First ;  By  what  oracle  have 
they  obtained  this  solution,  so  inconsistent  with  the  word  of  God  ? 
The  Scripture  mentions  twelve  who  sat  down  with  Jesus;  but 
it  does  not  obscure  the  dignity  of  Christ  so  as  to  call  them 
sacrificing  priests  —  a  name  which  I  shall  notice  in  the  proper 
place.  Though  he  then  gave  the  sacrament  to  the  twelve, 
yet  he  commanded  that  they  should  do  the  same ;  that  is,  that 
they  should  distribute  it  among  them  in  a  similar  manner. 
Secondly ;  why,  in  that  purer  period,  for  almost  a  thousand 
years  after  the  apostles,  were  all,  without  exception,  admitted 
to  the  participation  of  both  symbols  ?  Was  the  ancient  Church 
ignorant  what  guests  Christ  had  admitted  to  his  supper?  Any 
hesitation  or  evasion  would  betray  the  most  consummate  impu- 
dence. Ecclesiastical  histories  and  works  of  the  fathers  are 
still  extant,  which  furnish  clear  testimonies  of  this  fact.  Ter- 
tuUian  says,  "  The  flesh  is  fed  with  the  body  and  blood  of 
Christ,  that  the  soul  may  be  nourished  by  God."  Ambrose 
said  to  Theodosius,  "  With  such  hands  how  will  you  receive 
the  sacred  body  of  the  Lord  ?  With  what  audacity  will  you 
drink  his  sacred  blood  ? "  Jerome  says,  "  The  priests  con- 
secrate the  eucharist  and  distribute  the  Lord's  blood  to  the 
people."  Chrysostom  says,  '•  It  is  not  as  it  was  under  the 
ancient  law,  when  the  priest  ate  one  part,  and  the  people 
another  ;  but  to  all  is  presented  one  body  and  one  cup.  Every 
thing  in  the  eucharist  is  common  to  the  priest  and  to  the  people." 
And  the  same  is  attested  in  various  places  by  Augustine. 

XLIX.  But  why  do  I  dispute  about  a  thing  that  is  so 
evident  ?  Let  any  one  read  all  the  Greek  and  Latin  fathers, 
and  he  will  find  them  abound  with  such  testimonies.  Nor  did 
this  custom  fall  into  disuse  while  a  particle  of  purity  remained 
in  the  Church.  Gregory,  who  may  be  justly  called  the  last 
bishop  of  Rome,  shows  that  it  was  observed  in  his  time.  He 
says,  "  You  have  now  learned  what  the  blood  of  the  Lamb  is, 
not  by  hearing,  but  by  drinking.  His  blood  is  drunk  by  the 
faithful."  And  it  even  continued  for  four  hundred  years  after 
his  death,  notwithstanding  the  universal  degeneracy  which  had 
taken  place.  Nor  was  it  considered  merely  as  a  custom,  but 
as  an  inviolable  law.  For  the  Divine  institution  was  then 
reverenced,  and  no  doubt  was  entertained  of  the  criminality  of 
separating  things  which  the  Lord  had  united.  For  Gelasius, 
bishop  of  Rome,  speaks  in  the  following  manner  :  "We  have 
understood  that  some,  only  receiving  the  Lord's  body,  abstain 
from  the  cup ;  who,  as  they  appear  to  be  (Mislaved  by  an  unac- 
countable superstition,  should,  without  doubt,  either  receive  the 
sacrament  entire,  or  entirely  abstain  from  it.  For  no  division  of 
this  mystery  can  be  made  without  great  sacrilege."     Attention 


684  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

was  paid  to  those  reasons  of  Cyprian,  which  surely  ought  to  be 
sufficient  to  influence  a  Christian  mind.  He  says,  "  How  do 
we  teach  or  stimulate  them  to  shed  their  blood  in  the  confession 
of  Christ,  if  we  refuse  his  blood  to  them  who  are  about  to 
engage  in  the  conflict  ?  Or  how  do  we  prepare  them  for  the 
cup  of  martyrdom,  if  we  do  not  first  admit  them,  by  the  right 
of  communion,  to  drink  the  cup  of  the  Lord  in  the  Church  ?  " 
The  canonists  restrict  the  decree  of  Gelasius  to  the  priests, 
but  this  is  too  puerile  a  cavil  to  need  any  refutation. 

L.  Thirdly  ;  Why  did  Christ,  when  he  presented  the  bread, 
simply  say,  "  Take,  eat  ;  "  but  when  he  presented  the  cup, 
"  Drink  ye  all  of  it ;  "  as  if  he  expressly  intended  to  guard 
against  the  subtlety  of  Satan  ?  Fourthly  ;  If,  as  our  adversa- 
ries pretend,  our  Lord  admitted  to  his  supper  none  but  sacri- 
ficing priests,  what  man  can  be  found  so  presumptuous  as  to 
invite  to  a  participation  of  it  strangers  whom  the  Lord  has 
excluded  ?  and  to  a  participation  of  that  gift,  over  which  they 
could  have  no  power,  without  any  command  from  him  who 
alone  could  give  it  ?  And  with  what  confidence  do  they  now 
take  upon  them  to  distribute  to  the  people  the  symbol  of  the 
body  of  Christ,  if  they  have  neither  the  command  nor  example 
of  the  Lord  ?  Fifthly  ;  Did  Paul  affirm  what  was  false,  when 
he  said  to  the  Corinthians,  "  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that 
which  also  I  delivered  to  you  ? "  {r)  For  he  afterwards  de- 
clares what  he  had  delivered,  which  was,  that  all,  without  any 
distinction,  should  communicate  in  both  symbols.  If  Paul  had 
"  received  of  the  Lord,"  that  all  were  to  be  admitted  without 
any  distinction,  let  them  consider  from  whom  they  have  re- 
ceived, who  exclude  almost  all  the  people  of  God  ;  for  they 
cannot  now  pretend  their  doctrine  to  have  originated  from  God, 
with  whom  is  "not  yea  and  nay."  (s)  And  yet  they  dare  to 
shelter  such  abominations  under  the  name  of  the  Church,  and 
to  defend  them  under  that  pretext ;  as  if  the  Church  could 
consist  of  those  antichrists,  who  so  easily  trample  under  foot, 
mutilate,  and  abolish  the  doctrine  and  institutions  of  Christ  ; 
or  as  if  the  apostolic  Church,  in  which  true  religion  displayed 
all  its  influence,  were  not  the  true  Church. 

(r)  1  Cor.  xi.  23.  (s)  2  Cor.  i.  18. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  585 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THE    PAPAL     MASS     NOT     ONLY    A    SACRILEGIOUS     PROFANATION     OF 
THE    lord's    supper,    BUT    A    TOTAL    ANNIHILATION    OF    IT. 

With  these,  and  similar  inventions,  Satan  has  endeavonred 
to  obscnre,  corrupt,  and  adnherate  the  sacred  supper  of  Christ, 
that,  at  least,  its  purity  might  not  be  preserved  in  the  Church. 
But  the  perfection  of  the  dreadful  abomination  was  his  esta- 
blishment of  a  sign,  by  which  it  might  be  not  only  obscured 
and  perverted,  but  altogether  obliterated  and  abolished,  so  as  to 
disappear  from  the  view,  and  to  depart  from  the  remembrance 
of  men.  I  refer  to  that  most  pestilent  error  with  which  he  has 
blinded  almost  the  whole  world,  persuadmg  it  to  believe  that 
the  mass  is  a  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  procure  the  remission  of 
sins.  How  this  dogma  was  at  first  understood  by  the  sounder 
schoolmen,  who  did  not  fall  into  all  the  absurdities  of  their 
successors,  I  shall  not  stay  to  inquire,  but  shall  take  leave  of 
them  and  their  thorny  subtleties  ;  which,  however  they  may 
be  defended  by  subterfuges  and  cavils,  ought  to  be  rejected  by 
all  good  men,  because  they  merely  serve  to  obscure  the  lustre 
of  the  sacred  supper.  Leaving  them,  therefore,  I  wish  the 
readers  to  understand  that  I  am  now  combating  that  opinion 
with  which  the  Roman  antichrist  and  his  agents  have  infected 
the  Avhole  world  ;  namely,  that  the  mass  is  an  act  by  which 
the  priest  who  offers  Christ,  and  others  who  participate  in  the 
oblation,  merit  the  favour  of  God  ;  or  that  it  is  an  expiatory 
victim  by  which  they  reconcile  God  to  them.  Nor  has  this 
been  merely  an  opinion  generally  received  by  the  multitude  ; 
but  the  act  itself  is  so  ordered,  as  to  be  a  kind  of  expiation, 
to  make  satisfaction  to  God  for  the  sins  of  the  living  and  the 
dead.  This  is  fully  expressed  also  in  the  words  which  they 
use  ;  nor  can  any  thing  else  be  concluded  from  its  daily  obser- 
vance. I  know  how  deeply  this  pest  has  stricken  its  roots, 
what  a  plausible  appearance  of  goodness  it  assumes,  liow  it 
shelters  itself  under  the  name  of  Christ,  and  how  multundes 
believe  the  whole  substance  of  faith  to  be  comprehended  under 
the  single  word  mass.  But  when  it  shall  have  been  most 
clearly  demonstrated  by  the  word  of  God,  that  tins  ma^ss,  how- 
ever it  may  be  varnished  and  adorned,  oilers  the  greatest  insult 
to  Christ,  suppresses  and  conceals  his  cross,  consigns  his  death 
to  oblivion,  deprives  us  of  the  benefit  resulting  from  it,  and 
invalidates  and  destroys  the  sacrament  winch  was  left  as  a 
memorial  of  that  death,  —  will  there  be  any  roots  too  deep  lor 
VOL.  II.  7^4 


586  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

vhis  most  powerful  axe  —  I  mean  the  word  of  God — to  cut  in 
pieces  and  eradicate  ?  Will  there  be  any  varnish  too  specious 
for  this  light  to  detect  the  evil  which  lurks  behind  it  ? 

II.  Let  us  proceed,  therefore,  to  establish  what  we  have 
asserted ;  in  the  first  place,  tliat  the  mass  offers  an  intolerable 
blasphemy  and  insult  to  Christ.  For  he  was  constituted  by 
his  Father  a  priest  and  a  high-priest,  not  for  a  limited  time,  like 
those  who  are  recorded  to  have  been  consecrated  priests  under 
the  Old  Testament,  who,  having  a  mortal  life,  could  not  have  an 
immortal  priesthood  ;  wherefore,  there  was  need  of  successors, 
from  time  to  tmie,  to  fill  the  places  of  those  who  died  ;  but  Christ, 
who  is  immortal,  requires  no  vicar  to  be  substituted  in  his  place. 
Therefore  he  was  designated  by  the  Father  as  "  a  priest  for  ever, 
after  the  order  of  Melchisedec  ;  "  that  he  might  for  ever  execute 
a  permanent  priesthood.  This  mystery  had  long  before  been 
prefigured  in  Melchisedec,  whom  the  Scripture  has  introduced 
once  as  "  the  priest  of  the  Most  High  God,"  but  never  mentions 
him  afterwards,  as  if  there  had  been  no  end  to  his  life.  From 
this  resemblance  Christ  is  called  a  priest  after  his  order,  (t) 
Now,  those  who  sacrifice  every  day  must  necessarily  appoint 
priests  to  conduct  the  oblations,  and  those  priests  must  be 
substituted  in  the  room  of  Christ,  as  his  successors  and  vicars. 
By  this  substitution  they  not  only  despoil  Christ  of  his  due 
honour,  and  rob  him  of  the  prerogative  of  an  eternal  priesthood, 
but  endeavour  to  degrade  him  from  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  where  he  cannot  sit  in  the  enjoyment  of  immortality, 
unless  he  also  remain  an  eternal  priest.  Nor  let  them  plead 
that  their  sacrificing  priests  are  not  substituted  in  the  place  of 
Christ,  as  though  he  were  dead,  but  are  merely  assistants  in 
his  eternal  priesthood,  which  does  not,  on  this  account,  cease 
to  remain  ;  for  the  language  of  the  apostle  is  too  precise  for 
them  to  avail  themselves  of  such  an  evasion  ;  when  he  says 
that  "  they  truly  were  many  priests,  because  they  were  not 
suffered  to  continue  by  reason  of  death."  (u)  Christ,  therefore, 
whose  continuance  is  not  prevented  by  death,  is  only  one,  and 
needs  no  companions.  Yet  they  have  the  effrontery  to  arm 
themselves  with  the  example  of  Melchisedec  in  defence  of 
their  impiety.  For,  because  he  is  said  to  have  "  brought  forth 
bread  and  wine,"  they  conclude  this  to  have  been  a  prefigu- 
ration  of  their  mass,  as  though  the  resemblance  between  him 
and  Christ  consisted  in  the  oblation  of  bread  and  wine ;  which 
is  too  unsubstantial  and  frivolous  to  need  any  refutation.  Mel- 
chisedec gave  bread  and  wine  to  Abraham  and  his  companions, 
to  refresh  them  when  they  were  fatigued  on  their  return  from 

(t)  Gen.  xiv.  18.     Psalm  c.\.  4.     Heb.  v.  5,  6,  10;  vii.  17,21,  23,24  ;  ix.  11  ;  x.21. 
(a)  Heb.  vii.  23. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  587 

CDattle.  What  has  this  to  do  with  a  sacrifice  ?  Moses  praises 
the  humanity  and  hberahty  of  the  pious  king;  these  men 
presumptuously  fabricate  a  mystery,  of  which  the  Scripture 
makes  no  mention.  Yet  they  varnish  their  error  with  another 
pretext,  because  the  historian  immediately  afterwards  says, 
"  And  he  was  the  priest  of  the  Most  High  God."  I  answer,  that 
they  misapply  to  the  bread  and  wine  what  the  apostle  refers  to 
the  benediction,  "  For  this  Melchisedec,  priest  of  the  Most 
High  God,  met  Abraham  and  blessed  him ;  *'  from  which  the 
same  apostle,  than  whom  it  is  unnecessary  to  seek  for  a  better 
expositor,  argues  his  superior  dignity  ;  "  for  without  aJ  contra- 
diction, the  less  is  blessed  of  the  better."  (x)  But,  if  the  offer- 
ing of  Melchisedec  had  been  a  figure  of  the  sacrifice  of  the 
mass,  is  it  credible  that  the  apostle,  who  discusses  all  the 
minutest  circumstances,  would  have  forgotten  a  thing  of  such 
high  importance  ?  It  will  be  in  vain  for  them,  with  all  their 
sophistry,  to  attempt  to  overturn  the  argument  which  the 
apostle  himself  adduces,  that  the  right  and  dignity  of  priest- 
hood ceases  among  mortal  men,  because  Christ,  who  is  im- 
mortal, is  the  alone  and  perpetual  priest. 

in.  A  second  property  of  the  mass  we  have  stated  to  be, 
that  it  suppresses  and  conceals  the  cross  and  passion  of  Christ. 
It  is  beyond  all  contradiction,  that  the  cross  of  Christ  is  sub- 
verted as  soon  as  ever  an  altar  is  erected ;  for  if  Christ  oflered 
up  himself  a  sacrifice  on  the  cross,  to  sanctify  us  for  ever,  and 
to  obtain  eternal  redemption  for  us,  the  virtue  and  efficacy  ot 
that  sacrifice  must  certainly  continue  without  any  end.  (y) 
Otherwise,  we  should  have  no  more  honourable  ideas  of  Christ, 
than  of  the  animal  victims  which  were  sacrificed  under  the 
law,  the  oblations  of  which  are  proved  to  have  been  weak  and 
inefficacious,  by  the  circumstance  of  their  frequent  repetition 
Wherefore,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  either  that  the  sacrifice 
which  Christ  accomplished  on  the  cross  wanted  the  virtue  of 
eternal  purification,  or  that  Christ  has  offered  "P  -e  per  ect 
sacrifice  once  for  all  ages.  This  is  what  the  apostle  says 
that  thL'  Rreat  hic^h-priest,  even  Christ,  "  now  once,  m  the  end 
o   the  vod"^^^^^^^^^  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacr.fice 

of  hinilelf ''  Again  "  By  the  will  of  God  we  are  sanctified 
t^e  offenng  of  the'body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  ^r  all. 
Aaain-  "That  by  one  offering  Christ  hath  perfected  for  ever 
^.em  that  Ire  sanctified."  To  which  he  -bjonis  this  r  -^^^^ 
able  observation:  -Fhat  where  ^f^^^Jl^^^^^^:;, 
Z^^  Tr  rtJ^  i?C^;st,^L^l.^^  expiring 
br'e^h  he  Lit'It  -  finished."  (a)  We  are  accustomed  to 
_      ..  ,   ^  (z)  Hob.ix.2G;  x.  10;  xiv.  18. 

SgS:;ii:27!x.lO,14     i..l2.  (a)Johnxuc.30. 


588  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

consider  the  last  words  of  dying  persons  as  oracular.  Christ, 
at  the  moment  of  his  death,  declared  that  by  his  own  sacrifice 
every  thing  necessary  to  our  salvation  had  been  accomplished 
and  finished.  To  such  a  sacrifice,  the  perfection  of  which  he 
so  explicitly  declares,  shall  it  be  lawful  for  us  to  make  innume- 
rable additions  every  day,  as  though  it  were  imperfect  ?  While 
God's  most  holy  word  not  only  affirms,  but  proclaims  and 
protests,  that  this  sacrifice  was  once  perfect,  and  that  its  virtue 
is  eternal, — do  not  they  who  require  another  sacrifice  charge 
this  with  imperfection  and  inefiicacy  ?  But  what  is  the  ten- 
dency of  the  mass,  which  admits  of  a  hundred  thousand  sacri- 
fices bemg  oftered  every  day,  except  it  be  to  obscure  and  sup- 
press the  passion  of  Christ,  by  which  he  ofl'ered  himself  as  the 
alone  sacrifice  to  the  Father?  Who,  that  is  not  blind,  does 
not  see  that  such  an  opposition  to  the  clear  and  manifest  truth 
must  have  arisen  from  the  audacity  of  Satan  ?  I  am  aware  of 
the  fallacies  with  which  that  father  of  falsehood  is  accustomed 
to  varnish  over  this  fraud ;  as,  that  these  are  not  various  or 
ditferent  sacrifices,  but  only  a  repetition  of  that  one  sacrifice. 
But  such  illusions  are  easily  dissipated.  For,  through  the 
whole  argument,  the  apostle  is  contending,  not  only  that  there 
are  no  other  sacrifices,  but  that  that  one  sacrifice  was  oftered 
once,  and  is  never  to  be  repeated.  The  more  artful  sophisters 
have  recourse  to  a  deeper  subterfuge  ;  that  the  mass  is  not  a 
repetition  of  that  sacrifice,  but  an  application  of  it.  This  soph- 
istry also  may  be  confuted,  without  any  more  difficulty  than  the 
former.  For  Christ  once  ofi'ered  up  himself,  not  that  his  sac- 
rifice might  be  daily  ratified  by  new  oblations,  but  that  the 
benefit  of  it  might  be  communicated  to  us  by  the  preaching 
of  the  gospel,  and  the  administration  of  the  sacred  supper. 
Thus  Paul  says  that  "Christ  our  passover  is  sacrificed  for  us,'' 
and  commands  us  to  feast  on  him.  (b)  This,  I  say,  is  the  way 
in  which  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
rightly  applied  to  us,  when  it  is  communicated  to  us  for  our 
enjoyment,  and  we  receive  it  with  true  faith. 

IV.  But  it  is  worth  while  to  hear  on  what  other  foundation 
they  rest  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass.  They  apply  to  this 
purpose  the  prophecy  of  Malachi,  in  which  the  Lord  promises, 
that  "  from  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  unto  the  going  down  of 
the  same,  incense  shall  be  ofi'ered  unto  "  his  "  name,  and  a  pure 
off"ering."  (c)  As  though  it  were  a  new  or  unusual  thing  for 
the  prophets,  when  they  speak  of  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles, 
to  designate  the  spiritual  worship  of  God,  to  which  they  exhort 
them,  by  the  external  ceremonies  of  the  law  ;  in  order  to  show, 
"n  a  more  familiar  manner,  to  the  men  of  their  own  times,  that 

(6)  1  Cor.  V.  7,  8.  (c)  Mai.  i.  11. 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  589 

the  Gentiles  were  to  be  introduced  to  a  participation  of  the 
true  religion  ;  as  it  is  their  invariable  practice,  on  all  occasions, 
to  describe  the  realities  which  have  been  exhibited  in  the 
gospel,  under  the  types  and  figures  of  the  dispensation  under 
which  they  lived.  Thus,  conversion  to  the  Lord  they  express 
by  going  np  to  Jerusalem  ;  adoration  of  God,  by  oblations  of 
various  gifts  ;  the  more  extensive  knowledge  to  be  bestowed 
on  believers,  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  by  dreams  and  visions,  (d) 
The  prophecy  which  they  adduce,  therefore,  is  similar  to  another 
prediction  of  Isaiah,  where  he  foretells  the  erection  of  three  altars, 
in  Assyria,  Egypt,  and  Judea.  (e)  I  ask  the  Romanists,  first, 
whether  they  do  not  admit  this  prediction  to  have  been  accom- 
plished in  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  secondly,  where  are  these 
altars,  or  when  were  they  ever  erected  ;  thirdly,  whether  they 
think  that  those  two  kingdoms  were  destined  to  have  their 
respective  temples,  like  that  at  Jerusalem.  A  due  consideration 
of  these  things,  I  think,  will  induce  them  to  acknowledge,  that 
the  prophet,  under  types  adapted  to  his  own  time,  was  pre- 
dicting the  spiritual  worship  of  God,  which  was  to  be  propa- 
gated all  over  the  world.  This  is  our  solution  of  the  passage 
which  they  adduce  from  Malachi ;  but  as  examples  of  this 
mode  of  expression  are  of  such  frequent  occurrence,  I  shall  not 
employ  myself  in  a  further  enumeration  of  them.  Here,  also, 
they  are  miserably  deceived,  in  acknowledging  no  sacrifice  but 
that  of  the  mass  ;  whereas,  believers  do  in  reality  now  sacrifice 
to  the  Lord,  and  offer  a  pure  oblation,  of  which  we  shall 
presently  treat. 

V.  I  now  proceed  to  the  third  view  of  the  mass,  under 
which  I  am  to  show  how  it  obliterates  and  expunges  from  the 
memory  of  mankind  the  true  and  alone  death  of  Jesus  Christ. 
For  as  among  men  the  confirmation  of  a  testament  depends  on 
the  death  of  the  testator,  so  also  our  Lord,  by  his  death,  has 
confirmed  the  testament  in  which  he  has  given  us  remission 
of  sins,  and  everlasting  righteousness.  Those  who  dare  to 
attempt  any  variation  or  innovation  in  this  testament,  thereby 
deny  his  death,  and  represent  it  as  of  no  value.  Now,  what  is 
the  mass,  but  a  new  and  totally  different  testament.'  For 
does  not  every  separate  mass  promise  a  new  remission  of  sins, 
and  a  new  acquisition  of  righteousness ;  so  that  there  are  now 
as  many  testaments  as  masses?  Let  Christ,  theirlore,  come 
ao-ain,  and  by  another  death  ratify  this  new  testament,  or  rather, 
bv  innumerable  deaths,  confirm  these  innumerable  testaments 
of  masses.  Have  I  not  truly  said,  then,  at  the  beginning,  that 
the  true  and  alone  death  of  Christ  is  obliterated  and  consigned 
to  oblivion  by  the  masses?     And  is  not  the  direct  tendency 

id)  Isaiah  xix.  23.    Joel  ii.  28  W  Isaiah  xix.  19,  23,  24. 


590  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

of  the  mass,  to  cause  Christ,  if  it  were  possible,  to  be  put  to 
death  again  ?  "  For  where  a  testament  is,"  says  the  apostle, 
"there  must  also,  of  necessity,  be  the  death  of  the  testator."  (/) 
The  mass  pretends  to  exhibit  anew  testament  of  Christ ;  there- 
fore it  requires  his  death.  Moreover  the  victim  which  is  of- 
fered must,  of  necessity,  be  slain  and  immolated.  If  Christ  be 
sacrificed  in  every  mass,  he  must  be  cruelly  murdered  in  a 
thousand  separate  places  at  once.  This  is  not  my  argument ; 
it  is  the  reasoning  of  the  apostle  :  "  It  was  not  necessary  that 
he  should  offer  himself  often ;  for  then  must  he  often  have  suf- 
fered since  the  foundation  of  the  world."  {g)  In  reply  to  this, 
I  confess,  they  are  ready  to  charge  us  with  calumny  ;  alleging 
that  we  impute  to  them  sentiments  which  they  never  have 
held,  nor  ever  can  hold.  We  know,  indeed,  that  the  life  and 
death  of  Christ  are  not  in  their  power ;  and  whether  they  in- 
tend to  murder  him,  we  do  not  inquire  ;  we  only  mean  to  show 
the  absurdities  which  follow  from  their  impious  and  abominable 
doctrine,  and  this  we  have  proved  from  the  mouth  of  the  apostle. 
They  may  reply  a  hundred  times,  if  they  please,  that  this 
sacrifice  is  without  blood  ;  but  I  shall  deny  that  sacrifices  can 
change  their  nature,  at  the  caprice  of  men ;  for  thus  the  sacred 
and  inviolable  institution  of  God  would  fall  to  the  ground. 
Hence  it  follows,  that  this  principle  of  the  apostle  can  never 
be  shaken,  that  "  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission."  (A) 
VI.  We  are  now  to  treat  of  the  fourth  property  of  the  mass, 
which  is,  to  prevent  us  from  perceiving  and  reflecting  on  the 
death  of  Christ,  and  thereby  to  deprive  us  of  the  benefit  result- 
ing from  it.  For  who  can  consider  himself  as  redeemed  by 
the  death  of  Christ,  when  he  sees  a  new  redemption  in  the 
mass  ?  Who  can  be  assured  that  his  sins  are  remitted,  when 
he  sees  another  remission  ?  It  is  not  a  sufficient  answer,  to 
say,  that  M'-e  obtain  remission  of  sins  in  the  mass,  only  because 
it  has  been  already  procured  by  the  death  of  Christ.  For  this 
is  no  other  than  pretending  that  Christ  has  redeemed  us  in 
order  that  we  may  redeem  ourselves.  For  this  is  the  doctrine 
which  has  been  disseminated  by  the  ministers  of  Satan,  and 
which  they  now  defend  by  clamours,  and  fire,  and  sword  :  that 
when  we  offer  up  Christ  to  his  Father,  in  the  sacrifice  of  the 
mass,  we,  by  that  act  of  oblation,  obtain  remission  of  sins,  and 
become  partakers  of  the  passion  of  Christ,  What  remains,  then, 
to  the  passion  of  Christ,  but  to  be  an  example  of  redemption, 
by  which  we  may  learn  to  be  our  own  redeemers  ?  Christ 
himself,  when  he  seals  the  assurance  of  pardon  in  the  sacred 
supper,  does  not  command  his  disciples  to  rest  in  this  act,  but 
refers  them  to  the  sacrifice  of  his  death ;  signifying  that  the 

(/)  Heb.  ix.  16.  {g)  Heb.  ix.  23,  25,  26.  (/t)  Heb.  ix.  22. 

V 


^HAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  591 

supper  is  a  monument,  or  memorial,  appointed  to  tcacli  us 
that  the  expiatory  victim  by  which  God  was  to  be  appeased 
ought  to  be  offered  but  once.  Nor  is  it  sufficient  to  know  tliat 
Christ  is  the  sole  victim,  unless  we  also  know  that  there  is  only 
one  oblation,  so  that  our  faith  may  be  fixed  upon  his  cross. 

VII.    I  come  now  to  the  concluding  observation;  that  the 
sacred  supper,  in  which  our  Lord  had  left  us  the  memorial  of 
his  passion  impressed  and  engraven,  has,  by  the  erection  of  the 
mass,  been  removed,  abolished,  and  destroyed.     For  the  sup- 
per itself  is  a  gift  of  God,  which  ought  to  be  received  with 
thanksgiving.     The  sacrifice  of  the  mass  is  pretended  to  be  a 
price  given  to  God,  and  received  by  him  as  a  satisfaction.     As 
far  as  giving  differs  from  receivings  so  far  does  the  sacrifice  of 
the  mass  differ  from  the  sacrament  of  the  supper.     And  this  is 
the  most  miserable  ingratitude  of  man,  that  where  the  profu- 
sion of  the  Divine  goodness  ought  to  have  been  acknowledged 
with   thanksgivings,   there   he   makes  God   his  debtor.     The 
sacrament  promised,  that  by  the  death  of  Christ   we  are  not 
only  restored  to  life,  but  are  perpetually  vivified,  because  every 
part  of  our  salvation  was  then  accomplished.     The  sacrifice  of 
the  mass  proclaims  a  very  difterent  doctrine ;  that  it  is  neces- 
sary for  Christ  to  be  sacrificed  every  day,  in  order  to  be  of  any 
advantage  to  us.     The  supper  ought  to  be  distributed  in  the 
public  congregation  of  the  Church,  to  instruct  us  m  the  com- 
munion  by  which   we   are  all   connected  together   m   Christ 
Jesus.     The  sacrifice  of  the  mass  dissolves  and  destroys  this 
communion.     For  the  reception  of  this  error  rendered  it  ne- 
cessary that  there  should  be  priests  to  sacrifice  for  the  people ; 
and  the  supper,  as  if  it  had  beeii  resigned  to  them,  ceased  to 
be  administered  to  the  Church  of  believers,  according  to  the 
commandment  of  the  Lord.     A  way  was  opened  for  the  admis- 
sion of  private  masses,  which  represented  a  kind  of  excom- 
munication, rather  than  that  communion  which  had  been  in- 
stituted by  our  Lord,  when  the  mass-priest  separates  himselt 
from  the  whole  congregation  of  believers,  to  devour  his  sacri- 
fice alone.     That  no  person  may  be  deceived,  I  call  it  a  private 
mass,  wherever  there  is  no  participation  of  the  Lords  suppc 
among  believers,  whatever  number  of  persons  may  be  present 

as  ^PejI^^t^J^JJ    '^^  ^^   ^1^^  ,^ord  mass  itself,  I  have  never 

been  able  certainly  to  determine  ^^h^'^^^'^^^-'S^'^^^^f '  .°;;  ^ 
think   it  may  probably  have  been  derived  from  the  oblations 
which  used  tVbe  made  at  the  sacrament.     Hence  the  anc.ent 


fathers  generally  use  it  u>  the  p hual  number.  _  But_^.o  fmUar 

all  controversy  respecting  the  term, 
are  diametrically  repugnant  to  the  in 
consequently  an  impious  profanation 


all  controversy  \-especting  the  term,  1  say  tl^U  private  masse 

are  diametrically  repugnant  to  the  '"^^;J"/^«'!,r,  ^  "^  ^^'^  l"  r 
_,,.!„  o,T  imnimis  nrofanation  of  the  sacred  supper,     i  or 


s 
arc 


592  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

what  has  the  Lord  commanded  us?  Is  it  not,  to  take  and 
divide  it  among  us  ?  [k)  What  observance  of  the  command 
does  Paul  inculcate  ?  Is  it  not  the  breaking  of  the  bread, 
which  is  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?  (/)  Wiien 
one  man  takes  it,  therefore,  without  any  distribution,  what 
resemblance  does  this  bear  to  the  command?  But  it  is  alleged, 
that  this  one  man  does  it  in  the  name  of  the  whole  Church.  I 
ask,  by  what  authority  ?  Is  not  this  an  open  mockery  of  God, 
when  one  person  does  separately,  by  himself,  that  which  ought 
not  to  have  been  done  but  among  many  ?  The  words  of 
Christ,  and  of  Paul,  are  sufficiently  clear  to  authorize  the  con- 
clusion, that  wherever  there  is  no  breaking  of  the  bread  for 
common  distribution  among  believers,  there  is  not  the  supper 
of  the  Lord,  but  a  false  and  preposterous  imitation  of  it.  But 
a  false  imitation  is  a  corruption  ;  and  the  corruption  of  so  great 
a  mystery  cannot  take  place  without  impiety.  Private  masses, 
therefore,  are  an  impious  abuse.  And  as  one  abuse  in  religion 
soon  produces  another,  after  the  introduction  of  this  custom  of 
offering  without  communicating,  they  began  by  degrees  to  have 
innumerable  masses  in  all  the  corners  of  the  temples,  and  thus 
to  divide  the  people  from  each  other,  who  ought  to  have  united 
in  one  assembly,  to  celebrate  the  mystery  of  their  union.  Now, 
let  the  Romanists  deny,  if  they  can,  that  they  are  guilty  of 
idolatry  in  exhibiting  bread  in  their  masses,  to  be  worshipped 
instead  of  Christ.  In  vain  do  they  boast  of  those  promises  of 
the  presence  of  Christ  ;  for  however  they  may  be  understood, 
they  certainly  were  not  given  in  order  that  impure  and  profane 
men,  whenever  they  please,  and  for  whatever  improper  use, 
may  transmute  bread  into  the  body  of  Christ ;  but  in  order 
that  believers,  religiously  observing  the  command  of  Christ,  in 
celebrating  the  supper,  may  enjoy  a  true  participation  of  him 
in  it. 

IX.  In  the  purer  times  of  the  Church,  this  corruption  was 
unknown.  For,  however  the  more  impudent  of  our  adversa- 
ries endeavour  to  misrepresent  this  matter,  yet  it  is  beyond  all 
doubt  that  all  antiquity  is  against  them,  as  we  have  already 
evinced  in  other  points,  and  may  be  more  fully  determined  by 
a  diligent  perusal  of  the  ancient  fathers.  But  before  I  conclude 
this  subject,  I  will  ask  our  advocates  for  masses,  since  they 
know  that  "  the  Lord  hath  "  not  "as  great  delight  in  sacrifices, 
as  in  obeying  the  voice  of  the  Lord,"  and  that  "  to  obey  is 
better  than  sacrifice,  "  [m)  how  they  can  believe  this  kind  of 
sacrificing  to  be  acceptable  to  God,  for  which  they  hav^e  nc 
command,  and  which  they  do  not  find  to  be  sanctioned  by  a 
single  syllable  of  the  Scripture.      Moreover,  since  they  hear 

{h)  Luke  xxii.  17.  (?)  1  Cor.  x.  16.  {m)  1  Sam.  xv.  22. 


CHAP.    XVIIl.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  593 

the  apostle  say,  that  "  no  man  taketh  "  the  name  and  "  honour  " 
of  the  priesthood  "  unto  himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God, 
as  was  Aaron,"  and  that  even  "Christ  glorified  not  himself  to 
be  made  a  high-priest,"  but  obeyed  the  call  of  his  Father;  (;t) 
either  they  must  prove  God  to  be  the  author  and  institutor  of 
their  priesthood,  or  they  must  confess  the  honour  not  to  be  of 
God,  into  which  they  have  presumptuously  and  wickedly  ob- 
truded themselves,  without  any  call.  But  they  cannot  pro- 
duce a  tittle  which  affords  the  least  support  to  their  priesthood. 
WJiat,  then,  will  become  of  their  sacrifices,  since  no  sacrifices 
can  be  offered  without  a  priest  ? 

X.  If  any  one  should  bring  forward  mutilated  passages,  ex- 
tracted from  different  parts  of  the  writings  of  the  fathers,  and 
contend,  on  their  authority,  that  the  sacrifice  whicli  is  offered 
in  the  supper  ought  to  be  understood  in  a  different  manner 
frcm  the  representation  we  have  given  of  it,  he  shall  receive 
th;  following  brief  reply  :  If  the  question  relate  to  an  approba- 
tion of  this  notion  of  a  sacrifice  which  the  Papists  iiave  invent- 
ed in  the  mass,  the  ancient  fathers  are  very  far  from  counte- 
nancing such  a  sacrilege.  They  do,  indeed,  use  the  word 
sacrifice,  but  they  at  the  same  time  fully  declare,  that  they 
mean  nothing  more  than  the  commemoration  of  that  true  and 
only  sacrifice  which  Christ,  whom  they  invariably  speak  of  as 
our  only  Priest,  completed  on  the  cross.  Augustine  says,  "  The 
Hebrews,  in  the  animal  victims  which  they  oftered  to  God, 
celebrated  the  prophecy  of  the  future  victim  Avhich  Christ  has 
since  offered  ;  Christians,  by  the  holy  oblation  and  participation 
of  the  body  of  Christ,  celebrate  the  remembrance  of  the  sacrifice 
which  is  already  completed."  Here  he  evidently  inculcates 
the  same  sentiment  that  is  expressed  more  at  large  in  the 
Treatise,  on  Faith,  which  has  been  attributed  to  him,  though 
it  is  doubtful  who  was  the  author,  addressed  to  Peter  the 
Deacon  ;  in  which  we  find  the  following  passage  :  "  Hold  this 
most  firmly,  and  admit  not  the  least  doubt,  that  the  only 
begotten  Son  of  God  himself,  being  made  flesh  for  us,  hath 
offered  himself  for  us  an  off'ering  and  a  sacrifice  to  God  for  a 
sweet-smelling  savour;  to  whom,  with  the  Father  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  animals  were  sacrificed  in  the  time  of  tiic  Old 
Testament  ;  and  to  whom  now,  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Spirit,  (with  whom  he  has  one  and  the  same  Divinity,)  the  iioly 
Church,  throughout  the  world,  ceases  not  to  offer  the  sacrifice  of 
bread  and  wine.  For  in  those  carnal  victims  there  was  a  prc- 
figuration  of  the  flesh  of  Christ,  which  he  himself  was  to  offer 
for  our  sins,  and  of  his  blood,  which  he  was  to  shed  for  the  re- 
mission of  our  sins.     But  in  the  present  sacrifice,  there  is  a 

(n)  Heb.  v.  4,  5. 

VOL.  II.  75 


694  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

thanksgiving  and  commemoration  of  the  flesh  of  Christ,  which 
he  has  offered,  and  of  his  blood,  which  he  has  shed  for  us."' 
Hence  Augustine  himself,  in  various  passages,  explains  it  to  be 
nothing  more  than  a  sacrifice  of  praise.  And  it  is  a  remark  often 
found  in  his  writings,  that  the  Lord's  supper  is  called  a  sacrifice, 
for  no  other  reason  than  because  it  is  a  memorial,  image,  and 
attestation,  of  that  singular,  true,  and  only  sacrifice,  by  which 
Christ  has  redeemed  us.  There  is  also  a  remarkable  passage  in 
his  Treatise  on  the  Trinity,  where,  after  having  treated  of  the 
only  sacrifice,  he  thus  concludes  :  "  In  a  sacrifice,  four  things  are 
to  be  considered  —  to  whom  it  is  offered,  by  whom  it  is  offered, 
what  is  offered,  and  for  whom  it  is  offered.  The  alone  and 
true  Mediator,  by  a  sacrifice  of  peace,  reconciling  us  to  God, 
remains  one  with  him  to  whom  he  has  offered  it ;  makes  them 
for  whom  he  has  offered  it  one  in  himself ;  is  the  one  who 
alone  has  offered  it ;  and  is  himself  the  oblation  which  he  has 
offered."  Chrysostom  also  speaks  to  the  same  purpose.  And 
they  ascribe  the  honour  of  the  priesthood  so  exclusively  to 
Christ,  that  Augustine  declares,  that  if  any  one  should  set  up  a 
bishop  as  an  intercessor  between  God  and  man,  it  would  be  the 
language  of  Antichrist. 

XI.  Yet  we  do  not  deny  that  the  oblation  of  Christ  is  there 
exhibited  to  us  in  such  a  manner,  that  the  view  of  his  cross  is 
almost  placed  before  our  eyes ;  as  the  apostle  says,  that  by  the 
preaching  of  the  cross  to  the  Galatians,  "  Christ  had  been  evi- 
dently set  forth  before  their  eyes,  crucified  among  them.'"  (o) 
But  as  I  perceive  that  those  ancient  fathers  misapplied  this 
memorial  to  a  purpose  inconsistent  with  the  institution  of  the 
Lord,  because  the  supper,  as  celebrated  by  them,  represented  I 
know  not  what  appearance  of  a  reiterated,  or  at  least  renewed 
oblation,  the  safest  way  for  pious  minds  will  be  to  acquiesce 
in  the  pure  and  simple  ordinance  of  the  Lord,  whose  supper 
this  sacrament  is  called,  because  it  ought  to  be  regulated  by 
his  sole  authority.  Finding  them  to  have  retained  orthodox 
and  pious  sentiments  of  this  whole  mystery,  and  not  detecting 
them  of  having  intended  the  least  derogation  from  the  one  and 
alone  sacrifice  of  Christ,  I  dare  not  condemn  them  for  impiety  ; 
yet  I  think  it  impossible  to  exculpate  them  from  having  com- 
mitted some  error  in  the  external  form.  For  they  imitated 
the  Jewish  mode  of  sacrificing,  more  than  Christ  had  com- 
manded, or  the  nature  of  the  gospel  admitted.  The  censure 
which  they  have  deserved,  therefore,  is  for  this  preposterous 
conformity  to  the  Old  Testament ;  that,  not  content  with  the 
simple  and  genuine  institution  of  Christ,  they  have  symbolized 
too  much  with  the  shadows  of  the  law. 


(o)  Gal.  iii.  1. 


CHAP.   XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  595 

XII.  If  any  person  will  attentively  examine,  he  will  observe 
this  distinction  clearly  marked  by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  be- 
tween the  Mosaic  sacrifices  and  our  eucharist  ;  that  though 
those  sacrifices  represented  to  the  Jewish  pcojjle  the  same  eifi- 
cacy  of  the  death  of  Christ  which  is  now  exhibited  to  us  in  the 
Lord's  supper,  yet  the  mode  of  representation  was  different. 
For  the  .Jewish  priests  were  commanded  to  prefigure  the  sacri- 
fice which  was  to  be  accomplished  by  Christ;  a  victim  was 
presented  in  the  place  of  Christ  himself;  there  was  an  altar  on 
which  it  was  to  be  immolated;  in  short,  every  thing  was  con- 
ducted in  such  a  manner  as  to  set  before  the  eyes  of  the  people 
a  representation  of  the  sacrifice  which  was  to  be  offered  to  God 
as  an  atonement  for  sins.  But  since  that  sacrifice  has  been 
accomplished,  the  Lord  has  prescribed  to  us  a  dillerent  method, 
in  order  to  communicate  to  believers  the  benefit  of  the  sacrifice 
which  has  been  offered  to  him  by  his  Son.  Therefore  he  has 
given  us  a  table  at  which  we  are  to  feast,  not  an  altar  upon 
which  any  victim  is  to  be  offered  :  he  has  not  consecrated 
priests  to  offer  sacrifices,  but  ministers  to  distribute  the  sacred 
banquet.  In  proportion  to  the  superior  sublimity  and  sanctity 
of  the  mystery,  with  the  greater  care  and  reverence  it  ought  to 
be  treated.  The  safest  course,  therefore,  is  to  relinquish  all 
the  presumption  of  human  reason,  and  to  adhere  strictly  to 
what  the  Scripture  enjoins.  And  surely,  if  we  consider  that  it 
is  the  supper  of  the  Lord,  and  not  of  men,  there  is  no  cause 
why  we  should  suffer  ourselves  to  be  moved  a  hair's  breadth 
from  the  scriptural  rule  by  any  authority  of  men  or  prescription 
of  years.  Therefore,  when  the  apostle  was  desirous  of  puri- 
fying it  from  all  the  faults  which  had  already  crept  into  the 
Church  at  Corinth,  he  adopted  the  best  and  readiest  method, 
by  recalling  it  to  the  one  original  institution,  which  he  shows 
ought  to  be  regarded  as  its  perpetual  rule. 

XIII.  That  no  wrangler  may  take  occasion  to  oppose  us 
from  the  terms  sacrifice  and  priast,  I  will  briefly  state  what  I 
have  meant  by  these  terms  all  through  this  argument.  Some 
extend  the  word  sacrifice  to  all  religious  ceremonies  and  ac- 
tions ;  but  for  this  I  see  no  reason.  We  know  that,  by  the 
constant  usage  of  the  Scripture,  the  word  sacrifice  is  applied  to 
what  the  Greeks  call  sometimes  Sutfia,  sometimes  rrpo'jfo^a,  and 
sometimes  thXs^^,  which,  taken  generally,  comprehends  whatever 
is  offered  to  God.  Wherefore  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  make  a 
distinction,  but  such  a  distinction  as  may  be  consistent  with 
the  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaic  law  ;  under  the  shadows  of  which 
the  Lord  designed  to  represent  to  his  people  all  tlic  truth  of 
spiritual  sacrifices.  Though  there  were  various  kinds  of  them, 
yet  they  may  all  be  referred  to  two  classes.  For  cither  they 
were  oblations  made  for  sin  in  a  way  of  satisfaction,  by  which 


596  INSTITUTES    or    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

guilt  was  expiated  before  God,  or  they  were  symbols  of  Divine 
worship  and  attestations  of  devotion.  This  second  class  com- 
prehended three  kinds  of  sacrifices :  some  were  offered  in  a 
way  of  supplication,  to  implore  the  favour  of  God ;  some  in  a 
way  of  thanksgiving,  to  testify  the  gratitude  of  the  mind  for 
benefits  received  ;  and  some  as  simple  expressions  of  piety,  to 
renew  the  confirmation  of  the  covenant :  to  this  class  belonged 
burnt-offerings  and  drink-olferings,  first-fruits  and  peace-ofler- 
ings.  Therefore  let  ns  also  divide  sacrifices  into  two  kinds, 
and  for  the  sake  of  distinction  call  one  the  sacrifice  of  worship 
and  piety,  because  it  consists  in  the  veneration  and  service  of 
God,  which  he  demands  and  receives  from  believers ;  or  it  may 
be  called,  if  you  prefer  it,  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving ;  for  it 
is  presented  to  God  by  none  but  persons  who,  loaded  with  his 
immense  benefits,  devote  themselves  and  all  their  actions  to 
him  in  return.  The  other  may  be  called  the  sacrifice  of  propi- 
tiation or  expiation.  A  sacrifice  of  expiation  is  that  which  is 
offered  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God,  to  satisfy  his  justice,  and 
thereby  to  purify  and  cleanse  from  sins,  that  the  sinner,  de- 
livered from  the  defilement  of  iniquity,  and  restored  to  the  pu- 
rity of  righteousness,  may  be  re-admitted  to  the  favour  of  God. 
This  was  the  designation,  under  the  law,  of  those  victims 
which  were  offered  for  the  expiation  of  sins ;  not  that  they 
were  sufficient  to  effect  the  restoration  of  the  favour  of  God,  or 
the  obliteration  of  iniquity,  but  because  they  prefigured  that 
true  sacrifice  which  at  length  was  actually  accomplished  by 
Christ  alone ;  by  him  alone,  because  it  could  be  made  by  no 
other ;  and  once  for  all,  because  the  virtue  and  efficacy  of  that 
one  sacrifice  is  eternal ;  as  Christ  himself  declared,  when  he  said, 
"  It  is  finished  ;  "  (p)  that  is  to  say,  whatever  was  necessary  to 
reconcile  us  to  the  Father,  and  to  obtain  remission  of  sins, 
righteousness,  and  salvation,  was  all  eflected  and  completed  by 
that  one  oblation  of  himself,  which  was  so  perfect  as  to  leave 
no  room  for  any  other  sacrifice  afterwards. 

XIV,  Wherefore,  I  conclude,  that  it  is  a  most  criminal  insult, 
and  intolerable  blasphemy,  both  against  Christ  himself,  and 
against  the  sacrifice  which  he  completed  on  our  behalf  by  his 
death  upon  the  cross,  for  any  man  to  repeat  any  oblation  with 
a  view  to  procure  the  pardon  of  sins,  propitiate  God,  and  obtain 
righteousness.  But  what  is  the  object  of  the  mass,  except  it 
be  that  by  the  merit  of  a  new  oblation  we  may  be  made  parta- 
kers of  the  passion  of  Christ  ?  And  that  there  might  be  no 
limits  to  their  folly,  they  have  not  been  satisfied  with  aflirming 
it  to  be  a  common  sacrifice  oflered  equally  for  the  whole  Church, 
without  adding,  that  it  was  in  their  power  to  make  a  peculiai 

(/>)  John  xii.  30. 

V 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  597 

application  of  it  to  any  individual  they  chose,  or  rather  to  every 
one  who  was  willing  to  purchase  such  a  commodity  with  ready 
money.  Though  they  could  not  reach  the  price  of  Judas,  yet, 
to  exemplify  some  characteristic  of  their  author,  they  have  re- 
tained the  resemblance  of  number.  Judas  sold  Jesus  for  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  ;  these  men,  as  far  as  in  them  lies,  sell  him,  in 
French  money,  for  thirty  pieces  of  copper  ;  Judas  sold  him  but 
once  ;  they  sell  him  as  often  as  they  meet  with  a  purchaser. 
In  this  sense,  we  deny  that  they  are  priests  ;  that  they  can 
intercede  with  God  on  behalf  of  the  people  by  such  an  oblation  ; 
that  they  can  appease  the  wrath  of  God,  or  obtain  the  remission 
of  sins.  For  Christ  is  the  sole  Priest  and  High-Priest  of  the 
New  Testament,  to  whom  all  the  ancient  priesthoods  have 
been  transferred,  and  in  whom  they  are  all  terminated  and 
closed.  And  even  if  the  Scripture  had  made  no  mention  of 
the  eternal  priesthood  of  Christ,  yet  as  God,  since  the  abroga- 
tion of  the  former  priesthoods,  has  instituted  no  other,  the 
argument  of  the  apostle  is  irrefragable,  that  "  no  man  taketh 
this  honoLu:  unto  himself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God."  (q) 
With  what  effrontery,  then,  do  these  sacrilegious  mortals,  who 
boast  of  being  the  executioners  of  Christ,  dare  to  call  them- 
selves priests  of  the  living  God  ! 

XV.  There  is  a  beautiful  passage  in  Plato,  in  which  he 
treats  of  the  ancient  expiations  among  the  heathen,  and  ridi- 
cules the  foolish  confidence  of  wicked  and  profligate  men,  who 
thought  that  such  disguises  would  conceal  their  crimes  from 
the  view  of  their  gods,  and,  as  if  they  had  made  a  com])romise 
with  their  gods,  indulged  themselves  in  their  vices  with  the 
greater  security.  This  passage  almost  seems  as  if  it  had  been 
written  with  a  view  to  the  missal  expiation  as  it  is  now 
practised  in  the  world.  To  defraud  and  circumvent  another 
person,  every  one  knows  to  be  unlawful.  To  injure  widows, 
to  plunder  orphans,  to  harass  tiie  poor,  to  obtain  the  property 
of  others  by  wicked  arts,  to  seize  any  one's  fortune  by  perjuries 
and  frauds,  to  oppress  a  neighbour  with  violence  and  tyrannical 
terror,  are  universally  acknowledged  to  be  enormous  crimes. 
How,  then,  do  so  many  persons  dare  to  commit  all  these  sins,  as 
if  they  might  perpetrate  them  with  impunity  ?  If  we  duly 
consider,  we  shall  find  that  they  derive  fresh  encouragement 
from  no  other  cause  than  the  confidence  which  they  feel  that 
they  shall  be  able  to  satisfy  God  by  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass, 
as  a  complete  discharge  of  all  their  obligations  to  him,  or  at 
least  that  it  aflords  them  an  easy  mode  of  comjjromising  with 
him.  Plato  afterwards  goes  on  to  ridicule  the  gross  stupidity 
of  those  Avho  expect  by  such  expiations  to  be  delivered  Irom 

(q)  Heb.  v.  4. 


598  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK  IV. 

the  punishments  which  they  would  otherwise  have  to  suffer  in 
hell.  And  what  is  the  design  of  the  obits,  or  anniversary- 
obsequies,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  masses,  but  that  those 
who  all  their  lifetime  have  been  the  most  cruel  of  tyrants,  the 
most  rapacious  of  robbers,  or  abandoned  to  every  enormity,  as 
if  redeemed  with  this  price,  may  escape  the  fire  of  purgatory  ? 
XVI.  Under  the  other  kind  of  sacrifices,  which  we  have 
called  the  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving,  are  included  all  the  offices 
of  charity,  which  when  we  perform  to  our  brethren,  we  honour 
the  Lord  himself  in  his  members ;  and  likewise  all  our  prayers, 
praises,  thanksgivings,  and  every  thing  that  we  do  in  the  service 
of  God;  all  which  are  dependent  on  a  greater  sacrifice,  by  which 
we  are  consecrated  in  soul  and  body  as  holy  temples  to  the 
Lord.  It  is  not  enough  for  our  external  actions  to  be  employed 
in  his  service  :  it  is  necessary  that  first  ourselves,  and  then  all 
our  works,  be  consecrated  and  dedicated  to  him  ;  that  what- 
ever belongs  to  us  may  conduce  to  his  glory,  and  discover  a 
zeal  for  its  advancement.  This  kind  of  sacrifice  has  no  ten- 
dency to  appease  the  wrath  of  God,  to  procure  remission  of 
sins,  or  to  obtain  righteousness :  its  sole  object  is  to  magnify 
and  exalt  the  glory  of  God.  For  it  cannot  be  acceptable  and 
pleasing  to  God,  except  from  the  hands  of  those  whom  he  has 
already  favoured  with  the  remission  of  their  sins,  reconciled  to 
himself,  and  absolved  from  guilt ;  and  it  is  so  necessary  to  the 
Church  as  to  be  altogether  indispensable.  Therefore  it  will 
continue  to  be  offered  for  ever,  as  long  as  the  people  of  God 
shall  exist ;  as  we  have  already  seen  from  the  prophet.  For  so 
far  are  we  from  wishing  to  abolish  it,  that  in  that  sense  we  are 
pleased  to  understand  the  following  prediction:  "From  the  ris- 
ing of  the  sun,  even  unto  the  going  down  of  the  same,  my  name 
shall  be  great  among  the  Gentiles ;  and  in  every  place  incense 
shall  be  offered  unto  my  name,  and  a  pure  offering  ;  for  my  name 
shall  be  great  among  the  heathen,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts."  (r) 
So  Paul  enjoins  us  to  "present"  our  "  bodies,  a  living  sacri- 
fice, holy,  acceptable  unto  God,"  which  is  our  "  reasonable 
service."  (s)  He  has  expressed  himself  with  the  strictest  pro- 
priety, by  adding  that  this  is  our  reasonable  service  ;  for  he 
intended  a  spiritual  kind  of  Divine  worship,  which  he  tacitly  op- 
posed to  the  carnal  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaic  law.  So  "to  do 
good,  and  to  communicate,"  are  called  "  sacrifices  with  which 
God  is  well  pleased."  {t)  So  the  liberality  of  the  Philippians 
in  supplying  the  wants  of  Paul  was  "  an  odour  of  a  sweet 
smell,  a  sacrifice  acceptable  and  well  pleasing  to  God."  [v]  So 
all  the  good  works  of  believers  are  spiritual  sacrifices. 

(r)  Mai.  i.  11.  (0  Heb.  xiii.  16. 

Is)  Rom.  xii.  1.  (»)  Phil.  iv.  18 


CHAP.    XVIII.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  599 

XVII.  Why  do  I  multiply  quotations  ?  This  form  of  ex- 
pression is  perpetually  occurring  in  the  Scriptures.  And  evea 
while  the  people  were  kept  under  the  external  disci])lnie  of 
the  law,  it  was  sufficiently  declared  by  the  prophets  that  those 
carnal  sacrifices  contained  a  reality  and  truth  which  is  connnoii 
to  the  Christian  Church,  as  well  as  to  the  nation  of  tiie  Jews. 
For  this  reason  David  prayed,  "  Let  my  prayer  be  set  forth  be- 
fore thee  as  incense  ;  and  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands  as  the  even- 
ing sacrifice."  {w)  And  Hosea  called  thanksgivings  "  the  calves 
of  our  lips,"  (x)  which  David  calls  "  offering  thanksgiving  "  and 
"  offering  praise."  (y)  In  imitation  of  the  Psalmist,  the  apostle 
himself  says,  "  Let  us  offer  the  sacrifice  of  praise  to  God  con- 
tinually ;"  and  by  way  of  explanation  adds,  "that  is,  the  fruit 
of  our  lips,"  confessing  or  giving  "thanks  to  his  namc."(c) 
This  kind  of  sacrifice  is  indispensable  in  the  supper  of  the  Lord, 
in  which,  while  we  commemorate  and  declare  his  death,  and 
give  thanks,  we  do  no  other  than  offer  the  sacrifice  of  praise. 
From  this  sacrificial  employment,  all  Christians  are  called  "a 
royal  priesthood;  "(a) because,  as  the  apostle  says,  "  By  Christ 
we  offer  the  sacrifice  of  praise  to  God,  that  is,  the  fruit  of  our  lips, 
giving  thanks  to  his  name."  For  we  do  not  appear  in  the  pre- 
sence of  God  with  our  oblations  without  an  intercessor  ;  Christ 
is  the  Mediator,  by  whom  we  offer  ourselves  and  all  that  we 
have  to  the  Father.  He  is  our  High  Priest,  who,  having  entered 
into  the  celestial  sanctuary,  opens  the  way  of  access  for  us. 
He  is  our  altar,  upon  which  we  place  our  oblations,  that  what- 
ever we  venture  to  do,  we  may  attempt  in  Inm.  In  a  word,  it 
is  he  that  '-hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God."  (b) 

XVIII.  What  remains,  then,  but  for  the  blind  to  see,  the 
deaf  to  hear,  and  even  children  to  understand,  this  abomination 
of  the  mass  ?  which,  being  presented  in  a  vessel  of  gold,  has  so 
inebriated  and  stupefied  all  the  kings  and  people  of  the  earth, 
from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  that,  more  senseless  than  the 
brutes  themselves,  they  have  placed  the  whole  of  their  salvation 
in  this  fatal  gulf.  Surely  Satan  never  employed  a  more  power- 
ful engine  to  assail  and  conquer  the  kingdom  of  Christ.  This  is 
the  Helen,  for  which  the  enemies  of  the  truth  in  the  present 
day  contend  with  cruelty,  rage,  and  fury  ;  a  Helen,  indeed, 
with  which  they  so  pollute  themselves  with  si)iritual  fornica- 
tion, which  is  the  most  execrable  of  all.  Here  I  touch  not, 
8ven  with  my  little  finger,  the  gross  abuses  which  they  might 
pretend  to  be  profanations  of  the  purity  of  their  lioly  mass  ;  what 
a  scandalous  traffic  they  carry  on,  what  sordid  gains  they  make 
by  their  masses,  with  what  enormous  rapacity  they  gratily  their 
avarice.    1  only  point  out,  and  that  in  few  and  plain  words,  the 

(w)  Psalm  cxli.  2.  (y)  Ps«lm  1.  M,  ^3.  (a)  1  Petor  .i.  9. 

(X)   Hosea  xiv.  2.  W  Heb.  xm.  la  {b)  Rev.  ..  0. 


600  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

true  nature  ot  the  most  sanctimonious  sanctity  of  ths  mass,  on 
account  of  which  it  has  attracted  so  much  admiration  and 
veneration  for  so  many  ages.  For  an  iUustraiion  of  such  great 
mysteries  proportioned  to  their  dignity,  would  require  a  larger 
treatise  ;  and  I  am  unwilling  to  introduce  those  disgusting  cor- 
ruptions which  are  universally  notorious  ;  that  all  men  may  un- 
derstand that  the  mass,  considered  in  its  choicest  and  most  esti- 
mable purity,  without  any  of  its  appendages,  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end,  is  full  of  every  species  of  impiety,  blasphemy, 
idolatry,  and  sacrilege. 

XIX.  The  readers  may  now  see,  collected  into  a  brief 
summary,  almost  every  thing  that  I  have  thought  important  to 
be  known  respecting  these  two  sacraments  ;  the  use  of  which 
has  been  enjoined  on  the  Christian  Church  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  New  Testament  until  the  end  of  time  ;  that 
is  to  say,  baptism,  to  be  a  kind  of  entrance  into  the  Church, 
and  an  initiatory  profession  of  faith ;  and  the  Lord's  supper, 
to  be  a  continual  nourishment,  with  which  Christ  spiritually 
feeds  his  family  of  believers.  Wherefore,  as  there  is  but  "one 
God,  one  Christ,  one  faith,"  one  Church,  the  body  of  Christ, 
so  there  is  only  "  one  baptism  "  and  that  is  never  repeated : 
but  the  supper  is  frequently  distributed,  that  those  who  have 
once  been  admitted  into  the  Church,  may  understand  that 
they  are  continually  nourished  by  Christ.  Beside  these  two, 
as  no  other  sacrament  has  been  instituted  by  God,  so  no  other 
ought  to  be  acknowledged  by  the  Church  of  believers.  For 
that  it  is  not  left  to  the  will  of  man  to  institute  new  sacra- 
ments, will  be  easily  understood  if  we  remember  what  has 
already  been  very  plainly  stated  —  that  sacraments  are  ap- 
pointed by  God  for  the  purpose  of  instructing  us  respecting 
some  promise  of  his,  and  assuring  us  of  his  good-will  towards 
us ;  and  if  we  also  consider,  that  no  one  has  been  the  coun- 
sellor of  God,  capable  of  affording  us  any  certainty  respecting 
his  will,  (c)  or  furnishing  us  any  assurance  of  his  disposition 
towards  us,  what  he  chooses  to  give  or  to  deny  us.  Hence  it 
follows,  that  no  one  can  institute  a  sign  to  be  a  testimony  re- 
specting any  determination  or  promise  of  his  ;  he  alone  can  fur- 
nish us  a  testimony  respecting  himself  by  giving  a  sign.  I  will 
express  myself  in  terms  more  concise,  and  perhaps  more  home- 
ly, but  more  explicit  —  that  there  can  be  no  sacrament  unac- 
companied with  a  promise  of  salvation.  All  mankind,  collected 
in  one  assembly,  can  promise  us  nothing  respecting  our  sal- 
vation. Therefore  they  can  never  institute  or  establish  a 
sacrament. 

XX.  Let  the  Christian  Church,  therefore,  be  content  with 

(c)  Isaiah  xl.  14.     Rom.  xi.  34. 


CHAP.    XVm.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  60l 

these  two,  and  not  only  neither  admit  nor  acknowledge  any- 
other  at  present,  but  neither  desire  nor  expect  any  other  to  tlie 
end  of  the  world.  For  as  the  Jews,  beside  the  ordinary  sacra- 
ments given  to  them,  had  also  several  others,  dillering  accord- 
ing to  the  varying  circumstances  of  dillerent  periods,  such  as 
the  manna,  the  water  issuing  from  the  rock,  the  brazen  serpent, 
and  the  like,  they  were  admonished  by  this  variation  not  to 
rest  in  such  figures,  which  were  of  short  duration,  but  to 
expect  from  God  something  better,  which  should  undergo  no 
change  and  come  to  no  end.  But  our  case  is  very  dillerent : 
to  us  Christ  has  been  revealed,  "  in  whom  are  hid  all  the 
treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge,"  (c)  in  such  abundance 
and  profusion,  that  to  hope  or  desire  any  new  accession  to 
these  treasures  would  really  be  to  displease  God,  and  provoke 
his  wrath  against  us.  We  must  hunger  after  Christ,  we  must 
seek,  contemplate,  and  learn  him  alone,  till  the  dawning  of  that 
great  day,  when  our  Lord  will  fully  manifest  the  glory  of  iiis 
kingdom,  and  reveal  himself  to  us,  so  that  "  we  shall  see  him 
as  he  is."  (d)  And  for  this  reason,  the  dispensation  under 
which  we  live  is  designated  in  the  Scriptures  as  "  the  last 
time,"  "  these  last  times,"  '*  the  last  days,"  (e)  that  no  one 
may  deceive  himself  with  a  vain  expectation  of  any  new 
doctrine  or  revelation.  For  "  God,  who  at  sundry  times  and  in 
divers  manners  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the 
prophets,  hath,  in  these  last  days,  spoken  unto  us  by  his 
Son,"  (/)  who  alone  is  able  to  ''reveal  the  Father,"  (,§•)  and 
who,  indeed,  "hath  declared  him  "  (h)  fully,  as  far  as  is  neces- 
sary for  our  happiness,  while  "  now  we  see  "  him  "  through  a 
glass  darkly."  {i)  As  men  are  not  left  at  liberty  to  institute 
new  sacraments  in  the  Church  of  God,  so  it  were  to  be  wished 
that  as  little  as  possible  of  human  invention  should  be  mixed 
with  those  which  have  been  instituted  by  God.  For  as  wine  is 
diluted  and  lost  by  an  infusion  of  Avater,  and  as  a  whole  mass  of 
meal  contracts  acidity  from  a  sprinkling  of  leaven,  so  the  purity  of 
Divine  mysteries  is  only  polluted  when  man  makes  any  addition 
of  his  own.  And  yet  we  see,  as  the  sacraments  are  observed 
in  the  present  day,  how  very  far  they  have  degenerated  from 
their  original  purity.  There  is  every  where  an  excess  of  page- 
antries, ceremonies,  and  gesticulations;  but  no  consideration 
or  mention  of  the  word  of  God,  without  which  even  the 
sacraments  themselves  cease  to  be  sacraments.  And  the  very 
ceremonies  which  have  been  instituted  by  God  are  not  to  be 
discerned  among  such  a  multitude  of  others,  by  which  they  are 

(c)  Col.ii.3.  ('^  ^  •'"''";''•.?•  u  ■  ,    o 

(e)  1  John  ii.  18.     1  Peter  i.  20.     Acts  ii.  17.  (/)  M.b.  ,.1,  2. 

^  '  {g)  Luke  X.  22.  (A)  John  i.  Id.  («)  1  Cor.  x.n.  U. 

VOL.  II.  76 


602  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

overwhelmed.  In  baptism,  how  little  is  seen  of  that  which 
ought  to  be  the  only  conspicuous  object  —  I  mean  baptism  it- 
self ?  And  the  Lord's  supper  has  been  completely  buried  since 
it  has  been  transformed  into  the  mass  ;  except  that  it  is  ex- 
hibited once  a  year,  but  in  a  partial  and  mutilated  form. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


THE     FIVE     OTHER    CEREMONIES,    FALSELY     CALLED     SACRAMENTS, 
PROVED    NOT    TO    BE    SACRAMENTS  ]    THEIR    NATURE    EXPLAINED. 

The  preceding  discussion  respecting  the  sacraments  might 
satisfy  persons  of  docile  and  sober  minds,  that  they  ought  not 
to  carry  their  curiosity  any  further,  or  without  the  sanction  of 
the  word  of  God,  to  receive  any  other  sacraments  beside  those 
two  which  they  know  to  have  been  instituted  by  the  Lord. 
But  as  the  opinion  of  seven  sacraments  has  been  so  generally 
admitted  in  the  common  conversation  of  mankind,  and  per- 
vaded the  controversies  of  the  schools,  and  the  sermons  of  the 
pulpit,  —  as  it  has  gathered  strength  from  its  antiquity,  and  still 
keeps  its  hold  on  the  minds  of  men,  —  I  have  thought  I  should 
perform  a  useful  service  by  entering  into  a  closer  and  distinct 
examination  of  the  five  ceremonies,  which  are  commonly 
numbered  among  the  true  and  genuine  sacraments  of  the  Lord, 
by  clearing  away  every  fallacy,  and  exhibiting  to  the  view  of 
plain  Christians  the  real  nature  of  those  ceremonies,  and  how 
falsely  they  have  hitherto  been  considered  as  sacraments. 
Here,  in  the  first  place,  I  wish  to  declare  to  all  believers,  that 
I  am  not  induced  to  enter  on  this  controversy  respecting  the 
term,  by  the  least  desire  of  contention,  but  that  I  am  urged  by 
important  reasons  to  resist  the  abuse  of  it.  I  am  aware  that 
Christians  have  power  over  names  as  well  as  things,  and  may 
therefore  apply  words  to  things  at  their  own  pleasure,  provided 
they  retain  a  pious  meaning,  even  though  there  be  some  impro- 
priety of  expression.  All  this  I  admit,  though  it  Avould  be 
better  for  words  to  be  subject  to  things,  than  for  things  to  be 
subject  to  words.  The  case  of  the  term  sacrament,  however, 
is  diflerent.  For  those  who  maintain  seven  sacraments,  give 
them  all  the  same  definition — that  they  are  visible  forms  of 
invisible  grace  ;  they  make  them  all  alike  vessels  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  instruments  of  communicating  righteousness,  causes  of 
obtaining  grace.  And  the  Master  of  tlie  Sentences,  Lombard, 
denies  that  the  sacraments  of  the  Mosaic  law  are  properly  de- 


CHAP.    XIX.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  603 

signaled  by  this  appellation  ;  because  they  did  not  communicate 
that  which  they  prefigured.  Is  it  to  be  endured,  that  those 
symbols,  which  the  Lord  consecrated  with  his  own  mouth,  and 
which  he  adorned  with  excellent  promises,  should  not  be  ac- 
knowledged as  sacraments  ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  that  this 
honour  should  be  transferred  to  those  rites  which  ai-e  merely 
inventions  of  men,  or,  at  least,  are  observed  without  any  express 
command  of  God  ?  Either,  therefore,  let  them  change  tlieir 
definition,  or  abstain  from  this  abuse  of  the  term,  which  after- 
wards generates  false  and  absurd  opinions.  Extreme  unction, 
they  say,  is  a  figure  and  cause  of  invisible  grace,  because  it  is  a 
sacrament.  If  we  ought  by  no  means  to  admit  their  infer- 
ence from  the  term,  it  certainly  behoves  us  to  lose  no  time  in 
resisting  their  application  of  the  term  itself,  that  we  may  not 
be  chargeable  with  giving  any  occasion  to  such  an  error. 
Again  :  to  prove  that  ceremony  to  be  a  sacrament,  they  allege 
this  reason  —  that  it  consists  of  the  external  sign  and  the  word 
of  God.  If  we  find  neither  command  nor  promise  respecting 
it,  can  we  do  otherwise  than  oppose  it  ? 

II.  Now,  it  appears  that  M'-e  are  not  debating  about  the 
word,  but  raising  a  necessary  and  useful  controversy  respecting 
the  thing  itself.  We  must  strenuously  maintain,  therefore,  what 
we  have  already  established  by  irrefragable  argument  that  the 
power  to  institute  sacraments  belongs  to  God  alone  ;  for  a  sa- 
crament ought  to  exhibit  the  certain  promise  of  God,  for  the  as- 
surance and  consolation  of  the  consciences  of  believers  ;  which 
could  never  receive  such  assurance  and  consolation  from  man. 
A  sacrament  ought  to  be  a  testimony  to  us  of  the  good-will  of 
God  towards  us  —  a  testimony  which  no  man  or  angel  can  ever 
give,  as  none  has  been  "  his  counsellor."  It  is  he  alone,  there- 
fore, who,  with  legitimate  authority,  testifies  to  us  concerning 
himself  by  means  of  his  word.  A  sacrament  is  a  seal  by  which 
the  testament  or  promise  of  God  is  sealed.  But  it  could  not 
be  sealed  by  corporeal  things  and  the  elements  of  this  world, 
unless  they  were  marked  out  and  appointed  for  this  purpose  by 
the  power  of  God.  Therefore  man  cannot  institute  a  sacra- 
ment ;  because  it  is  not  in  human  power  to  cause  such  great 
and  Divine  mysteries  to  be  concealed  under  such  mean  symbols. 
•'  The  word  of  God  must  precede,"  as  is  excellently  remarked 
by  Augustine,  "  in  order  to  make  a  sacrament  to  be  a  sacra- 
ment." Moreover,  if  we  would  avoid  falling  into  many  ab- 
surdities, it  is  requisite  to  preserve  some  distinction  between  a 
sacrament  and  other  ceremonies.  The  apostles  prayed  on 
bended  knees  ;  shall  we,  therefore,  never  kneel  without  making 
it  a  sacrament?  The  early  Christians  are  said  to  have  turned 
their  faces  towards  the  east  when  they  prayed ;  shall  looking 


604  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

towards  the  east,  then,  be  regarded  as  a  sacrament  ?  Paul  says, 
"  I  will  that  men  pray  every  where,  lifting  up  holy  hands,"  (k) 
and  the  prayers  of  the  saints  appear  to  have  been  often  made 
with  uplifted  hands  ;  shall  elevation  of  hands  also  be  made  a 
sacrament  ?  On  this  principle  all  the  gestures  of  the  saints 
would  become  sacraments.  I  would  not  insist  on  these  things, 
however,  if  they  were  not  connected  with  those  greater  incon- 
veniences. 

III.  If  they  wish  to  press  us  with  the  authority  of  the  an- 
cient Church,  I  assert  that  this  is  a  groundless  pretence.  For  the 
number  of  seven  sacraments  can  nowhere  be  found  in  the  eccle- 
siastical writers,  nor  is  it  clear  when  it  was  introduced.  I  grant, 
indeed,  that  the  fathers  sometimes  make  too  free  a  use  of  the 
word  sacrament ;  but  they  use  it  indifferently  to  signify  all 
ceremonies  and  external  rites,  and  all  exercises  of  piety.  But, 
when  they  speak  of  those  signs  which  we  ought  to  regard  as 
testimonies  of  the  grace  of  God,  they  are  content  with  these 
two,  baptism  and  the  eucharist.  That  this  may  not  be  sup- 
posed to  be  a  false  allegation,  I  shall  here  cite  a  few  testimonies 
from  Augustine.  To  Januarius  he  says,  "  First,  I  wish  you 
to  know  what  is  the  principal  point  of  this  controversy  — 
that  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  says  in  the  gospel,  has  laid 
upon  us  an  easy  yoke  and  a  light  burden.  And,  therefore,  he 
has  linked  together  the  society  of  the  Christian  Church  by 
sacraments,  very  few  in  number,  most  easy  to  observe,  and 
excellent  in  signification.  Such  are  baptism,  consecrated  in  the 
name  of  the  Trinity,  and  the  communion  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  the  Lord,  and  if  there  be  any  other  enjoined  in  the 
canonical  Scriptures."  Again,  in  his  treatise  On  the  Christian 
Doctrine  :  "  Shice  the  resurrection  of  our  Lord,  our  Lord 
himself,  and  the  practice  of  his  apostles,  instead  of  many  signs, 
have  given  us  few,  and  those  most  easy  in  performance,  most 
excellent  in  signification,  and  most  pure  in  observance  ;  such 
are  baptism,  and  the  celebration  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord."  Why  does  he  make  no  mention  here  of  the  sacred  or 
septenary  number  ?  Is  it  probable  that  he  would  have  omitted 
it,  if  it  had  then  been  instituted  in  the  Church  ;  especially  as, 
in  other  cases,  he  was  more  curious  in  the  observation  of 
numbers  than  was  at  all  necessary  ?  And,  when  he  names 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper,  and  is  silent  respecting  any 
others,  does  he  not  sufficiently  indicate,  that  these  two  mysteries 
possess  superior  and  peculiar  dignity,  and  that  all  other  cere- 
monies occupy  an  inferior  station  ?  Wherefore  I  affirm  that 
these  advocates  for  seven  sacraments  are  not  only  unsupported 
by  the  word  of  the  Lord,  but  also  by  the  consent  of  the  ancient 

(/.)  1  Tim.  ii.  8. 

V 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  605 

Church,  however  they  may  boast  of  such  consent.    Let  us  now 
proceed  to  the  particular  ceremonies. 


CONFIRMATION. 

IV.  It  was  an  ancient  custom  in  the  Church  for  tlic  children 
of  Christians,  after  they  were  come  to  years  of  discretion,  to  be 
presented  to  the  bishop  in  order  to  fulfil  that  duty  which  was 
required  of  adidts  who  oftered  themselves  to  baptism.  For 
such  persons  were  placed  among  the  catechumens,  till,  being 
duly  instructed  in  the  mysteries  of  Christianity,  they  were 
enabled  to  make  a  confession  of  their  faith  before  the  bishop 
and  all  the  people.  Therefore  those  who  had  been  bai)tized 
in  their  infancy,  because  they  had  not  then  made  such  a  con- 
fession of  faith  before  the  Church,  at  the  close  of  childhood,  or 
the  commencement  of  adolescence,  were  again  presented  by  their 
parents,  and  were  examined  by  the  bishop  according  to  the  form 
of  the  catechism  which  was  then  in  common  use.  That  this 
exercise,  which  deserved  to  be  regarded  as  sacred  and  solemn, 
might  have  the  greater  dignity  and  reverence,  they  also  practised 
the  ceremony  of  imposition  of  hands.  Thus  the  youth,  after 
having  given  satisfaction  respecting  his  faith,  was  dismissed 
with  a  solemn  benediction.  This  custom  is  frequently  men- 
tioned by  the  ancient  writers.  Leo,  the  pope,  says,  "If  any 
one  be  converted  from  heresy,  let  him  not  be  baptized  again  ; 
but  let  the  influence  of  the  Spn-it,  which  he  wanted  among  the 
heretics,  be  communicated  to  him  by  the  imposition  of  the 
hands  of  the  bishop."  Here  our  adversaries  will  exclaim  that 
any  ceremony,  by  which  the  Holy  Spirit  is  conferred,  is  pro- 
perly denominated  a  sacrament.  But  the  meaning  of  Leo  in 
these  words  is  sufficiently  unfolded  by  himself  in  another 
place :  "  Whoever  is  baptized  among  heretics,  let  him  not 
be  rebaptized  ;  but  let  him  be  confirmed  by  imposition  of 
hands  with  invocation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  because  he  has 
received  the  mere  form  of  baptism,  without  the  sanctification." 
It  is  also  mentioned  by  Jerome  against  the  Luciferians.  And 
though  I  confess  that  Jerome  is  not  altogetlier  correct  in 
stating  it  to  have  been  a  custom  of  the  apostles,  yet  he  is  very 
far  from  the  absurdities  now  maintained  by  the  Romanists; 
and  he  even  corrects  that  very  statement  by  adding,  that  tiiis 
benediction  was  committed  wholly  to  the  bishops,  "rather  in 
honour  of  the  priesthood  than  from  necessity  imposed  by  any 
law."  Such  imposition  of  hands,  therefore,  as  is  simply  con- 
nected with  benediction,  I  highly  approve,  and  wish  it  were 
now  restored  to  its  primitive  use,  nncorruptcd  by  superstition. 

V.  Succeeding  times  have  almost  obliterated  that  ancient 


'606  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

practice,  and  introduced  I  know  not  what  counterfeit  confirma- 
tion as  a  sacrament  of  God.  They  have  pretended  that  the 
virtue  of  confirmation  is  to  give  the  Holy  Spirit  for  the  aug- 
mentation of  grace,  who  in  baptism  is  given  for  innocence  ;  to 
strengthen  for  warfare  those  who  in  baptism  had  been  re- 
generated to  hfe.  This  confirmation  is  performed  by  unction 
and  the  following  form  of  words :  "  I  sign  thee  with  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  and  confirm  thee  with  the  chrism  of  sah^ation,  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit."  All  this  sounds  very  beautifully  and  pleasantly.  But 
where  is  the  word  of  God  which  promises  the  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  this  ceremony  ?  They  cannot  allege  a  single  iota. 
How,  then,  will  they  assure  us  that  their  chrism  is  the  vessel 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?  We  see  oil,  a  thick  and  viscid  liquid,  and 
we  see  nothing  besides.  Augustine  says,  "  Let  the  word  be 
added  to  the  element,  and  it  will  become  a  sacrament."  Let  the 
Romanists  produce  this  word,  if  they  wish  us  to  contemplate 
in  the  oil  any  thing  beyond  the  oil  itself.  If  they  acknowledged 
themselves  ministers  of  the  sacraments,  as  they  ought  to  do, 
there  would  be  no  need  of  any  further  contention.  The  first 
law  of  a  minister  is  to  undertake  nothing  without  a  command. 
Now,  let  them  produce  any  command  for  this  service,  and  I  will 
not  add  another  word  on  the  subject.  If  they  have  no  com- 
mand, they  can  have  no  excuse  for  such  sacrilegious  audacity. 
On  the  same  principle,  our  Lord  interrogated  the  Pharisees : 
"  The  baptism  of  John,  whence  was  it  ?  from  heaven  or  of 
men  ?  "  [k]  If  they  had  answered,  From  men,  he  would  have 
extorted  a  confession  that  it  was  vain  and  frivolous  ;  if,  From 
heaven,  they  would  be  constrained  to  admit  the  doctrine  of  John. 
To  avoid  too  great  an  injury  to  John,  therefore,  they  did  not  dare 
to  confess  it  was  from  men.  So,  if  confirmation  be  "of  men," 
it  is  evinced  to  be  vain  and  frivolous ;  if  they  wish  to  persuade 
us  that  it  is  from  heaven,  let  them  prove  it. 

VI.  They  defend  themselves,  indeed,  by  the  example  of  the 
apostles,  whom  they  consider  as  having  done  nothing  without 
sufficient  reason.  This  consideration  is  correct  ;  nor  would 
they  receive  any  reprehension  from  us,  if  they  showed  them- 
selves imitators  of  the  apostles.  But  what  was  the  practice  of 
the  apostles  ?  Luke  relates,  that  "  when  the  apostles,  which 
were  at  Jerusalem,  heard  that  Samaria  had  received  the  word 
of  God,  they  sent  unto  them  Peter  and  John  ;  who,  when  they 
were  come  down,  jjrayed  for  them,  that  they  might  receive  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  for  as  yet  he  was  fallen  upon  none  of  them  ;  only 
they  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  Then  laid 
they  their  hands  on  them,  and  they  received  the  Holy  Ghost."  {I] 

{k)  Matt.  xxi.  25.  (0  Acts  viii.  14—17. 


flHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  607 

And  this  imposition  of  hands  is  mentioned  by  the  sacred  histo- 
rian on  several  occasions.     I  perceive  wliat  the  apostles  did 

that  they  faithfully  executed  their  ministry.  It  was  the  Lord's 
will,  that  those  visible  and  wonderful  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
which  he  then  poured  out  upon  his  people,  should  be  ad- 
ministered aud  distributed  by  his  apostles  with  imposition  of 
hands.  Now,  I  do  not  conceive  that  the  imposition  of  bands 
concealed  any  higher  mystery,  but  am  of  opinion  that  this 
ceremony  was  employed  by  them  as  an  external  expression 
of  their  commending,  and,  as  it  were,  presenting  to  God,  the 
person  upon  whom  they  laid  their  hands.  If  the  ministry 
which  was  then  executed  by  the  apostles  were  still  continued 
in  the  Church,  imposition  of  hands  ought  also  to  be  still  ob- 
served ;  but  since  such  grace  is  no  longer  conferred,  of  what  use 
is  the  imposition  of  hands?  It  is  true  that  the  people  of  God 
still  enjoy  the  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  guidance 
and  direction  are  indispensable  to  the  existence  of  the  Church. 
For  we  have  the  eternal  promise,  which  can  never  fail,  and  in 
which  Christ  has  said,  "  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto 
me,  and  drink  living  water."  {m)  But  those  miraculous  powers 
and  manifest  operations,  which  were  distributed  by  imposition 
of  hands,  have  ceased  ;  and  it  was  right  that  they  should  con- 
tinue but  for  a  time.  For  it  was  necessary  that  the  first 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  at  its  com- 
mencement, should  be  illustrated  and  magnified  by  miracles 
never  seen  or  heard  before  :  the  subsequent  cessation  of  which 
does  not  argue  the  Lord's  desertion  of  his  Church,  but  is  equi- 
valent to  a  declaration  from  him  that  the  magnificence  of  bis 
reign  and  the  dignity  of  his  word  had  been  sufficiently  mani- 
fested. In  what  respect,  then,  will  these  impostors  affirm  that 
they  imitate  the  apostles?  They  should  have  etfected,  by 
imposition  of  hands,  that  the  evident  power  of  the  Spirit  might 
immediately  show  itself.  This  they  do  not  practise.  Why^ 
then,  do  they  boast  that  they  are  countenanced  by  the  imposi- 
tion of  hands,  which  we  find  was  used  by  the  apostles,  but  for 
a  totally  different  purpose. 

VII.  This  is  just  as  reasonable  as  it  would  be  for  any  one 
to  affirm  the  afflation,  with  which  the  Lord  breathed  upon  his 
disciples,  to  be  a  sacrament  by  which  the  Holy  Si)irit  is  con- 
ferred, {n)  But  though  the  Lord  did  this  once,  he  has  never 
directed  it  to  be  done  by  us.  In  the  same  manner,  the  apostles 
practised  imposition  of  hands  during  that  jicriod  in  which  the 
Lord  was  pleased  to  dispense  the  visible  graces  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  compliance  with  their  prayers;  not  in  order  that 
persons  in  succeeding  times  might  counterfeit  a  vain  and  usel'^ss 
sign,  as  a  mere  piece  of  mimicry  destitute  of  any  reality.     Be- 

(m)  John  vii.  37,  38.  (n)  John  .xx.  22. 


608  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

sides,  even  if  they  could  prove  themselves  to  imitate  the 
apostles  in  the  imposition  of  hands,  in  which  they  have  no- 
thing similar  to  the  apostles,  except  this  prejx)sterous  mimicry, 
whence  do  they  derive  their  oil,  which  they  call  the  oil  of 
salvation  ?  Who  has  taught  them  to  seek  salvation  in  oil  ? 
Who  has  taught  them  to  attribute  to  it  the  property  of  impart- 
ing spiritual  strength  ?  Is  it  Paul,  who  calls  us  off  from  the 
elements  of  this  world,  and  severely  condemns  an  attacliment 
to  such  observances  ?  (o)  On  the  contrary,  I  fearlessly  pro- 
nounce, not  of  myself,  but  from  the  Lord,  that  those  who 
call  oil  the  oil  of  salvation,  abjure  the  salvation  which  is  in 
Christ,  reject  Christ,  and  have  no  part  in  the  kingdom  of  God. 
For  oil  is  for  the  belly,  and  the  belly  for  oil  ;  the  Lord  shall 
destroy  both;  all  these  weak  elements  "which  perish  with  the 
using,"  (j9)  have  no  connection  with  the  kingdom  of  God, 
which  is  spiritual,  and  shall  never  perish.  What,  then,  it  will 
be  said,  do  you  apply  the  same  rule  to  the  water  with  which 
we  are  baptized,  and  to  the  bread  and  wine  used  in  the  Lord's 
supper?  I  answer,  that  in  sacraments  of  Divine  appointment, 
two  things  are  to  be  regarded — the  substance  of  the  corporeal 
symbol  which  is  proposed  to  us,  and  the  character  impressed 
upon  it  by  the  word  of  God,  in  which  consists  all  its  virtue. 
Therefore,  as  the  bread,  and  wine,  and  water,  which  are  pre- 
sented to  our  view  in  the  sacraments,  retain  their  natural  sub- 
stance, that  observation  of  Paul  is  always  applicable  :  "  Meats 
for  the  belly,  and  the  belly  for  meats;  but  God  shall  destroy 
both  it  and  them  ;  "  [q)  for  they  pass  and  vanish  away  with  the 
fashion  of  this  world.  But  as  they  are  sanctified  by  the  word 
of  God  to  be  sacraments,  they  do  not  confine  us  to  the  flesh, 
but  impart  to  us  true  and  spiritual  instruction. 

VIII.  Let  us  examine  still  more  narrowly  how  many  mon- 
sters are  fostered  by  this  oil.  The  dispensers  of  it  say,  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  given,  in  baptism  for  innocence,  in  confirma- 
tion for  an  augmentation  of  grace  ;  that  in  baptism  we  are 
regenerated  to  life,  and  that  by  confirmation  we  are  armed  for 
warfare  ;  and  they  have  so  far  lost  all  shame,  as  to  deny  that 
baptism  can  be  rightly  performed  without  confirmation.  What 
corruption  !  Are  we  not,  then,  "  in  baptism  buried  with  Christ, 
planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,"  that  we  may  be 
"  also  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection  ?  "  Now  this  fellow- 
ship with  the  death  and  life  of  Christ,  Paul  explains  to  consist  in 
the  mortification  of  the  llesh,  and  the  vivificatioii  of  the  Spirit ; 
'•  that  our  old  man  is  crucified  with  him,  that  we  should  walk 
in  newness  of  lil'e."  (r)    What  is  it  to  be  armed  for  the  spiritual 


(o)    Gal.  iv.  9.     Col.  ii.  20.  (7)  1  Cor.  vi.  13. 

ip)  Col.  ii.  22.  (r)  Rom.  vi.  4—0. 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  (509 

warfare,  if  this  be  not  ?  If  they  deemed  it  of  no  importance  to 
trample  mider  foot  the  word  of  God,  why  did  they  not  at  least 
reverence  the  Church,  to  which  they  wish  to  ai)pear  so  uni- 
formly obsequious  ?  But  what  can  be  produced  more  severe 
against  this  doctrine  of  theirs,  than  the  following  decree  of  the 
Council  of  Milevum  ?  "  Whoever  asserts  that  baptism  is  only 
given  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  not  for  assistance  of  future 
grace,  let  him  be  accursed."  When  Luke,  in  a  passage  which 
we  have  already  cited,  speaks  of  some  as  having  been  "bap- 
tized in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  (s)  who  had  not  received 
the  Holy  Ghost,  he  does  not  absolutely  deny  that  any  gift  of 
the  Spirit  had  been  imparted  to  those  persons  who  had  believed 
in  Christ  with  the  heart,  and  had  confessed  him  with  the 
mouth  ;  he  intends  that  gift  of  the  Spirit  which  communi- 
cated his  manifest  powers  and  visible  graces.  So  the  apostles 
are  said  to  have  received  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost ;  though  Christ  had  long  before  declared  to  them,  "  It 
is  not  ye  that  speak,  but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father,  which 
speaketh  in  you."  (t)  Let  all  who  are  of  God,  here  observe 
the  malicious  and  pestilent  artifice  of  Satan.  That  which  was 
truly  given  in  baptism,  he  falsely  asserts  to  be  given  in  his 
confirmation,  with  the  crafty  design  of  seducing  us  unawares 
from  baptism.  Who  can  doubt,  now,  that  this  is  the  doctrine 
of  Satan,  which  severs  from  baptism  the  promises  which  belong 
to  that  sacrament,  and  transfers  them  to  something  else  ?  It 
is  now  discovered  on  what  kind  of  a  foundation  this  famous 
unction  rests.  The  word  of  God  is,  that  "  as  many  as  have 
been  baptized  into  Christ,  have  put  on  Christ,"  (n)  with  his 
gifts.  The  word  of  these  anointers  is,  That  we  have  received 
no  promise  in  baptism  to  arm  us  for  the  spiritual  warfare.  The 
word  of  God  is  the  voice  of  truth  ;  consequently  the  word  of  the 
anointers  must  be  the  voice  of  falsehood.  I  can,  therefore,  give 
a  more  correct  definition  of  this  confirmation  than  they  have 
yet  given  of  it ;  namely,  that  it  is  a  manifest  insult  against  bap- 
tism, obscuring  and  even  abolishing  its  use  ;  that  it  is  a  deceit- 
ful promise  of  the  devil,  seducing  us  from  the  truth  of  God  ;  or, 
if  the  following  be  preferred,  that  it  is  oil  polluted  with  the  ftilse- 
hood  of  the  devil,  to  darken  and  deceive  the  minds  of  the  simple. 
IX.  They  further  assert  that  all  believers  after  baptism 
ought  to  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  by  imposition  of  hands,  that 
they  may  be  found  complete  Christians  ;  for  that  no  one  can 
be  altogether  a  Christian  who  is  never  anointed  with  episcopal 
confirmation.  These  are  their  own  words.  But  I  thought 
that  all  things  relating  to  Christianity  had  been  comprehended 
and  declared  in  the  Scriptures.     Now,  it  seems,  the  true  form 

(5)  Acts  viii.  16.  xix.  5.        (0  Acts  ii.  4,  &c.    Matt.  x.  20.        (u)  Gal.  iii.  27. 

VOL.  II.  77 


610  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

of  religion  is  to  be  sought  and  learned  from  some  other  quarter. 
The  wisdom  of  God,  therefore,  celestial  truth,  all  the  doctrine 
of  Christ,  only  begins  to  make  Christians  ;  oil  completes  them. 
Such  a  sentiment  condemns  all  the  apostles,  and  a  number  of 
martyrs  who,  it  is  certain,  had  never  received  tins  unction. 
For  tbe  holy  chrism,  the  perfusion  of  which  would  complete 
their  Christianity,  or  rather  make  them  Christians  from  being 
no  Christians  at  all,  had  not  then  been  manufactured.  But  these 
chrismatics  abundantly  confute  themselves,  without  my  saying 
a  word.  For  how  small  a  part  of  their  people  do  they  anoint 
after  baptism  ?  Why,  then,  do  they  sulfer  such  semi-Christians 
in  their  own  community,  from  an  imperfection  which  they 
might  easily  remedy  ?  Why  do  they,  with  such  supine  neg- 
ligence, suffer  them  to  omit  that  which  cannot  be  omitted 
without  great  criminality  ?  Why  do  they  not  more  rigidly 
insist  upon  a  thing  so  necessary  and  indispensable  to  salvation, 
unless  any  one  be  prevented  by  sudden  death  ?  Surely  while 
they  suffer  it  to  be  so  easily  despised,  they  tacitly  confess  it  not 
to  be  of  so  much  importance  as  they  pretend  it  to  be. 

X.  In  the  last  place,  they  determine  that  this  sacred  unction 
ought  to  be  held  in  greater  reverence  than  baptism  ;  because 
it  is  only  dispensed  by  the  hands  of  the  greatest  prelates, 
whereas  baptism  is  commonly  administered  by  all  priests.  Must 
they  not  be  considered  as  evidently  mad,  who  discover  such 
fondness  for  their  own  inventions,  that,  in  comparison  with 
them,  they  presume  to  undervalue  the  sacred  institutions  of 
God?  Sacrilegious  mouth,  dost  thou  dare  to  place  an  unction, 
which  is  only  defiled  with  thy  fetid  breath,  and  enchanted  by 
the  muttering  of  a  few  words,  on  a  level  with  the  sacrament 
of  Christ,  and  to  compare  it  wath  water  sanctified  by  the  w'ord 
of  God  ?  But  this  would  not  satisfy  thy  presumption  ;  thou 
hast  even  given  it  the  preference !  These  are  the  responses 
of  the  Holy  See  ;  they  are  the  oracles  of  the  apostolic  tripod. 
But  some  of  them  have  begun  to  moderate  this  infatuation, 
which  even  in  their  opinion  was  carried  beyond  all  due  limits. 
Confirmation  is  to  be  regarded,  they  say,  with  greater  reverence 
than  baptism  ;  not,  perhaps,  for  the  greater  virtue  and  advantage 
that  it  confers,  but  because  it  is  dispensed  by  persons  of  supe- 
rior dignity,  and  is  applied  to  the  nobler  part  of  the  body,  that 
is,  the  forehead  ;  or  because  it  contributes  a  greater  augmen- 
tation of  virtues,  though  baptism  is  more  available  to  remission. 
But  in  the  first  reason,  do  ihey  not  betray  themselves  to  be 
Donatists,  who  estimate  the  virtue  of  the  sacrament  by  the 
dignity  or  worthiness  of  the  minister?  I  will  grant,  however, 
that  confirmation  be  considered  as  more  excellent  from  the 
dignity  of  episcopal  hands.  But  if  any  one  inquire  of  them 
how  such  a  prerogative  has  been  conferred  on  bishops,  what 

V 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  611 

reason  will  they  assign  but  their  own  pleasure  ?  They  allege, 
that  the  apostles  alone  exercised  that  right,  being  tlie  sole 
dispensers  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Are  bishops  the  only  apostles; 
or  are  they  apostles  at  all  ?  Let  us,  however,  grant  that  also ; 
why  do  they  not  on  the  same  principle  contend  that  none  but 
bishops  ought  to  touch  the  sacrament  of  the  blood  in  the 
Lord's  supper;  which  they  refuse  to  the  laity,  because  the 
Lord,  as  they  say,  only  gave  it  to  the  apostles  ?  If  our  Lord 
gave  it  to  the  apostles  alone,  why  do  they  not  infer.  Therefore 
it  ought  now  to  be  given  to  bishops  alone  ?  But  in  this  case 
they  make  the  apostles  simple  presbyters  ;  now,  they  are  hur- 
ried away  with  an  extravagant  notion  suddenly  to  create  tliem 
bishops.  Lastly,  Ananias  was  not  an  apostle  ;  yet  to  him  Paul 
was  sent,  that  he  might  receive  his  sight,  be  baptized,  and  be 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  (x)  I  will  add  one  question  more  : 
If  this  was  the  peculiar  office  of  bishops  by  a  Divine  right,  why 
have  they  dared  to  transfer  it  to  common  presbyters,  as  we 
read  in  one  of  the  epistles  of  Gregory  ? 

XL  How  frivolous  and  foolish  is  the  second  reason.  That 
they  call  their  confirmation  more  excellent  than  the  baptism  in- 
stituted by  God,  because  in  confirmation  the  forehead  is  anoint- 
ed with  oil,  and  in  baptism  the  crown  of  the  head  ;  as  though 
baptism  were  performed  with  oil,  and  not  with  water !  I  ap- 
peal to  all  believers,  whether  these  deceivers  do  not  direct  all 
their  efforts  to  this  one  object ;  to  corrupt  the  purity  of  the 
sacraments  by  the  leaven  of  their  false  doctrine.  I  have  already 
remarked,  in  another  part  of  this  book,  that  in  the  sacraments 
it  is  scarcely  possible  to  discern  that  which  is  of  Divine  institu- 
tion among  the  multiplicity  of  human  inventions.  If  any  one 
did  not  give  credit  to  that  observation  of  mine,  let  him  now  at 
least  believe  his  own  masters.  By  their  passing  over  the  water 
without  the  least  notice,  it  appears  that  the  only  thing  to 
which  they  attribute  much  importance  in  baptism,  is  their  own 
oil.  We,  therefore,  on  the  contrary,  affirm,  that  in  baptism  the 
forehead  also  is  laved  with  water.  In  comparison  with  this, 
we  esteem  all  their  oil  perfectly  worthless,  whether  hi  baptism 
or  m  confirmation.  If  any  one  allege  that  it  is  sold  for  more, 
this  accession  of  price  would  only  corrupt  the  good,  if  it  con- 
tained any ;  an  imposture  of  the  foulest  kind  can  never  be 
lesahzed  by  robbery.  In  the  third  reason,  they  expose  their 
impiety,  when  they  pretend  that  a  greater  augmentation  of 
virtues  is  conferred  in  confirmation  than  in  baptism.  The 
apostles,  by  imposition  of  hands,  dispensed  the  visible  graces 
of  the  Spirit.  In  what  respect  does  their  unction  appear  to  be 
productive  of  any  advantage  ?     Let  us  leave  these  moderators, 

(z)  Acts  ix.  17,  18. 


612  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

therefore,  who  cover  one  sacrilege  with  a  number  of  others. 
It  is  a  Gordian  knot,  which  it  is  better  to  cut  asunder  than  to 
spend  much  labour  to  untie. 

XII.  Now,  when  they  find  themselves  stripped  of  the  word 
of  God,  and  of  every  probable  argument,  they  resort  to  their 
usual  pretext,  that  it  is  a  very  ancient  usage,  and  confirmed  by 
the  consent  of  many  ages.  Though  this  allegation  were  true, 
it  would  not  at  all  serve  their  cause.  A  sacrament  is  not  from 
earth,  but  from  heaven  ;  not  of  men,  but  of  God  alone.  If 
they  wish  their  confirmation  to  be  regarded  as  a  sacrament, 
they  must  prove  God  to  be  the  Author  of  it.  But  why  do 
they  allege  antiquity,  seeing  that  the  ancient  fathers,  when- 
ever they  mean  to  express  themselves  with  strict  propriety, 
nowhere  enumerate  more  than  two  sacraments  ?  If  it  were 
necessary  to  fortify  our  faith  by  the  authority  of  men,  we 
have  an  impregnable  fortress,  that  those  ceremonies,  which  our 
adversaries  falsely  pretend  to  be  sacraments,  were  never  ac- 
knowledged as  sacraments  by  the  ancients.  The  fathers  speak 
of  imposition  of  hands  ;  but  do  they  call  it  a  sacrament  ?  Au- 
gustine explicitly  affirms  that  it  is  no  other  than  prayer.  Here 
let  them  not  oppose  me  with  their  foolish  distinctions,  that 
Augustine  applied  this  remark  to  imposition  of  hands,  not  as 
practised  in  confirmation,  but  as  used  for  the  purpose  of  healing, 
or  of  reconciliation.  The  book  is  extant,  and  is  in  many  hands. 
If  I  pervert  the  passage  to  any  meaning  different  from  that  of 
Augustine  himself,  I  am  content  to  submit  to  their  severest 
censure  and  contempt.  For  he  is  speaking  of  schismatics, 
who  returned  to  the  unity  of  the  Church  ;  and  denies  that  tliey 
have  any  need  of  the  reiteration  of  baptism,  for  that  imposition 
of  hands  was  sufficient,  in  order  that,  by  the  bond  of  peace,  the 
Lord  might  give  them  his  Holy  Spirit.  And  as  it  might 
appear  unreasonable  to  repeat  imposition  of  hands  rather  than 
baptism,  he  shows  the  difference.  "  For  what,"  he  says,  "  is 
imposition  of  hands,  but  prayer  over  a  man?  "  And  that  this 
was  his  meaning,  is  evident  from  another  passage,  where  he 
says,  "  We  lay  hands  upon  reclaimed  heretics,  for  the  union 
of  charity,  which  is  the  principal  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
without  which  whatever  else  may  be  holy  in  man  is  unavailing 
to  salvation." 

XIII.  I  sincerely  wish  that  we  retained  the  custom,  which  I 
have  stated  was  practised  among  the  ancients  before  this 
abortive  image  of  a  sacrament  made  its  appearance.  For  it 
was  not  such  a  confirmation  as  the  Romanists  pretend,  which 
cannot  be  mentioned  without  injury  to  baptism ;  but  a  cate- 
chetical exercise,  in  which  children  or  youtlis  used  to  deliver 
an  account  of  their  faith  in  the  presence  of  the  Church.  Now, 
It  would  be    the   best  mode    of  catechetical  instruction,  if  a 


CHAP.    XIX.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  Q\$ 

formulary  were  written  for  this  purpose,  containing  and  stating, 
in  a  familiar  manner,  all  the  articles  of  our  religion,  in  which 
the  universal  Church  of  believers  ought  to  agree,  without 
any  controversy:  a  boy  of  ten  years  of  age  might  present 
himself  to  make  a  confession  of  his  fiiith  ;  he  might  be  ques- 
tioned on  all  the  articles,  and  might  give  suitable  answers :  if 
he  were  ignorant  of  any,  or  did  not  fully  understand  them,  he 
should  be  taught.  Thus  the  Church  would  witness  his  profes- 
sion of  the  only  true  and  pure  faith,  in  which  all  the  community 
of  believers  unanimously  worship  the  one  God.  If  this  discipline 
were  observed  in  the  present  day,  it  would  certainly  sharpen 
the  inactivity  of  some  parents,  who  carelessly  neglect  the  in- 
struction of  their  children  as  a  thing  in  which  they  have  no 
concern,  but  which,  in  that  case,  they  could  not  omit  without 
public  disgrace  ;  there  would  be  more  harmony  of  faith  among 
Christian  people,  nor  would  many  betray  such  great  ignorance 
and  want  of  information  ;  some  would  not  be  so  easily  carried 
away  with  novel  and  strange  tenets  ;  in  short,  all  would  have  a 
regular  acquaintance  with  Christian  doctrine. 


PENANCE. 

XIV.  In  the  next  place,  they  add  penance  ;  of  which  they 
treat  in  such  a  confused  and  disorderly  manner,  that  the  con- 
sciences of  men  can  deduce  no  certain  or  solid  conclusion  re- 
specting their  doctrine.  In  another  part  of  this  treatise,  we 
have  stated  at  large  what  we  learn  from  the  Scriptures  respect- 
ing repentance,  aud  likewise  what  is  inculcated  oji  that  subject 
by  the  Romanists.  Our  present  business  is  only  to  inquire 
briefly  into  the  reasons  of  those  persons  who  promulgated  the 
opinion  which  has  prevailed  for  a  long  period  in  the  churches  and 
in  the  schools,  that  penance  is  a  sacrament.  In  the  first  place, 
I  will  make  a  few  remarks  on  the  practice  of  the  ancient 
Church,  the  pretence  of  which  they  have  abused  for  the  intro- 
duction and  establishment  of  their  foolish  invention.  The 
order  observed  by  the  ancients  in  public  penitence  was,  that 
persons  who  had  completed  the  satisfcictions  enjoined  upon 
them,  were  reconciled  to  the  Church  by  solemn  imposition  of 
hands.  This  was  a  sign  of  absolution,  to  encourage  the  sinner 
himself  with  an  assurance  of  pardon  before  God,  and  to  ad- 
monish the  Church  that  they  ought  to  obliterate  the  memory 
of  his  offence,  and  kindly  to  receive  him  into  favour.  This 
Cyprian  often  calls  "giving  peace."  To  increase  the  impor- 
tance of  this  act,  and  give  it  a  greater  recommendation  among 
the  people,  it  was  ordained  that  it  should  always  be  done  by 
the  authority  of  a  bishop.     Hence   that  decree  of  the  second 


614  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Council  of  Cartilage  :  "  Let  no  presbyter  be  permitted  to  re- 
concile a  penitent  publicly  at  the  mass."  And  another  decree  of 
the  Council  of  Arausium:  "Let  those  who,  during  the  period 
of  their  penitence,  depart  out  of  this  life,  be  admitted  to  the 
communion  without  the  reconciliatory  imposition  of  hands. 
If  they  recover  from  their  illness,  let  them  complete  the  period 
of  their  penitence,  and  then  let  them  receive  from  the  bishop 
the  reconciliatory  imposition  of  hands."  Also  the  decree 
of  the  third  Council  of  Carthage  :  "  Let  not  a  presbyter  recon- 
cile a  penitent  without  the  authority  of  the  bishop."  The 
design  of  all  these  decrees  was,  to  prevent  the  severity  which 
they  wished  to  preserve  in  this  matter  from  falling  into  dis- 
use. Therefore  they  committed  it  to  the  cognizance  of  the 
bishop,  who  was  likely  to  be  more  circumspect  in  conducting 
the  exammation.  But  Cyprian  states  that  it  was  not  the 
bishop  alone  who  laid  hands  on  the  penitent,  but  that  all  the 
clergy  also  united  in  this  act.  These  are  his  words  :  "  They 
do  penance  for  a  proper  time,  and  then  they  come  to  the 
communion,  and  are  restored  to  the  right  of  communion  by 
the  imposition  of  the  hands  of  the  bishop  and  clergy."  After- 
wards, in  process  of  time,  the  custom  was  corrupted,  so  that 
they  used  this  ceremony  in  private  absolutions,  without  any 
public  expression  of  penitence.  Hence  that  distinction  in 
Gratian,  between  public  and  private  reconciliation.  1  consider 
that  ancient  custom,  which  is  mentioned  by  Cyprian,  to  have 
been  holy  and  useful  to  the  Church,  and  could  wish  it  were 
revived  in  the  present  day.  This  more  recent  one,  though  I 
venture  not  to  condemn  or  censure  it  with  severity,  yet  I  consider 
less  necessary.  We  see,  however,  that  imposition  of  hands  on 
repentance  is  a  ceremony  of  human,  not  of  Divine  institution, 
and  is  to  be  placed  among  indiflerent  things  and  external  exer- 
cises, such  as  are  not  to  be  despised,  but  ought  to  hold  a  station 
far  below  the  sacraments,  which  are  enjoined  upon  us  by  the 
word  of  God. 

XV.  Now,  the  Romish  theologians  and  schoolmen,  who  are 
in  the  habit  of  corrupting  every  thing  by  misinterpretation, 
take  very  great  pains  here  to  discover  a  sacrament,  but  to  no 
purpose.  Nor  ought  this  to  be  wondered  at,  for  they  seek  it 
where  it  is  not  to  be  found.  When  they  have  done  their  best, 
they  leave  the  subject  perplexed,  doubtful,  uncertain,  and  con- 
founded with  a  variety  of  opinions.  They  say,  then,  that 
external  penitence  is  a  sacrament,  and  if  it  be  so,  that  it  ought 
to  be  considered  as  a  sign  of  internal  penitence,  that  is,  of 
contrition  of  heart,  which  is  the  substance  of  the  sacrament; 
or  that  both  together  constitute  the  sacrament,  not  two  sacra- 
ments, but  one  complete  one ;  but  that  external  penitence  is 
merely  the  sacrament  :  while  that  which  is  internal  is  both  the 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  gl5 

sacrament  and  the  snbstance  of  the  sacrament ;  and  remission 
of  sins  is  the  substance  only,  and  not  the  sacrament.  Let  those 
who  bear  in  mind  the  definition  of  a  sacrament  which  we  have 
ah-eady  given,  apply  it  to  the  examination  of  this  pretended 
sacrament,  and  they  will  find  that  it  is  not  an  external  cere- 
mony instituted  by  God  for  the  confirmation  of  our  faith.  If 
they  plead  tbat  my  definftion  is  not  a  law  which  they  are 
bound  to  obey,  let  them  hear  Augustine,  whom  they  profess  to 
regard  with  the  greatest  reverence.  He  says,  "  Visible  sacra- 
ments are  instituted  for  carnal  persons,  that  by  the  steps  of  the 
sacraments  they  maybe  led  from  those  things  which  are  visible 
to  the  eye,  to  those  which  are  intelligible  to  the  mind."  What 
resemblance  to  this  do  they  themselves  see,  or  are  they  able  to 
point  out  to  others,  in  that  which  they  call  the  sacrament  of 
penance  ?  The  same  writer  says  in  another  place,  "  It  is 
therefore  called  a  sacrament,  because  one  thnig  is  seen,  another 
is  understood  in  it.  That  which  is  seen  has  corporeal  form ; 
that  which  is  understood  has  spiritual  fruit."  These  things 
are  not  at  all  applicable  to  the  sacrament  of  penance,  which 
they  have  invented,  in  which  there  is  no  corporeal  form  to 
represent  any  spiritual  fruit. 

XVI.  And  to  vanquish  these  champions  on  their  own 
ground,  if  any  sacrament  be  sought  for  here,  would  it  not  be  far 
more  plausible  to  say  that  the  sacrament  consists  in  the  absolu- 
tion of  the  priest,  rather  than  in  penitence,  either  internal  or 
external  ?  For  it  would  be  easy  to  say,  that  this  is  a  ceremony 
appointed  for  the  confirmation  of  our  faith  in  the  remission  of 
sins,  and  has  what  they  call  the  promise  of  the  keys :  "  What- 
soever ye  shall  bind  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  in  heaven ;  and 
whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth,  shall  be  loosed  in  heaven."  (y) 
But  some  would  have  objected,  that  many  who  are  absolved 
by  priests,  derive  no  such  benefits  from  their  absolution ; 
whereas,  upon  their  principle,  the  sacraments  of  the  new  law  ac- 
tually accomplish  that  which  they  represent.  To  this  it  might 
be  replied,  that,  as  in  the  eucharist  there  is  a  twofold  eating,  — 
sacramental,  which  is  equally  common  to  the  good  and  the 
wicked;  and  spiritual,  which  is  peculiar  to  the  good  —  why 
might  they  not  also  imagine  the  reception  of  a  twofold  absolu- 
tion ?  Yet  I  have  never  yet  been  able  to  comprehend  wliat 
they  intended  by  that  principle  of  theirs,  respecting  the  cllica- 
cious  virtue  of  the  sacraments  of  the  new  law  ;  which  we  have 
proved  to  be  altogether  at  variance  with  the  truth  of  God, 
when  we  professedly  discussed  that  subject.  Here  I  only 
mean  to  show  that  this  dilhculty  is  no  objection  to  their 
calling  sacerdotal   absolution   a   sacrament.     For    they  might 

(y)  Matt,  xviii.  18. 


616  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

answer,  in  the  language  of  Augustine,  "  That  sanctification  is 
sometimes  without  the  visible  sacrament,  and  that  the  visible 
sacrament  is  sometimes  unaccompanied  by  internal  sanctifica- 
tion, "  Again:  "That  the  sacran)ents  effect  that  which  they 
represent  in  the  elect  alone."  Again  :  "  That  some  persons 
put  on  Christ  as  far  as  the  reception  of  the  sacrament,  and 
others  even  to  sanctification ;  "  that  the  former  is  equally  the 
case  with  the  good  and  evil ;  and  the  latter  with  none  but  the 
good.  Surely  they  have  betrayed  more  than  the  weakness  of 
children,  and  shown  themselves  blind  to  the  broad  day,  who, 
in  the  midst  of  such  difficulty  and  perplexity,  have  not  dis- 
covered a  thing  so  plain  and  obvious  to  every  one. 

XVII.  Yet  let  them  not  flatter  themselves,  for  in  whatever 
part  they  place  their  sacrament,  I  deny  that  it  ought  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a  sacrament  at  all  ;  first,  because  it  is  not  accom- 
panied with  any  special  promise  of  God,  which  is  the  only 
foundation  of  a  sacrament;  secondly,  because  all  the  cere- 
mony exhibited  here  is  the  mere  invention  of  men  ;  whereas 
it  has  been  already  ascertained  that  sacramental  ceremonies 
cannot  be  instituted,  except  by  God  himself  All  that  they 
have  fabricated,  therefore,  respecting  the  sacrament  of  penance, 
is  nothing  but  falsehood  and  imposture.  This  counterfeit 
sacrament  they  have  adorned  with  a  suitable  title,  calling  it 
"  a  second  plank  after  a  shipwreck  ;  "  for  that,  if  any  one  by 
sin  has  soiled  the  garment  of  innocence  received  in  baptism, 
he  may  purify  it  by  penance.  But  this,  they  say,  is  the  lan- 
guage of  Jerome.  Whose  language  soever  it  may  be,  it  cannot 
be  exculpated  from  manifest  impiety,  if  it  be  explained  accord- 
ing to  their  notion  of  it.  As  if  baptism  were  effaced  by  sin, 
and  ought  not  rather  to  be  recalled  to  the  memory  of  the 
sinner  whenever  he  thinks  of  remission  of  sins,  that  it  may 
serve  to  comfort  his  mind,  inspire  him  with  courage,  and 
confirm  his  confidence  of  obtaining  the  remission  of  sins,  which 
was  promised  to  him  in  baptism.  But  that  which  Jerome  has 
expressed  with  some  degree  of  harshness  and  impropriety,  that 
baptism,  from  which  those  who  deserve  to  be  excommunicated 
from  the  Church  have  fallen  away,  is  repaired  by  penitence, 
these  admirable  expositors  apply  to  their  impiety.  We  shall 
speak  with  the  greatest  propriety,  therefore,  if  we  call  baptism 
the  sacrament  of  penitence;  since  it  is  given  for  a  confir- 
mation of  grace,  and  seal  of  confidence,  to  those  who  meditate 
repentance.  And  this  must  not  be  considered  as  an  invention 
of  ours,  for,  beside  its  conformity  to  the  language  of  Scrip- 
ture, it  appears  to  have  been  generally  received  in  the  ancient 
Church  as  an  indubitable  axiom.  For  in  the  treatise  on  Faith 
addressed  to  Peter,  which  is  attributed  to  Augustine,  it  is  called 
''  the  sacrament  of  faith  and  repentance."     And  why  do  we 


CHAP.   XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  Q\'jf 

resort  to  uncertain  testimonies  ?  Nothing  can  be  required  more 
explicit  than  what  is  recited  by  the  evangelists,  that  '-John 
did  preach  the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of 
sins."  (5;)        N 

EXTREME     UNCTION. 

XVIII.  The  third  counterfeit  sacrament  is  extreme  unction  ; 
which  is  never  performed  but  by  a  priest,  and  that  in  the  last 
moments  of  life,  with  oil  consecrated  by  a  bishop,  and  the  fol- 
lowing form  of  words  :  "  By  this  holy  unction,  and  by  his  most 
tender  mercy,  may  God  pardon  thee  whatever  sin  thou  hast 
committed  by  sight,  by  hearing,  by  smell,  by  taste,  and  by 
touch."  They  pretend  that  it  has  two  virtues  —  remission  of 
sins,  and  relief  from  bodily  disease,  if  that  be  expedient,  or 
otherwise  the  salvation  of  the  soul.  They  say  that  the  insti- 
tution of  it  is  established  by  James,  who  says,  "  Is  any  sick 
among  you  ?  let  him  call  for  the  elders  of  the  Church  ;  and  let 
them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  ;  and  the  prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord 
shall  raise  him  up;  and  if  he  have  committed  sins,  they  shall 
be  forgiven  him."  (a)  This  unction  of  theirs  is  of  the  same 
kind  as  we  have  already  proved  their  imposition  of  hands  to  be  : 
it  is  a  mere  hypocritical  farce,  by  which,  without  any  reason, 
and  without  any  advantage,  they  affect  to  mimic  the  apostles. 
It  is  related  by  Mark,  that  the  apostles,  at  their  first  mission,  ac- 
cording to  the  command  which  they  had  received  from  the  Lord, 
raised  the  dead,  ejected  demons,  cleacocd  lepers,  healed  the  sick, 
and  that  in  the  cure  of  the  sick  they  made  use  of  oil.  "  They 
anointed  with  oil,"  he  says,  "  many  that  were  sick,  and  healed 
them."  (b)  James  had  this  in  view  when  he  directed  the  elders 
of  the  Church  to  be  sent  for  to  anoint  the  sick.  That  such  cere- 
monies concealed  no  higher  mystery,  will  easily  be  concluded  by 
any  attentive  observers  of  the  great  liberty  used  by  our  Lord 
and  his  apostles  in  external  things.  When  our  Lord  was  about 
to  restore  sight  to  a  blind  man.  he  made  clay  of  dust  and 
spittle  ;  some  he  healed  with  a  touch,  others  with  a  word. 
In  the  same  manner,  the  apostles  cured  some  maladies  with  a 
mere  word,  others  with  a  touch,  others  with  unction.  But  it 
may  be  alleged  that  it  is  probable  that  this  unction,  like  the 
other  methods,  was  not  employed  without  reason.  This  I 
confess ;  not,  however,  that  they  used  it  as  an  instrument  of 
cure,  but  merely  as  a  sign,  to  instruct  the  ignorance  of  the 
simple  whence  such  virtue  proceeded,  that  they  might  not 
ascribe  the  praise  of  it  to  the  apostles.    Now,  it  is  very  common 

(2)  Matt.  iii.  1—6.     Luke  iii.  3.  (a)  James  v.  14,  15.  (i)  Mark  vi.  13. 

VOL.  II.  T8 


618  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

in  the  Scriptures  for  the  Holy  Spirit  and  his  gifts  to  be  signi- 
fied by  oil.  But  that  grace  of  healing  has  disappeared,  like 
all  the  other  miraculous  powers,  which  the  Lord  was  pleased 
to  exhibit  for  a  time,  that  he  might  render  the  preacliing  of  the 
gospel,  which  was  then  new,  the  object  of  admiration  for  ever. 
Ev^en  though  we  should  fully  grant,  therefore,  that  unction 
was  a  sacrament  of  the  powers  which  were  administered  by 
the  instrumentality  of  the  apostles,  it  has  nothing  to  do  with 
us,  to  whom  the  administration  of  those  powers  has  not  been 
committed. 

XIX.  And  what  greater  reason  have  they  to  make  a  sacra- 
ment of  this  unction  than  of  all  the  other  signs  or  symbols 
which  are  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures?  Why  do  not  they 
appoint  some  pool  of  Siloam,  in  which  the  sick  may  bathe 
themselves  at  certain  seasons  ?(c)  That,  they  say,  would  be 
a  vain  attempt.  Surely  not  more  in  vain  than  unction.  Why 
do  they  not  "  fall  upon  and  embrace  "  the  dead,  because  Paul 
resuscitated  a  deceased  young  man  by  such  means  ?  {d)  W^hy 
is  not  clay,  composed  of  spittle  and  dust,  converted  i-uto  a 
sacrament  ?  All  the  others,  they  say,  were  single  examples, 
but  the  use  of  unction  is  commanded  by  James.  I  reply,  that 
James  was  speaking  in  reference  to  that  period  in  which  this 
benediction  of  God  was  still  enjoyed  by  the  Church.  They 
affirm,  indeed,  that  there  is  even  now  the  same  virtue  in  their 
unction;  but  we  find  it  to  be  otherwise  by  experience.  Let  no 
one  now  wonder  how  they  have  so  confidently  deluded  souls, 
whom  they  know  to  be  stupid  and  blind  when  deprived  of  the 
word  of  God,  which  is  their  life  and  light,  since  they  are  not  at 
all  ashamed  to  attempt  to  deceive  the  living  and  observing  senses 
of  the  body.  They  make  themselves  ridiculous,  therefore, 
when  they  boast  that  they  are  endued  with  the  gift  of  healing. 
The  Lord  is  undoubtedly  present  with  his  people  to  assist 
them  in  all  ages  ;  and,  whenever  it  is  necessary,  he  heals  their 
diseases  as  much  as  he  did  in  ancient  times ;  but  he  does  not 
display  those  visible  powers,  or  dispense  miracles  by  the  hands 
of  apostles;  because  that  gift  was  only  of  temporary  duration, 
and  was  soon  lost,  in  some  measure,  by  the  ingratitude  of  men. 

XX.  As  the  apostles,  therefore,  had  suliicient  cause  for 
using  the  symbol  of  oil  as  an  evident  testimony  that  the  gift 
of  healing,  which  had  been  committed  to  them,  was  not  a 
power  of  their  own,  but  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  so,. on  the  other 
hand,  tiiey  do  a  great  injury  to  the  Holy  Spirit  who  represent 
a  fetid  oil,  destitute  of  all  efllcacy,  as  his  power.  This  is  just 
as  if  any  one  were  to  affirm,  that  all  oil  is  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  because  it  is  called  by  that  name  in  the  Scripture ; 

(c)  John  ix.  7.  {d)  Acts  xx.  10. 

V 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  Q]^ 

or  that  every  dove  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  because  he  appeared 
under  that  form.  But  let  them  look  to  these  things.  For  us 
it  is  sufficient,  at  present,  that  we  see  beyond  aU  dou])t  that 
their  miction  is  not  a  sacrament,  being  a  ceremony  wliich  is 
neither  of  God's  institution,  nor  accompanied  with  any  promise 
from  him.  For  when  we  require  these  two  things  in  a  sacra- 
ment, that  it  be  a  ceremony  instituted  by  God,  and  that  it  iiave 
some  promise  of  God,  we  at  the  same  time  require  that  the 
ceremony  be  enjoined  upon  us,  and  that  the  promise  have  re- 
ference to  us.  For  no  one  contends  that  circumcision  is  now 
a  sacrament  of  the  Christian  Church,  notwithstanding  it  was 
instituted  by  God,  and  had  a  promise  annexed  to  it ;  because 
it  is  not  enjoined  upon  us,  nor  is  the  promise  which  was  sub- 
joined to  it  given  to  us  on  that  condition.  That  the  promise 
which  they  presumptuously  boast  of  in  their  unction  is  not 
given  to  us,  we  have  clearly  proved,  and  they  themselves 
declare  by  experience.  The  ceremony  ought  not  to  have  been 
used,  except  by  those  who  were  endued  with  the  gift  of  heal- 
ing ;  and  not  by  these  butchers,  who  are  more  capable  of 
killing  and  murdering  than  of  healing. 

XXI.  Even  if  they  had  established,  what  they  are  very  far 
from  having  established,  that  the  injunction  of  James  respect- 
ing unction  is  applicable  to  the  present  age,  still  they  would 
have  made  but  little  progress  in  defending  their  unction  with 
which  they  have  hitherto  besmeared  us.  James  directs  that  all 
sick  persons  be  anointed  ;  these  men  bedaub  with  their  unguent 
not  sick  persons,  but  half-dead  corpses,  when  their  souls  are  at 
the  point  of  departing  from  them.  If  in  their  sacrament  they 
have  a  present  medicine,  by  which  they  can  either  alleviate 
the  anguish  of  disease,  or  at  least  communicate  some  consola- 
tion to  the  soul,  they  are  cruel  never  to  apply  the  remedy  in 
time.  James  directs,  that  the  sick  person  be  anointed  by  the 
elders  of  the  Church  ;  these  men  admit  no  anointer  but  a  priest. 
Their  explanation  that  the  term  e/rfers  denotes  priests,  and 
the  plural  number  is  used  for  the  sake  of  dignity,  is  frivolous 
in  the  extreme  ;  as  though  the  Churches  in  that  age  abounded 
with  priests,  to  be  able  to  march  in  a  long  })rocession,  carrying 
their  box  of  consecrated  oil.  When  James  simply  commands 
that  sick  persons  be  anointed,  he  appears  to  me  to  intend  no 
other  unction  than  of  common  oil  ;  nor  is  any  other  mentioned 
in  the  narrative  of  Mark.  These  men  deign  to  use  no  oil 
which  has  not  been  consecrated  by  the  bishop;  that  is,  warmed 
with  his  breath,  enclianted  by  his  muttering,  and  nine  times 
saluted  by  him  on  bended  knees  ;  three  times,  //<///,  Iio!i/  oil ; 
three  times.  Hail,  holy  chrism  ;  three  times,  Hail,  holy  balm. 
From  whom  have  they  derived  such  incantations?  James 
says,  that  when   the  elders  shall  have  prayed  over  the  sick 


620  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

person,  anointing  liim  with  oil,  if  he  have  committed  sins  they 
shall  be  forgiven  him  ;  that,  being  absolved  from  guilt,  he  may 
obtain  relief  from  pain  ;  not  meaning  that  sins  are  effaced  by  unc- 
tion, but  that  the  prayers  of  the  believers,  by  which  the  afflicted 
brother  shall  have  been  commended  to  God,  shall  not  be  in 
vain.  These  men  impiously  pretend,  that  sins  are  remitted 
by  their  holy,  or,  to  speak  more  properly,  abominable  unction. 
See  what  lengths  they  will  go,  when  they  shall  be  allowed  to 
abuse  that  passage  of  James  by  their  absurd  interpretation. 
And  we  need  not  labour  any  longer  in  the  proof ;  even  their 
own  histories  relieve  us  from  this  difficulty.  For  they  relate, 
that  Pope  Innocent,  who  presided  over  the  Church  of  Rome 
in  the  time  of  Augustine,  decreed  that  not  only  elders,  but  also 
all  Christians,  should  use  oil,  in  case  of  illness,  for  the  purpose 
of  anointing  themselves  or  their  friends. 


ECCLESIASTICAL    ORDERS. 

XXII.  The  fourth  place  in  their  catalogue  is  occupied  by  the 
sacrament  of  orders ;  but  this  is  so  fertile  that  it  is  the  parent 
of  seven  little  sacraments  which  arise  out  of  it.  Now,  it  is 
truly  ridiculous  for  them  to  affirm,  that  there  are  seven  sacra- 
ments, and  when  they  proceed  to  specify  them,  to  enumerate 
thirteen.  Nor  can  they  plead,  that  the  seven  sacraments  of 
orders  are  only  one  sacrament,  because  they  all  belong  to  one 
priesthood,  and  form,  as  it  were,  so  many  steps  to  it.  For,  as  it 
appears  that  in  all  of  them  there  are  different  ceremonies,  and 
they  themselves  say  that  there  are  different  graces,  no  person 
can  doubt  that,  if  their  principles  be  admitted,  they  ought  to 
be  called  seven  sacraments.  And  why  do  we  controvert  it  as 
a  doubtful  thing,  when  they  themselves  plainly  and  distinctly 
declare  that  there  are  seven  ?  In  the  first  place,  we  will  briefly 
suggest  by  the  way  what  numerous  and  great  absurdities  they 
obtrude  upon  us,  when  they  wish  us  to  receive  their  orders  as 
sacraments  ;  and  then  we  will  inquire,  whether  the  ceremony 
which  the  churches  use  in  ordaining  ministers  ought  to  be 
called  a  sacrament  at  all.  They  mention  seven  ecclesiastical 
orders  or  degrees,  which  they  dignify  with  the  name  of  sacra- 
ment. They  are  —  beadles,  readers,  exorcists,  acolothists, 
subdeacons,  deacons,  priests.  And  they  are  seven,  it  is  said, 
on  account  of  the  sevenfold  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  with 
which  those  who  are  promoted  to  them  ought  to  be  endued  ; 
but  it  is  increased,  and  more  abundantly  communicated  to 
them,  in  their  promotion.  Now,  the  number  itself  is  conse- 
crated by  a  perverse  interpretation  of  the  Scripture  ;  because 
they  think  they  have  read  in  Isaiah  of  seven  virtues  of  the 


CHAP.  XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  g21 

Holy  Spirit  ;  though,  in  truth,  that  prophet  mentions  only  six, 
and  had  no  intention  of  enumerating  them  all  in  that  passage  ; 
for  in  other  passages  of  Scripture,  he  is  called  "  the  Spirit^of 
life,  of  holiness,  and  of  adoption,  "  as  he  is  there  called  "  the 
Spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  Spirit  of  counsel 
and  might,  the  Spirit  of  knowledge,  and  of  the  fear  of  the 
Lord."  (/)  Other  persons  of  greater  subtlety  limit  not  the 
orders  to  seven,  but  extend  them  to  nine,  in  resemblance,  they 
say,  of  the  church  triumphant.  And  they  are  not  agreed 
among  themselves ;  for  some  represent  the  clerical  tonsure  to  be 
the  first  order  of  all,  and  the  episcopate  the  last  :  others  exclude 
the  tonsure,  and  place  the  archiepiscopal  office  among  the 
orders.  Isidore  distinguishes  them  in  a  different  way ;  for  he 
makes  psalmists  and  readers  two  separate  orders,  appointing 
the  former  to  the  chantings,  and  the  latter  to  the  reading  of 
the  Scriptures,  for  the  instruction  of  the  people.  And  this 
distinction  is  observed  in  the  canons.  In  such  a  diversity, 
what  do  they  wish  us  to  pursue  or  to  avoid  ?  Shall  we  say 
that  there  are  seven  orders  ?  So  teaches  the  master  of  tiie 
sentences,  Lombard  ;  but  the  most  illuminated  doctors  deter- 
mine otherwise;  and  these  doctors  differ  among  themselves. 
Moreover,  the  most  sacred  canons  call  us  another  way.  This 
is  the  harmony  exhibited  by  men,  when  they  discuss  Divine 
subjects  without  the  word  of  God. 

XXIII.  But  this  surpasses  all  folly,  that  in  every  one  of 
their  orders  they  make  Christ  a  colleague  with  them.  First, 
they  say,  he  executed  the  office  of  beadle,  when  he  made  a 
whip  of  small  cords,  and  drove  all  the  buyers  and  sellers  out 
of  the  temple.  He  showed  himself  to  be  a  beadle,  when  he  said, 
"  I  am  the  door."  He  assumed  the  place  of  a  reader,  when  he 
read  a  passage  of  Isaiah  in  the  synagogue.  He  discharged  the 
function  of  an  exorcist,  when,  applying  spittle  to  the  ears  and 
tongue  of  a  man  who  was  deaf  and  dumb,  he  restored  his  hear- 
ing and  speech.  He  declared  himself  to  be  an  acolothist  in 
these  words  :  "  He  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in  dark- 
ness." He  discharged  the  duty  of  a  subdeacon,  when  lie 
girded  himself  with  a  towel,  and  washed  tlie  feet  of  his  disci- 
ples. He  sustained  the  character  of  a  deacon,  when  he  dis- 
tributed his  body  and  blood  in  the  supper.  He  acted  the  part 
of  a  priest,  when  he  offered  himself  on  the  cross  a  sacrifice  to 
the  Father.  It  is  impossible  to  hear  these  things  without 
laughing,  so  that  I  wonder  they  were  written  without  laughing  ; 
at  least,  if  those  who  wrote  them  were  men.  But  the  most 
remarkable  of  all  is,  the  subtlety  with  which  they  reason  on 
the  word  acolothist,  which  they  call  ccrofcrarius,  a  taper- 
bearer;  a  term  of  magic,  I  suppose,  certainly  unknown  in  any 

(/)  Ezek.  i.  20.     Rom.  i.  4  ;  viii.  15.     Isaiah  xi.  2,  3. 


622  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

nation  or  language  ;  whereas  the  Greek  word  avoXouSo?,  acolo- 
ihist,  simply  signifies  a  follower  or  attendant.  But  I  should 
justly  incur  ridicule  myself,  if  I  were  to  dwell  on  a  serious 
refutation  of  such  things,  they  are  so  frivolous  and  ludicrous. 

XXIV.  To  prevent  them,  however,  from  continuing  their 
impositions  on  silly  women,  it  is  necessary,  as  we  proceed,  to 
expose  their  vanity.  They  create  with  great  pomp  and 
solemnity  their  readers,  psalmists,  beadles,  acolothists,  to  dis- 
charge those  ofhces  in  which  they  employ  either  boys,  or  at 
least  those  whom  they  call  laymen.  For  who,  in  most  cases, 
lights  the  wax  tapers,  who  pours  wine  and  water  out  of  the 
flagon,  but  a  boy,  or  some  mean  layman,  who  gets  his  livelihood 
by  it  ?  Do  not  the  same  persons  chant  ?  Do  they  not  open 
and  shut  the  doors  of  the  churches  ?  For  who  ever  saw  in  their 
temples  an  acolothist  or  beadle  performing  his  office  ?  On 
the  contrary,  he  who,  when  a  boy,  discharged  the  duty  of  an 
acolothist,  as  soon  as  he  is  admitted  into  that  order,  ceases  to 
be  what  he  begins  to  be  called ;  so  that  it  should  seem  to  be 
their  deliberate  intention  to  discard  the  office  when  they  as- 
sume the  title.  We  see  what  need  they  have  to  be  consecrated 
by  sacraments,  and  to  receive  the  Holy  Spirit ;  it  is,  that  they 
may  do  nothing.  If  they  allege,  that  this  arises  from  the 
perverseness  of  the  present  age,  that  men  desert  and  neglect 
their  official  duties,  let  them  at  the  same  time  confess,  that 
their  holy  orders,  which  they  so  wonderfully  extol,  are  of  no 
use  or  benefit  to  the  Church  in  the  present  day,  and  that  their 
whole  Church  is  filled  with  a  curse,  since  it  permits  boys  and 
laymen  to  handle  the  tapers  and  flagons,  which  none  are  wor- 
thy of  touching  except  those  who  have  been  consecrated  as 
acolothists ;  and  since  it  leaves  boys  to  chant  those  services, 
which  ought  never  to  be  heard  but  from  a  consecrated  mouth. 
But  for  what  purpose  do  they  consecrate  their  exorcists?  I 
know  that  the  Jews  had  their  exorcists  ;  but  I  find  that  they 
derived  their  name  from  the  exorcisms  which  they  practised. 
Respecting  these  counterfeit  exorcists,  who  ever  heard  of  their 
exhibiting  one  specimen  of  their  profession  ?  It  is  pretended 
that  they  are  invested  with  power  to  lay  hands  upon  maniacs, 
demoniacs,  and  catechumens;  but  they  cannot  persuade  the 
demons  that  they  are  endued  with  such  power;  not  only 
because  the  demons  do  not  submit  to  their  commands,  but  be- 
cause they  even  exercise  dominion  over  them.  For  scarcely 
one  in  ten  can  be  found  among  them  who  is  not  influenced 
by  an  evil  spirit.  Whatever  ridiculous  pretensions  they  may 
set  up  respecting  their  contemptible  orders,  are  the  mere 
compositions  of  ignorance  and  falsehood.  Of  the  ancient 
acolothists,  beadles,  and  readers,  we  have  spoken  already,  when 
we  discussed  the  order  of  the  Church.     Our  present  design  is 


CHAP.    XIX.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  623 

only  to  combat  that  novel  invention  of  a  sevenfold  sacrament 
in  ecclesiastical  orders;  on  which  not  a  syUable  is  any  where 
to  be  found,  except  among  those  sapient  theologues,  the  Sor- 
bonists  and  Canonists. 

XXV.  Let  us  now  examine  the  ceremonies  which  they 
employ.  In  the  first  place,  all  whom  they  enrol  in  their  army 
they  initiate  into  the  rank  of  clergy  by  a  common  sign.  They 
shave  them  on  the  crown  of  the  head,  that  the  crown  may 
denote  regal  dignity  ;  because  ecclesiastics  ought  to  be  kings, 
to  rule  themselves  and  others,  according  to  the  language  "in 
which  Peter  addresses  them  :  "  Ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a 
royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people."  But  it 
was  sacrilege  for  them  to  arrogate  exclusively  to  themselves 
that  which  is  attributed  to  the  whole  Church,  and  proudly  to 
glory  in  the  title  which  they  had  stolen  from  the  believers. 
Peter  addresses  the  whole  Church  ;  they  misapply  his  words 
to  a  few  shavelings,  as  if  they  were  the  only  holy  persons,  as 
if  they  alone  had  been  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  as  if 
they  alone  had  been  made  by  him  kings  and  priests  unto  God. 
They  proceed  to  assign  other  reasons  ;  that  the  top  of  their  iiead 
is  laid  bare,  to  show  that  their  mind  is  free  to  the  Lord,  and  can 
with  open  face  contemplate  the  glory  of  God  ;  or  to  indicate 
that  the  faults  of  their  mouth  and  eyes  ought  to  be  cut  olf. 
Or  the  tonsure  of  the  crown  signifies  the  relinquishment  and 
renunciation  of  temporal  things ;  and  the  hair  left  round  the 
crown  denotes  the  relics  of  property  which  are  reserved  for 
their  sustenance.  Every  thing  is  symbolical ;  because,  with 
respect  to  them,  the  veil  of  the  temple  has  not  yet  been  rent 
asunder.  Therefore,  having  persuaded  themselves  that  they 
have  completely  discharged  their  duties,  when  they  have  re- 
presented such  things  by  their  shaven  crown,  they,  in  reality, 
fulfil  none  of  them.  How  long  will  they  impose  upon  us  with 
such  deceptions  and  falsehoods  ?  Ecclesiastics,  by  shaving  otX 
a  few  hairs,  signify  that  they  have  relinquished  an  abundance 
of  temporal  possessions,  to  be  at  liberty  to  contemi)latc  the 
glory  of  God,  and  that  they  have  mortified  the  inordinate  pro- 
pensities of  their  ears  and  eyes  ;  but  there  is  no  class  of  men 
more  rapacious,  ignorant,  or  libidinous.  Why  do  they  not 
make  an  actual  exhibition  of  sanctity,  rather  than  counterfeit 
the  appearance  of  it  by  false  and  delusive  symbols  ? 

XXVL  When  they  say  that  their  clerical  tonsure  derives 
its  origin  and  reason  from  the  Nazarites,  what  is  this  but  de- 
claring that  their  mysteries  have  sprung  from  Jewish  cere- 
monies, or,  rather,  are  mere  Judaism  ?  But  wlien  they  add, 
that  Priscilla,  Aquila,  and  Paul  himself,  after  having  made  a 
vow,  shaved  their  heads  in  order  to  puril'y  themselves,  they 
betray  their  gross  ignorance.     For  this  is  nowhere  said   of 


624  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

Priscilla ;  and  there  is  some  uncertainty  even  respecting 
Aquila ;  for  that  tonsure  may  as  well  be  referred  to  Paul  as 
to  Atjuila.  (g)  Bat  not  to  leave  them  what  they  require,  that 
they  have  an  example  of  this  tonsure  in  Paul,  it  ought  to  be 
observed  by  the  plain  reader,  that  Paul  never  shaved  his  head 
with  a  view  to  any  sanctity,  but  merely  to  accommodate  liim- 
self  to  the  weakness  of  his  brethren.  I  am  accustomed  to  call 
vows  of  this  kind  vows  of  charity,  and  not  of  piety  ;  that  is  to 
say,  they  were  not  made  for  any  purpose  of  religion,  or  as  acts 
of  service  to  God,  but  in  order  to  bear  the  ignorance  of  weak 
brethren  ;  as  the  apostle  himself  says :  "  Unto  the  Jews  I  be- 
came as  a  Jew,  that  I  might  gain  the  Jews."  (A)  Therefore  he 
did  this  act,  and  that  once,  and  for  a  short  period,  that  he 
might  accommodate  himself  to  the  Jews.  When  these  men 
desire,  without  any  cause,  to  imitate  the  purifications  of  the 
Nazarites,  what  is  this  but  raising  up  a  new  Judaism  by  a 
culpable  affectation  of  emulating  that  which  is  abolished  ?  The 
same  superstition  dictated  that  decretal  epistle  which  prohibits 
ecclesiastics,  according  to  the  apostle,  to  let  their  hair  grow, 
but  enjoins  them  to  shave  in  a  circular  form  ;  as  though  the 
apostle,  when  he  mentioned  what  is  becoming  to  all  men,  were 
concerned  about  the  circular  tonsure  of  the  clergy.  Hence 
the  readers  may  form  some  opinion  of  the  importance  and 
dignity  of  other  succeeding  mysteries,  to  which  there  is  such 
an  introduction. 

XXVII.  The  true  origin  of  the  clerical  tonsure  is  very 
evident  from  the  testimony  of  Augustine.  As,  in  that  age,  no 
persons  suffered  their  hair  to  grow  long,  but  such  as  were 
effeminate,  and  affected  an  elegance  and  delicacy  not  sufficient- 
ly manly,  it  was  thought  that  it  would  be  a  bad  example  to 
permit  this  custom  in  the  clergy.  They  were,  therefore, 
commanded  to  shave  their  heads,  that  they  might  exhibit  no 
appearance  of  effeminate  ornament.  The  tonsure  then  became 
so  common,  that  some  monks,  to  display  their  superior  sanctity 
by  something  remarkable  and  distinguished  from  others,  left 
their  hair  to  grow  very  long.  Afterwards,  when  the  custom 
of  wearing  long  hair  was  revived,  and  several  nations  were 
converted  to  Christianity,  who  had  always  been  accustomed  to 
wear  their  hair,  as  France,  Germany,  and  England,  it  is  probable 
that  ecclesiastics  every  where  shaved  their  heads,  that  they 
might  not  appear  to  be  fond  of  the  ornament  of  hair.  At 
length,  in  a  more  corrupt  age,  when  all  the  ancient  institutions 
were  either  perverted  or  degenerated  into  superstition,  because 
they  saw  no  reason  in  the  clerical  tonsure  (for  they  had  re- 
tained nothing  but  a  foolish  imitation  of  their  predecessors.) 
they  had  recourse  to  a  mystery,  which  they  now  superstitiously 

(^)  Acts  xviii.  18.  ^k)  1  Cor.  ix.  20. 


CHAP.   XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  625 

obtrude  upon  us  as  a  proof  of  their  sacrament.  Beadles,  at 
their  consecration,  receive  the  keys  of  the  Church,  as  a  sign 
that  the  custody  of  it  is  committed  to  them.  Readers  are 
presented  with  the  Holy  Bible.  To  exorcists  are  given  the 
forms  of  exorcisms  to  be  used  over  catechumens  and  maniacs. 
Acolothists  receive  their  tapers  and  flagons.  These  are  the 
ceremonies  which,  if  we  believe  them,  contain  such  secret 
virtue  as  to  be,  not  only  signs  and  tokens,  but  even  causes,  of 
an  invisible  grace.  F'or,  according  to  their  definition,  all  this  is 
assumed  when  they  insist  on  their  being  numbered  among  the 
sacraments.  But,  to  conclude  in  a  few  words,  I  maintain  it  to 
be  absurd  for  canonists  and  scholastic  theologues  to  give  the  title 
of  sacraments  to  these,  which  they  themselves  call  lesser  orders  ; 
since,  even  according  to  their  own  confession,  they  were  un- 
known to  the  primitive  Church,  and  were  invented  many  years 
after.  But,  as  sacraments  contain  some  promises  of  God,  they 
cannot  be  instituted  by  men  or  angels,  but  by  God  alone,  whose 
prerogativ^e  it  is  to  give  the  promise. 

XX  VIII.  There  remain  three  orders,  which  they  call  greater 
orders ;  of  which  sub-deaconry,  they  say,  was  transferred  to  this 
class  after  the  number  of  the  lesser  orders  began  to  increase.  As 
they  think  that  they  have  a  testimony  for  these  from  the  word 
of  God,  they  peculiarly  denominate  them,  for  the  sake  of  ho- 
nour, holy  orders.  But  we  must  now  examine  how  perversely 
they  abuse  the  Divine  appointments  of  God  in  their  own  vin- 
dication. We  will  begin  with  the  order  of  presbyters,  or  priests. 
For  by  these  two  names  they  signify  one  thing ;  and  these  are 
the  appellations  which  they  apply  to  those  whose  office,  they  say, 
it  is,  to  offer  the  sacrifice  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  upon 
the  altar,  to  say  prayers  and  to  pronounce  benedictions  on  the 
gifts  of  God.  Therefore,  at  their  ordination,  they  receive  a 
chalice,  with  the  patine  and  host,  as  symbols  of  the  power 
committed  to  them  to  offer  expiatory  sacrifices  to  God  ;  and 
their  hands  are  anointed  with  oil,  as  a  symbol  to  show  that 
they  are  invested  with  power  to  consecrate.  The  ceremonies 
we  shall  notice  hereafter.  Of  the  thing  itself,  I  affirm,  that  it 
is  so  far  from  having  a  syllable  of  the  Divine  word  to  support 
it,  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  have  introduced  a  viler 
corruption  of  the  order  instituted  by  God.  In  the  first  place,  it 
ought  to  be  taken  for  granted,  as  we  have  shown  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapter,  on  the  Papal  Mass,  that  great  injury  is  done 
to  Christ  by  all  those  who  call  themselves  priests  to  otlbr  sa- 
crifices of  expiation.  He  was  constituted  and  consecrated  by  the 
Father,  with  an  oath,  a  priest  after  the  order  of  Melchiscdec, 
without  end,  and  without  a  successor.  He  once  offered  a  sa- 
crifice of  eternal  expiation  and  reconciliation  ;  and  now,  having 
entered  into  the  sanctuary  of  heaven,  intercedes  for  us.  In  hnn 
VOL.  II.  79 


626  TNSriTUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

we  are  all  priests  ;  but  it  is  only  to  offer  to  God  praises  and 
thanksgivings,  in  short,  ourselves  and  all  that  belongs  to  us 
It  was  his  province  alone,  by  his  oblation,  to  appease  God  and 
expiate  sins.  When  these  men  usurp  that  office  to  themselves, 
what  follows,  but  that  their  priesthood  is  chargeable  with 
impiety  and  sacrilege  ?  They  certainly  betray  the  greatest 
effrontery  when  they  dare  to  dignify  it  with  the  title  of  a  sa- 
crament. The  impositiou  of  hands,  which  is  used  at  the  intro- 
duction of  the  true  presbyters  and  ministers  of  the  Church 
into  their  office,  I  have  no  objection  to  consider  as  a  sacrament ; 
for,  in  the  first  place,  that  ceremony  is  taken  from  the  Scrijjture, 
and,  in  the  next  place,  it  is  declared  by  Paul  to  be  not  unne- 
cessary or  useless,  but  a  faithful  symbol  of  spiritual  grace,  {i) 
I  have  not  enumerated  it  as  the  third  among  the  sacraments, 
because  it  is  not  ordinary  or  common  to  all  believers,  but  a 
special  rite  for  a  particular  office.  The  ascription  of  this 
honour  to  the  Christian  ministry,  however,  furnishes  no  reason 
for  the  pride  of  Romish  priests  ;  for  Christ  has  commanded  the  or- 
dination of  ministers  to  dispense  his  gospel  and  his  mysteries, 
not  the  inauguration  of  priests  to  offer  sacrifices.  He  has  com- 
missioned them  to  preach  the  gospel  and  to  feed  his  flock,  and 
not  to  immolate  victims.  He  has  promised  them  the  grace  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  not  in  order  to  effect  an  expiation  for  sins,  but 
rightly  to  sustain  and  conduct  the  government  of  the  Church. 
XXIX.  There  is  an  excellent  correspondence  between  the 
ceremonies  and  the  thing  itself.  Our  Lord,  when  he  sent  forth 
his  disciples  to  preach  the  gospel,  '=  breathed  upon  them  ;  "  (k)  by 
that  symbol  representing  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  lie 
imparted  to  them.  These  sapient  theologues  retain  the  breath- 
ing-, and,  as  if  they  disgorged  the  Holy  Spirit  from  their  throats, 
they  mutter  over  the  priests  whom  they  ordain.  Receive  ye  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Thus  they  leave  nothing  that  they  do  not  pre- 
posterously counterfeit,  I  do  not  say  like  comedians,  whose  ges- 
ticulations are  not  without  art  and  meaning,  but  like  apes,  who 
imitate  every  thing  without  any  taste  or  design.  We  observe, 
they  say,  the  example  of  our  Lord.  But  our  Lord  did  many 
things  which  he  never  intended  to  be  examples  to  us.  He  said 
to  his  disciples,  "Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost."  He  said  to 
Lazarus,  "Lazarus,  Come  forth."  (I)  He  said  to  the  paralytic, 
"Arise  and  walk."  (m)  Why  do  not  they  say  the  same  to  all 
deceased  persons  and  paralytics?  When  he  breathed  upon  his 
apostles,  and  filled  them  with  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he 
exhibited  a  specimen  of  his  Divine  power.  If  they  attempt  to 
do  the  same,  they  emulate  God,  and,  as  it  were,  challenge  him 
to  contend  with  them  ;  but  they  are  very  far  from  producing 

(/)    1  Tim.  iv.  14.  (/)  John  xi.  43. 

(A)  John  XX.  22.  {mj  Matt.  ix.  5.     John  v.  8. 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  g27 

a  similar  effect,  and  the  foolish  mimicry  is  a  mere  mockery  ol 
Christ.  They  have  the  effrontery,  indeed,  to  dare  to  assert, 
that  they  confer  the  Holy  Ghost ;  but  how  far  this  is  true  is 
shown  by  experience,  which  proves,  that  those  who  are  conse- 
crated priests,  from  being  horses  become  asses,  and  are  changed 
from  fools  to  madmen.  Nor  do  I  contend  with  them  on  this 
account  ;  I  only  condemn  the  ceremony  itself,  which  ou"ht 
not  to  be  made  a  precedent,  since  it  was  used  by  Christ  as  a 
special  sign  of  a  particular  miracle  ;  so  far  is  their  pretence  of 
imitating  him  from  justifying  their  conduct. 

XXX.  But  from  whom  have  they  received  the  unction? 
Their  answer  is,  that  they  have  received  it  from  the  sons  of 
Aaron,  from  whom  also  their  order  derived  its  origin.  Thus 
they  always  prefer  defenduig  themselves  by  improper  exam- 
ples, to  confessing  that  which  they  practise  without  just  reason 
to  be  their  own  invention  ;  but  at  the  same  time,  they  do  not 
consider  that,  in  professing  themselves  successors  of  the  sons  of 
Aaron,  they  do  an  injury  to  the  priesthood  of  Christ  ;  which 
was  the  only  thing  adumbrated  and  prefigured  by  all  the  an- 
cient priesthoods.  In  him,  therefore,  they  were  all  accom- 
plished and  concluded  ;  in  him  they  ceased,  as  we  have  more 
than  once  already  stated,  and  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  de- 
clares without  the  help  of  any  comment.  But,  if  they  are  so 
highly  delighted  with  the  Mosaic  ceremonies,  why  do  they 
not  take  oxen,  and  calves,  and  lambs,  and  offer  them  as  sacri- 
fices? They  have,  indeed,  a  great  part  of  the  ancient  taber- 
nacle, and  of  all  the  Jewish  worship ;  but  their  religion  is 
still  deficient  in  that  they  do  not  sacrifice  animal  victims. 
Who  does  not  see  that  this  custom  of  anointing  is  far  more 
pernicious  than  circumcision ;  especially  when  it  is  attended 
with  superstition  and  a  pharisaical  opinion  of  the  merit  of  the 
act  ?  The  Jews  placed  a  confidence  of  righteousness  in  cir- 
cumcision ;  in  unction  these  men  place  spiritual  graces.  There- 
fore, while  they  desire  to  be  imitators  of  the  Levites,  they 
become  apostates  from  Christ,  and  renounce  the  office  of 
pastors. 

XXXI.  This  is  their  consecrated  oil,  which,  it  is  pretended, 
impresses  a  character  never  to  be  effaced  ;  as  though  oil  could 
not  be  cleansed  away  with  dust  and  salt,  or,  if  it  be  more 
adhesive,  with  soap.  But  this  chai-acter,  they  say,  is  spiritual. 
What  connection  has  oil  with  the  soul  ?  Have  they  forgotten 
an  observation,  which  they  often  quote  to  us  from  Augustine  — 
That,  if  the  word  be  separated  from  the  water,  it  will  be 
nothing  but  water,  and  that  it  is  the  word  which  makes  it  a 
sacrament  ?  AVhat  word  will  they  show  in  their  unction  ? 
Will  they  produce  the  command  which  was  given  to  Moses  to 
anoint  the  sons  of  Aaron  ?     But  in  that  case  there  was  also  a 


628  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    17. 

command  given  respecting  the  coat,  the  ephod,  the  mitre, 
the  holy  crown,  with  which  Aaron  was  to  be  adorned ;  and 
respecting  the  coats,  girdles,  and  mitres,  with  which  his  sons 
were  to  be  invested.  It  was  commanded  to  kill  a  bullock,  to 
burn  his  fat,  to  cut  one  ram  asunder  and  burn  it,  to  sanctify 
their  ears  and  garments  with  the  blood  of  another  ram  ;  and 
numerous  other  observances,  which  I  wonder  how  it  is  that 
they  have  entirely  omitted,  and  taken  only  the  anointing  oil. 
But  if  they  are  fond  of  being  sprinkled,  why  are  they  sprinkled 
with  oil  rather  than  with  blood  ?  They  attempt,  indeed,  a  most 
ingenious  thing  ;  to  frame  one  religion  out  of  a  number  of 
fragments  collected  together  from  Christianity,  Judaism,  and 
Paganism.  Their  unction,  therefore,  is  quite  fetid,  for  want 
of  the  salt,  the  word  of  God.  There  remains  imposition  of 
hands,  which  I  confess  to  be  a  sacrament  in  true  and  legitimate 
ordinations,  but  I  deny  that  it  has  any  place  in  this  farce,  in 
which  they  neither  obey  the  command  of  Christ,  nor  regard 
the  end  to  which  the  promise  ought  to  lead  us.  If  they  wish 
the  sign  not  to  be  refused  to  them,  they  must  apply  it  to  the  very 
object  to  which  it  was  dedicated. 

XXXII.  Respecting  the  order  of  deacons,  also,  I  should 
have  no  controversy  with  them,  if  that  office  were  restored  to 
its  primitive  purity,  as  it  existed  under  the  apostles,  and  in  the 
purer  times  of  the  Church.  But  what  resemblance  to  it  is  to 
be  found  among  those  whom  the  Romanists  pretend  to  be 
deacons  ?  I  speak  not  of  the  persons,  lest  they  should  com- 
plain that  it  is  unjust  to  estimate  their  doctrine  by  the  faults 
of  individuals  ;  but  I  contend  that,  taking  their  deacons  exactly 
as  their  doctrine  describes  them  to  us,  it  is  absurd  to  fetch 
any  testimony  in  their  favour  from  the  examples  of  those 
who  were  appointed  deacons  by  the  apostolic  Church.  They 
say  that  it  belongs  to  their  deacons  to  assist  the  priests,  to 
minister  in  every  thing  that  is  done  in  the  sacraments,  as  in 
baptism,  in  chrism,  to  pour  the  wine  into  the  chalice,  to  place 
the  bread  in  the  patine  ;  to  lay  and  dispose  the  oblations  upon 
the  altar,  to  prepare  and  cover  the  table  of  the  Lord,  to  bear  the 
cross,  to  read  and  chant  the  gospel  and  epistle  to  the  people. 
Is  there  in  all  this  a  single  word  of  the  true  duty  of  deacons  ? 
Now,  let  us  hear  how  they  are  inaugurated.  On  the  deacon 
who  is  ordained  the  bishop  alone  lays  his  hand ;  on  his  left 
shoulder  he  places  a  stole,  to  teach  him  that  he  has  taken  upon 
liim  the  light  yoke  of  the  Lord,  to  subject  to  the  fear  of  God 
every  thing  belonging  to  the  left  side.  He  gives  him  the  text 
of  the  gospel,  that  he  may  know  himself  to  be  a  herald  of  it. 
And  what  have  these  things  to  do  with  deacons  ?  It  is  no 
better  than  if  any  one  pretended  to  ordain  apostles,  while  he 
only  appointed  them  to  burn  incense,  to  adorn  the  images,  to 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  629 

trim  the  lamps,  to  sweep  the  Churches,  to  catch  mice,  and  to 
drive  out  dogs.  Who  could  suffer  such  persons  to  be  called 
apostles,  and  to  be  compared  with  the  apostles  of  Christ  ?  Let 
them  never  again  falsely  represent  those  as  deacons,  whom  they 
merely  appoint  to  act  a  part  in  their  farcical  exhibitions.  The 
very  name  which  they  bear  sufficiently  declares  the  nature  of 
their  office.  For  they  call  them  Levitcs,  and  wish  to  deduce  their 
origin  from  the  sons  of  Levi.  This  I  have  no  objection  to  their 
doing,  provided  they  drop  their  pretensions  to  Christianity. 

XXXIIL  Of  what  use  is  it  to  say  any  thing  respecting  sub- 
deacons  ?  In  ancient  times  they  actually  had  the  care  of  the 
poor.  The  Romanists  attribute  to  them  1  know  not  what 
nugatory  functions  ;  as  to  bring  the  chalice  and  patine,  the 
flagon  with  water,  and  the  towel  to  the  altar,  to  pour  out  water 
for  washing  the  hands  of  the  priests,  and  similar  services. 
When  they  speak  of  the  sub-deacons  receiving  and  bringing 
oblations,  they  mean  those  which  they  devour  as  consecrated 
to  their  use.  With  this  office  the  ceremony  of  their  initiation 
perfectly  corresponds :  they  receive  from  the  bishop  the  patine 
and  chalice,  from  the  archdeacon  the  flagon  with  water,  the 
manual,  and  similar  trumpery.  They  require  us  to  confess  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  be  contained  in  these  fooleries.  What  pious 
person  can  bear  to  admit  this  ?  Bat  to  come  to  an  end,  we 
may  draw  the  same  conclusion  respecting  them  as  respecting 
the  rest  ;  nor  is  it  necessary  to  repeat  any  more  of  what  we 
have  already  stated.  This  will  be  sufficient  for  persons  of 
modest  and  docile  minds,  to  whom  this  book  is  addressed  ; 
that  there  is  no  sacrament  of  God,  which  does  not  exhibit  a 
ceremony  annexed  to  a  promise,  or  rather  which  does  not 
present  a  promise  in  a  ceremony.  In  this  case  not  a  syllable  is 
to  be  found  of  any  certam  promise  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  in 
vain  to  seek  for  a  ceremony  to  confirm  the  promise.  And  of 
all  the  ceremonies  which  they  use,  not  one  appears  to  have  been 
instituted  by  God  ;  therefore  there  can  be  no  sacrament. 

MATRIMONY. 

XXXIV.  The  last  of  their  sacraments  is  matrimony,  which 
all  confess  to  have  been  instituted  by  God,  but  which  no  one, 
till  the  time  of  Gregory,  ever  discovered  to  have  been  en- 
joined as  a  sacrament.  And  what  man,  in  his  sober  senses, 
would  ever  have  taken  it  into  his  head  ?  It  is  alleged  to  be  a 
good  and  holy  ordinance  of  God  ;  and  so  agriculture,  arclntccture, 
shoemaking,  and  many  other  things,  are  legitimate  ordmanccs 
of  God,  and  yet  they  are  not  sacraments.  For  it  is  required 
in  a  sacrament,  not  only  that  it  be  a  work  of  God,  but  that  it 
be  an  external  ceremony  appointed  by  God  for  the  confirmation 


630  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

of  a  promise.  That  there  is  nothing  of  this  kind  in  matrimony- 
even  children  can  judge.  But,  they  say,  it  is  a  sign  of  a  sacred 
thing,  that  is,  of  the  spiritual  union  of  Christ  with  the  Church. 
If  by  the  word  sign,  they  mean  a  symbol  presented  to  us  by- 
God  to  support  our  faith,  they  are  very  far  from  the  truth.  If  by 
a  sign  they  mei'ely  understand  that  wiiich  is  adduced  as  a  simili- 
tude, I  will  show  how  acutely  they  reason.  Paul  says,  "  One 
star  ditfereth  from  another  star  in  glory  :  so  also  is  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  (?«)  Here  is  one  sacrament.  Christ  says, 
"  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  to  a  grain  of  mustard  seed." 
Here  is  another.  Again :  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like 
unto  leaven."  (o)  Here  is  a  third.  Isaiah  says,  "Behold,  the 
Lord  shall  feed  his  tlock  like  a  shepherd."  (j9)  Here  is  a 
fourth.  Again :  "  The  Lord  shall  go  forth  as  a  mighty  man."  (q) 
Here  is  a  fifth.  And  what  end  will  there  be  ?  Upon  this 
principle,  every  thing  will  be  a  sacrament ;  as  many  parables 
and  similitudes  as  there  are  in  the  Scripture,  there  will  be  so 
many  sacraments.  Even  theft  will  be  a  sacrament ;  because 
it  is  written,  "The  day  of  the  Lord  cometh  as  a  thief."  (r) 
Who  can  bear  the  foolish  babblings  of  these  sophists  ?  I  confess 
indeed,  that,  whenever  we  see  a  vine,  it  is  very  desirable  to 
recall  to  remembrance  the  language  of  Christ :  "  I  am  the  vine, 
ye  are  the  branches,  and  my  Father  is  the  husbandman."  (s) 
Whenever  we  meet  a  shepherd  with  his  flock,  it  is  good  for  us 
to  remember  another  declaration  of  our  Lord  :  "I  am  the  good 
shepherd:  the  good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the  sheep."  (/) 
But  if  any  one  should  class  such  similitudes  among  the  sacra- 
ments, it  would  argue  a  want  of  mental  sanity. 

XXXV.  They  obtrude  upon  us  the  language  of  Paul,  in 
which,  they  say,  he  expressly  calls  matrimony  a  sacrament. 
"He  that  loveth  his  wife,  loveth  himself.  For  no  man  ever 
yet  hated  his  own  flesh ;  but  nourisheth  and  cherisheth  it, 
even  as  the  Lord  the  Church  ;  for  we  are  members  of  his  body, 
of  his  flesh,  and  his  bones ;  for  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave 
his  father  and  mother,  and  shall  be  joined  unto  his  wife,  and 
they  two  shall  be  one  flesh.  This  is  a  great  mystery  (or  sa- 
crament, as  the  word  is  rendered  in  the  Vulgate;)  but  I  speak 
concerning  Christ  and  the  Church."  (u)  But  to  treat  the 
Scriptures  in  this  manner,  is  to  confound  heaven  and  earth  to- 
gether. To  show  to  husbands  what  peculiar  aflection  they 
ought  to  bear  to  their  wives,  Paul  proposes  Christ  to  them  as 
an  example.  For  as  he  has  poured  forth  all  the  treasures  of  his 
kindness  upon  the  Church,  which  he  had  esjiouscd  to  himself, 
so  the  apostle  would  have  every  man  to  evince  a  similar  aflec- 
tion towards  his  wife.     It  follows,  "  He  that  loveth  his  wife, 

(w)   1  Cor.  XV.  41,  42.  (17)  Isainh  xlii.  13.  (0  J"hn  x.  11. 

(o)  Matt.  xiii.  :n,  :i3.  (r)  l  Thcss.  V.  2.  (h)  Ephes.  v.  23—32. 

Ip)  Isaiah  xl.  10,  11.  {s)  John  xv.  1,  5. 


CHAP.    XIX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  631 

loveth  himself;  even  as  the  Lord  the  Church."  Now,  to 
declare  how  Christ  has  loved  the  Church,  even  as  himself, 
and  how  he  has  made  himself  one  with  the  Church  his  spouse, 
Paul  applies  to  him  what  Moses  relates  Adam  to  have  spoken 
of  himself.  For  when  Eve  was  brought  into  his  presence, 
knowing  her  to  have  been  formed  out  of  his  side,  he  said, 
"  This  is  bone  of  my  bones,  and  flesh  of  my  flesh."  (w)  Paul 
testifies  that  all  this  has  been  spiritually  fulfilled  in  Christ  and 
us,  when  he  says,  "  We  are  members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh, 
and  of  his  bones,"  and  consequently  "  one  flcsli "  with  him. 
At  length  he  concludes  with  an  exclamation,  "  This  is  a  great 
mystery  ;  "  and,  that  no  one  might  be  deceived  by  an  ambi- 
guity of  language,  he  expressly  states,  that  he  intends  not  the 
conjugal  union  of  man  and  woman,  but  the  spiritual  marriage 
of  Christ  and  his  Church  :  "  I  speak  concerning  Christ  and  the 
Church."  And,  indeed,  it  is  a  great  mystery  that  Christ  has  suf- 
fered a  rib  to  be  taken  from  him,  of  which  we  might  be  formed : 
that  is  to  say,  though  he  was  strong,  he  voluntarily  became 
weak,  that  we  might  be  strengthened  with  his  might ;  so  that 
now  we  "live,  yet  not"  we,  "but  Christ  liveth  in"  us.  (a:) 
XXXVI.  They  have  been  deceived  by  the  word  sacrament 
in  the  Vulgate  version.  But  was  it  reasonable  that  the  whole 
Church  should  suffer  the  punishment  of  their  ignorance  ?  Paul 
has  used  the  word  fxutfTripiov,  mystery  —  a  word  which  the  trans- 
lator might  have  retained,  mysterium  being  not  unfamiliar  to 
Latin  ears,  or  he  might  have  rendered  it  arcanum,  secret ;  he 
preferred,  however,  to  use  the  word  sacramentum,  sacra- 
ment, but  in  the  same  sense  in  which  Paul  has  used  the  Greek 
word  fAurfTvipiov,  mystery.  Now,  let  them  go  and  clamorously  rail 
against  the  critical  knowledge  of  languages,  through  ignorance 
of  which  they  have  so  long  been  most  shamefully  deceived  in 
a  thing  so  easy  and  obvious  to  every  one.  But  why  do  they 
so  strenuously  insist  on  the  word  sacrament  in  this  one  passage, 
and  pass  it  over  in  so  many  others  without  the  least  notice  ? 
For  that  translator  has  used  it  twice  in  the  First  Papistic  to 
Timothy,  {y)  and  in  another  place  in  this  Epistle  to  the  Ejihe- 
sians,  {z)  and  in  every  other  case  where  the  word  mystery 
occurs.  Let  this  oversight,  however,  be  forgiven  them ;  liars 
ought,  at  least,  to  have  good  memories.  For,  after  having 
dignified  matrimony  with  the  title  of  a  sacrament,  what  bram- 
less  versatility  is  it  for  them  to  stigmatize  it  with  the  charac- 
ters of  impurity,  pollution,  and  carnal  defilement!  ^^hat  an 
absurdity  is  it  to  exclude  priests  from  a  sacrament !  It  they 
deny  that  they  are  interdicted  from  the  sacrament,  biU  only 
from  the  conjugal  intercourse,  I  shall  not  be  satisfied  wuh  this 
evasion.     For    they   inculcate    that   the  conjugal    intercourse 

(w)  Gen.  ,i.  2:?.  (;/)  I, 'J'""-  !'!■  ^'  '6. 

(z)    Gal.  ii.  -ZQ.  (-)  i'P'i'''^-  "'•  ^- 


632  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

itself  is  part  of  the  sacrament,  and  that  it  represents  the  union 
which  we  have  with  Cln-ist  in  conformity  of  nature  ;  because 
it  is  by  that  intercourse  that  a  husband  and  wife  become  one 
flesh.  Here  some  of  them  have  found  two  sacraments ;  one, 
of  God  and  the  soul,  in  the  man  and  woman  when  betrothed ; 
the  other,  of  Christ  and  the  Church,  in  the  husband  and  wife. 
The  conjugal  intercourse,  upon  their  principles,  however,  is  a 
sacrament,  from  which  no  CInistian  ought  to  be  prohibited; 
unless  the  sacraments  of  Christians  are  so  incompatible,  that 
they  cannot  consist  together.  There  is  also  another  absurdity 
in  their  doctrine.  They  affirm  that  the  grace  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  conferred  in  every  sacrament  ;  they  acknowledge  tiiat 
the  conjugal  intercourse  is  a  sacrament ;  yet  they  deny  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  ever  present  in  that  intercourse. 

XXXVH.  And,  not  to  deceive  the  Churcli  in  one  thing 
only,  what  a  long  series  of  errors,  falsehoods,  frauds,  and  ini- 
quities, have  they  joined  to  that  false  principle  !  It  may  truly 
be  affirmed  that,  when  they  made  matrimony  into  a  sacrament, 
they  only  sought. a  den  of  all  abominations.  For,  when  they 
had  once  established  this  notion,  they  assumed  to  themselves 
the  cognizance  of  matrimonial  causes  ;  for  matrimony  was  a 
spiritual  thing,  and  not  to  be  meddled  with  before  lay  judges. 
Then  they  made  laws  for  the  confirmation  of  their  tyranny ; 
and  some  of  them  manifestly  impious  towards  God,  and  others 
most  unjust  towards  men.  Such  as,  that  marriages  contracted 
between  young  persons  subject  to  the  authority  of  parents, 
without  the  consent  of  their  parents,  remain  valid  and  perma- 
nent ;  that  no  marriages  be  lawful  between  persons  related, 
even  to  the  seventh  degree  ;  and  that,  if  any  such  be  con- 
tracted, they  be  dissolved,  (and  the  degrees  themselves  they 
state  in  opposition  to  the  laws  of  all  nations,  and  to  the  institu- 
tion of  Moses,  so  that  what  they  call  the  fourth  degree  is,  in 
reality,  the  seventh  ;)  that  it  be  unlawful  for  a  man,  who  has 
repudiated  liis  wife  for  adultery,  to  marry  another  ;  that  spiritual 
relatives  be  not  united  in  marriage  ;  that  no  marriages  be  cele- 
brated from  Septnagesima,  or  the  third  Sunday  before  Lent, 
to  the  octaves  of  Easter,  or  eight  days  after  that  festival  ;  for 
three  weeks  before  the  nativity  of  John  the  Baptist,  or  Mid- 
summer-day, instead  of  which  three  weeks  they  now  substitute 
the  Whitsun  week,  and  the  two  weeks  whicii  precede  it;  or 
from  Advent  to  the  Epiphany  ;  and  innumerable  other  regula- 
tions, which  it  would  be  tedious  to  enimierate.  We  nuist  now 
quit  their  corruptions,  in  Avhich  we  have  been  detained  longer 
than  I  could  wish  :  but  I  think  I  have  gained  some  advantage 
by  strip])ing  these  asses,  in  some  measure,  of  the  lion's  skin, 
and  so  far  unmasking  their  principles,  and  exposing  them  to 
the  world  in  their  true  colours. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  633 


CHAPTER   XX. 

ON    CIVIL    GOVERNMENT. 

Having  already  stated  that  man  is  the  subject  of  two  kimls 
of  government,  and  having  sufficiently  discussed  that  which 
is  situated  in  the  soul,  or  the  inner  man,  and  relates  to  eternal 
life,  —  we  are,  in  this  chapter,  to  say  something  of  the  other 
kind,  which  relates  to  civil  justice,  and  the  regulation  of  the 
external  conduct.  For,  though  the  nature  of  this  argument 
seems  to  have  no  connection  with  the  spiritual  doctrine  of  Auth 
which  I  have  undertaken  to  discuss,  the  sequel  will  show  that 
I  have  sufficient  reason  for  connecting  them  together,  and,  in- 
deed, that  necessity  obliges  me  to  it ;  especially  since,  on  the 
one  hand,  infatuated  and  barbarous  men  madly  endeavour  to 
subvert  this  ordinance  established  by  God  ;  anid,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  flatterers  of  princes,  extolling  their  power  beyond  all 
just  bounds,  hesitate  not  to  oppose  it  to  the  authority  of  God 
himself  Unless  both  these  errors  be  resisted,  the  pm-ity  of  the 
faith  will  be  destroyed.  Besides,  it  is  of  no  small  importance 
for  us  to  know  what  benevolent  provision  God  has  made  for 
mankind  in  this  instance,  that  we  may  be  stimulated  by  a 
greater  degree  of  pious  zeal  to  testify  our  gratitude.  In  the 
first  place,  before  we  enter  on  the  subject  itself,  it  is  necessary 
for  us  to  recur  to  the  distinction  which  we  have  already  esta- 
blished, lest  we  fall  into  an  error  very  common  in  the  world, 
and  injudiciously  confound  together  these  two  things,  the 
nature  of  which  is  altogether  diflerent.  For  some  men,  when 
they  hear  that  the  gospel  promises  a  liberty  which  acknow- 
ledges no  king  or  magistrate  among  men,  but  submits  to  CIn-ist 
alone,  think  they  can  enjoy  no  advantage  of  their  liberty, 
while  they  see  any  power  exalted  above  them.  They  ima- 
gine, therefore,  that  nothing  will  prosper,  unless  the  whole 
world  be  modelled  in  a  new  form,  without  any  tribunals,  or 
laws,  or  magistrates,  or  any  thing  of  a  similar  kind,  which  tliey 
consider  injurious  to  their  liberty.  But  he  who  knows  how 
to  distinguish  between  the  body  and  the  soul,  between  this 
present  transitory  life  and  the  future  eternal  one,  will  find  no 
difficulty  in  understanding,  that  the  spiritual  kingdom  of 
Christ  and  civil  government  are  things  very  diflerent  and 
remote  from  each  other.  Since  it  is  a  Jewish  folly,  therefore, 
to  seek  and  include  the  kingdom  of  Christ  under  the  elements 
of  this  world,  let  us,  on  the  contrary,  considering  what  the 
Scripture  clearly  inculcates,  that  the  benefit  which  is  received 
VOL.  II.  80 


6«S4  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

from  the  grace  of  Christ  is  spiritual  ;  let  us,  I  say,  remember 
to  confine  within  its  proper  limits  all  this  liberty  which  is 
promised  and  offered  to  us  in  him.  For  why  is  it  that  the 
same  apostle,  who,  in  one  place,  exhorts  to  "  stand  fast  in  the 
liberty  wherewith  Christ  Iiath  made  us  free,  and  be  not  en- 
tangled again  with  the  yoke  of  bondage,"  (a)  in  another,  en- 
joins servants  to  "care  not  for"  their  servile  condition;  (b) 
except  that  spiritual  liberty  may  very  well  consist  with  civil 
servitude  ?  In  this  sense  we  are  likewise  to  understand  him 
in  these  passages :  "  There  is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  there  is 
neither  bond  nor  free,  there  is  neither  male  nor  female."  (c) 
Again  :  "  There  is  neither  Greek  nor  Jew,  circumcision  nor 
uncircumcision,  Barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor  free:  but  Christ 
is  all,  and  in  all ;  "  (d)  in  which  he  signifies,  that  it  is  of  no 
importance,  what  is  our  condition  among  men,  or  under  the 
laws  of  what  nation  we  live,  as  the  kingdom  of  Christ  consists 
not  in  these  things. 

II.  Yet  this  distinction  does  not  lead  us  to  consider  the 
whole  system  of  civil  government  as  a  polluted  thing,  which 
has  nothing  to  do  with  Christian  men.  Some  fanatics,  who 
are  pleased  with  nothing  but  liberty,  or  rather  licentiousness 
without  any  restraint,  do  indeed  boast  and  vociferate,  That 
since  we  are  dead  with  Christ  to  the  elements  of  this  world, 
and,  being  translated  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  sit  among 
the  celestials,  it  is  a  degradation  to  us,  and  far  beneath 
our  dignity,  to  be  occupied  with  those  secular  and  impure 
cares  which  relate  to  things  altogether  uninteresting  to  a  Christ- 
ian man.  Of  what  use,  they  ask,  are  laws  without  judgments 
and  tribunals  ?  But  what  have  judgments  to  do  with  a  Christ- 
ian man  ?  And  if  it  be  unlawful  to  kill,  of  what  use  are  laws 
and  judgments  to  us  ?  But  as  we  have  just  suggested  that 
this  kind  of  government  is  distinct  from  that  spiritual  and  in- 
ternal reign  of  Christ,  so  it  ought  to  be  known  that  they  are 
in  no  respect  at  variance  with  each  other.  For  that  spiritual 
reign,  even  now  upon  earth,  commences  within  us  some  pre- 
ludes of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  and  in  this  mortal  and  trans- 
itory life  affords  us  some  prelibations  of  immortal  and  incor- 
ruptible blessedness ;  but  this  civil  government  is  designed,  as 
long  as  we  live  in  this  world,  to  cherish  and  support  the  ex- 
ternal worship  of  God,  to  preserve  the  pure  doctrine  of  religion, 
to  defend  the  constitution  of  the  Church,  to  regulate  our  lives 
in  a  manner  requisite  for  the  society  of  men,  to  form  our  man- 
ners to  civil  justice,  to  promote  our  concord  with  each  other, 
and  to  establish  general  peace  and  trancpiillity  ;   all  which  I 


(a)  Gal.  V.  1.  (c)  Gal.  iii.  28. 

(t)   1  Cor.  vii.  21.  (</)  Col  iii.  11. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  635 

confess  to  be  superfluous,  if  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  it  now 
exists  in  us,  extinguishes  the  present  life.  But  if  it  is  tlie  will  of 
God,  that  while  we  are  aspiring  towards  our  true  country,  we 
be  pilgrims  on  the  earth,  and  if  such  aids  are  necessary  to  our 
pilgrimage,  they  who  take  them  from  man  deprive  him  of  his 
human  nature.  They  plead  that  there  should  be  so  much  perAiC- 
tion  in  the  Church  of  God,  that  its  order  would  suffice  to  sui)i)ly 
the  place  of  all  laws  ;  but  they  foolishly  imagine  a  perfection 
which  can  never  be  found  in  any  community  of  men.  For 
since  the  insolence  of  the  wicked  is  so  great,  and  their  iniquity 
so  obstinate  that  it  can  scarcely  be  restrained  by  all  the  severity 
of  the  laws,  what  may  we  expect  they  would  do,  if  they  found 
themselves  at  liberty  to  perpetrate  crimes  with  impunity,  whose 
outrages  even  the  arm  of  power  cannot  altogether  prevent  ? 

III.  But  for  speaking  of  the  exercise  of  civil  polity,  there 
will  be  another  place  more  suitable.  At  present  we  only  wish 
it  to  be  understood,  that  to  entertain  a  thought  of  its  extermi- 
nation, is  inhuman  barbarism  ;  it  is  equally  as  necessary  to 
mankind  as  bread  and  water,  light  and  air,  and  far  more  excel- 
lent. For  it  not  only  tends  to  secure  the  accommodations 
arising  from  all  these  things,  that  men  may  breathe,  eat,  drink, 
and  be  sustained  in  life,  though  it  comprehends  all  these  things 
while  it  causes  them  to  live  together,  yet,  I  say,  this  is  not  its 
only  tendency ;  its  objects  also  are,  that  idolatry,  sacrileges 
against  the  name  of  God,  blasphemies  against  his  truth,  and 
other  offences  against  religion,  may  not  openly  appear  and  be 
disseminated  among  the  people  ;  that  the  public  tranquillity 
may  not  be  disturbed  ;  that  every  person  may  enjoy  his  proper- 
ty without  molestation  ;  that  men  may  transact  their  business 
together  without  fraud  or  injustice  ;  that  integrity  and  modesty 
may  be  cultivated  among  them ;  in  short,  that  there  may  be 
a  public  form  of  religion  among  Christians,  and  that  humanity 
may  be  maintained  among  men.  Nor  let  any  one  think  it 
strange  that  I  now  refer  to  human  polity  the  charge  of  the  due 
maintenance  of  religion,  which  I  may  appear  to  have  placed 
beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  men.  For  I  do  not  allow  men  to 
make  laws  respecthig  religion  and  the  worship  of  God  now, 
any  more  than  I  did  before ;  though  I  approve  of  civil  govern- 
ment, which  provides  that  the  true  religion  which  is  contained 
in  the  law  of  God,  be  not  violated,  and  polluted  by  ]>ublic 
blasphemies,  with  impunity.  But  the  perspicuity  of  order  will 
assist  the  readers  to  attain  a  clearer  understanding  of  what  sen- 
timents ought  to  be  entertained  respecting  the  whole  system 
of  civil  administration,  if  we  enter  on  a  discussion  of  each 
branch  of  it.  These  are  three  :  The  magistrate,  who  is  the 
guardian  and  conservator  of  the  laws:  The  laws,  according  to 
which  he  governs :  The  people,  who  are  governed  by  the  laws, 


636  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    17, 

and  obey  the  magistrate.  Let  us,  therefore,  examine,  first,  the 
function  of  a  magistrate,  whether  it  be  a  legitimate  cahing  and 
approved  by  God,  the  nature  of  the  duty,  and  the  extent  of  the 
power ;  secondly,  by  what  laws  Christian  government  ought 
to  be  regulated ;  and  lastly,  what  advantage  the  people  derive 
from  the  laws,  and  what  obedience  they  owe  to  the  magistrate. 
IV.  The  Lord  has  not  only  testified  that  the  function  of 
magistrates  has  his  approbation  and  acceptance,  but  has  emi- 
nently commended  it  to  us,  by  dignifying  it  with  the  most 
honourable  titles.  We  wiU  mention  a  few  of  them.  When 
all  who  sustain  the  magistracy  are  called  "  gods,"  (e)  it  ought 
not  to  be  considered  as  an  appellation  of  trivial  importance  ; 
for  it  implies,  that  they  have  their  command  from  God,  that 
they  are  invested  with  his  authority,  and  are  altogether  his 
representatives,  and  act  as  his  vicegerents.  This  is  not  an  in- 
vention of  mine,  but  the  interpretation  of  Christ,  who  says,  "  If 
he  called  them  gods,  unto  whom  the  word  of  God  came,  and 
the  Scripture  cannot  be  broken."  (/)  What  is  the  meaning 
of  this,  but  that  their  commission  has  been  given  to  them 
by  God,  to  serve  him  in  their  office,  and,  as  Moses  and  Jehosha- 
phat  said  to  the  judges  whom  they  appointed,  to  "judge  not 
for  man,  but  for  the  Lord  ?  "  {^)  To  the  same  purpose  is  the 
declaration  of  the  wisdom  of  God  by  the  mouth  of  Solomon  : 
"  By  me  kings  reign,  and  princes  decree  justice.  By  me  princes 
rule,  and  nobles,  even  all  the  judges  of  the  earth."  (A)  This 
is  just  as  if  it  had  been  affirmed,  that  the  authority  possessed 
by  kings  and  other  governors  over  all  things  upon  earth  is  not 
a  consequence  of  the  perverseness  of  men,  but  of  the  providence 
and  holy  ordinance  of  God.  who  has  been  pleased  to  regulate 
human  affairs  in  this  manner  ;  forasmuch  as  he  is  present,  and 
also  presides  among  them,  in  making  laws  and  in  executing 
equitable  judgments.  This  is  clearly  taught  by  Paul,  when 
he  enumerates  governments  (6  TrpoiCrajjLsvoc;)  (/)  among  the  gifts 
of  God,  which,  being  variously  distributed  according  to  the 
diversity  of  grace,  ought  to  be  employed  by  the  servants  of 
Christ  to  the  edification  of  the  Church.  For  though  in  that 
place  he  is  properly  speaking  of  the  council  of  elders,  who 
were  appointed  in  the  primitive  Church  to  preside  over  the 
regulation  of  the  public  discipline,  the  same  office  which  in 
writing  to  the  Corinthians  he  calls  xu^spvyjCtis,  "  governments,"  (k) 
yet,  as  we  see  that  civil  government  tends  to  promote  the  same 
object,  there  is  no  doubt  that  he  recommends  to  us  every  kind 
of  just  authority.  But  he  docs  this  in  a  manner  much  more 
explicit,  where  he  enters  on  a  full  discussion  of  that  subject. 

(c)    Psalm  Ixxxii.  1,  6.  (/i)  Prov.  viii.  ITi,  16. 

(f)  John  X.  3.J.  (/)  Rom.  xii.  8. 

(V)  Deut.  i.  10, 17.    2  Chron.  xix.  6.  {k)  1  Cor.  xii.  28. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  637 

For  he  says,  "  There  is  no  power  but  of  God  ;  the  powers 
that  be  are  ordained  of  God.  Rulers  are  ministers  of  God, 
revengers  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil.  Do  tliat 
which  is  good,  and  thou  shalt  have  praise  of  the  same."(/) 
This  is  corroborated  by  the  examples  of  holy  men  ;  of  whom 
some  have  been  kings,  as  David,  Josiah,  Hezekiah  ;  some  have 
been  viceroys,  as  Joseph  and  Daniel  ;  some  have  held  civil 
offices  in  a  commonwealth,  as  Moses,  Joshua,  and  the  Judges  ; 
whose  functions  God  declared  to  be  approved  by  him.  Where- 
fore no  doubt  ought  now  to  be  entertained  by  any  person  that 
civil  magistracy  is  a  calling  not  only  holy  and  legitimate,  but 
far  the  most  sacred  and  honourable  in  human  life. 

V.  Those  who  would  wish  to  introduce  anarchy,  reply,  that 
though,  in  ancient  times,  kings  and  judges  presided  over  a  rude 
people,  that  servile  kind  of  government  is  now  quite  incompa- 
tible with  the  perfection  which  accompanies  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  Here  they  betray  not  only  their  ignorance,  but  their 
diabolical  pride,  in  boasting  of  perfection,  of  which  not  the 
smallest  particle  can  be  discovered  in  them.  But  whatever 
their  characters  may  be,  they  are  easily  refuted.  For,  when 
David  exhorts  kings  and  judges  to  kiss  the  Son  of  God,  {m)  he 
does  not  command  them  to  abdicate  their  authority  and  retire 
to  private  life,  but  to  submit  to  Christ  the  power  with  which 
they  are  invested,  that  he  alone  may  have  the  preeminence 
over  all.  In  like  manner  Isaiah,  when  he  predicts  that  "  kings 
shall  be  nursing-fathers  and  queens  nursing-mothers  "  to  the 
Church,  {n)  does  not  depose  them  from  their  thrones ;  but 
rather  establishes  them  by  an  honourable  title,  as  patrons  and 
protectors  of  the  pious  worshippers  of  God  ;  for  that  prophecy 
relates  to  the  advent  of  Christ.  I  purposely  omit  numerous 
testimonies,  which  often  occur,  and  especially  in  the  Psalms, 
in  which  the  rights  of  all  governors  are  asserted.  But  the  most 
remarkable  of  all  is  that  passage  where  Paul,  admonishing 
Timothy  that  in  the  public  congregation,  "  supplications, 
prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be  made  for  kings 
and  for  all  that  are  in  authority,"  assigns  as  a  reai^on,  "that 
we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness  and 
honesty  ;  "  (o)  language  in  which  he  recommends  the  state  of 
the  Church  to  their  patronage  and  defence. 

VI.  This  consideration  ought  continually  to  occupy  the 
magistrates  themselves,  since  it  is  calculated  to  furnish  them 
with  a  powerful  stimulus,  by  which  they  maybe  excited  to 
their  duty,  and  to  aflord  them  peculiar  consolation,  by  which 
the   difficulties  of  their  office,  which  certainly  are  many  and 


(0     Rom.  xiii.  1,  3,  4.  (n)  Isaiah  .xlix  23. 

(to)  Psalm  ii.  10-12.  ip)  1  Tun.  ii.  1,  2. 


638  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

arduous,  may  be  alleviated.  For  what  an  ardent  pursuit  of 
integrity,  prudence,  clemency,  moderation,  and  innocence  ought 
they  to  prescribe  to  themselves,  who  are  conscious  of  having 
been  constituted  ministers  of  the  Divine  justice  !  With  what 
confidence  will  they  admit  iniquity  to  their  tribunal,  which  they 
understand  to  be  the  throne  of  the  living  God  ?  With  what 
audacity  will  they  pronounce  an  unjust  sentence  with  that 
mouth  which  they  know  to  be  the  destined  organ  of  Divine 
truth  ?  With  what  conscience  will  they  subscribe  to  impious 
decrees  with  tliat  hand  which  they  know  to  be  appointed  to  re- 
gister the  edicts  of  God  ?  In  short,  if  they  remember  that  they 
are  the  vicegerents  of  God,  it  behoves  them  to  watch  with  all 
care,  earnestness,  and  dihgence,  that  in  their  administration  they 
may  exhibit  to  men  an  image,  as  it  were,  of  the  providence, 
care,  goodness,  benevolence,  and  justice  of  God.  And  they  must 
constantly  bear  this  in  mind,  that  if  in  all  cases  "  he  be  cursed 
that  doeth  the  work  of  the  Lord  deceitfully,"  (p)  a  far  heavier 
curse  awaits  those  who  act  fraudulently  in  a  righteous  calling. 
Therefore,  when  Moses  and  Jehoshaphat  wished  to  exhort 
their  judges  to  the  discharge  of  their  duty,  they  had  nothing  to 
suggest  more  efficacious  than  the  principle  which  we  have 
already  mentioned.  Moses  says,  "  Judge  righteously  between 
every  man  and  his  brother,  and  the  stranger  that  is  with  him. 
For  the  judgment  is  God's."  (q)  Jehoshaphat  says,  "  Take 
heed  what  ye  do ;  for  ye  judge  not  for  man,  but  for  the  Lord, 
who  is  with  you  in  the  judgment.  Wherefore  now  let  the  feaf 
of  the  Lord  be  upon  you  :  take  heed  and  do  it ;  for  there  is  no 
iniquity  with  the  Lord  our  God."  (r)  And  in  another  place  it 
is  said,  "  God  standeth  in  the  congregation  of  the  mighty  :  he 
judgeth  among  the  gods ;  "  (s)  that  they  may  be  animated  to 
their  duty,  when  they  imderstand  that  they  are  delegated  by 
God,  to  whom  they  must  one  day  render  an  account  of  their 
administration.  And  this  admonition  is  entitled  to  have  con- 
siderable weight  with  them  ;  for  if  they  fail  in  their  duty, 
they  not  only  injure  men  by  criminally  distressing  them,  but 
even  offend  God  by  polluting  his  sacred  judgments.  On  the 
other  hand,  it  opens  a  source  of  peculiar  consolation  to  them 
to  reflect,  that  they  are  not  employed  in  profane  things,  or 
occupations  unsuitable  to  a  servant  of  God,  but  in  a  most  sacred 
function,  inasmuch  as  they  execute  a  Divine  commission. 

VII.  Those  who  are  not  restrained  by  so  many  testimonies 
of  Scripture,  but  still  dare  to  stigmatize  this  sacred  ministry  as 
a  thing  incom{)atible  with  religion  and  Cin'istian  piety,  do  they 
not  oiler  an  insult  to  God  himself,  who  cannot  but  be  involved 


(p)  Jer.  xlviii.  10.  (r)  2  Chron.  xix.  6,  7. 

(?)    Deut.  i.  16, 17.  {s)  Psalm  Uxxii.  1. 


CHAP.    XX.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  639 

in  the  reproach  cast  upon  his  ministry?  And  in  fact  they  do 
not  reject  magistrates,  but  they  reject  God,  "  that  he  should 
not  reign  over  them."  (t)  For  if  this  was  truly  asserted  by  the 
Lord  respecting  the  people  of  Israel,  because  they  refused  the 
government  of  Samuel,  why  shall  it  not  now  be  atfirmed  with 
equal  truth  of  those  who  take  the  liberty  to  outrage  all  the 
authorities  which  God  has  instituted?  IJut  they  object  that 
our  Lord  said  to  his  disciples,  "  The  kings  of  the  Gentiles 
exercise  lordship  over  them  :  but  ye  shall  not  be  so  ;  but  he 
that  is  greatest  among  you,  let  him  be  as  the  younger  ;  and  he 
that  is  chief,  as  he  that  doth  serve  :  "  (v)  and  they  contend  that 
these  words  prohibit  the  exercise  of  royalty,  or  any  other 
authority,  by  any  Christians.  Admirable  expositors  !  A  con- 
tention had  arisen  among  the  disciples  "  which  of  them  should 
be  accounted  the  greatest."  To  repress  this  vain  ambition, 
our  Lord  taught  them  that  their  ministry  was  not  like  temporal 
kingdoms,  in  which  one  person  has  the  preeminence  over  all 
others.  Now,  what  dishonour  does  this  comparison  cast  upon 
regal  dignity  ?  What  does  it  prove  at  all,  except  that  the  regal 
office  is  not  the  apostolic  ministry  ?  Moreover,  though  there 
are  various  forms  of  magistracy,  yet  there  is  no  ditference  in 
this  respect,  but  we  ought  to  receive  them  all  as  ordinances  of 
God.  For  Paul  comprehends  them  all  together,  when  he  says, 
that  "  there  is  no  power  but  of  God  ;  "  and  that  which  was 
furthest  from  giving  general  satisfaction,  is  recommended  to  us 
in  a  remarkable  manner  beyond  all  others  ;  namely,  the  govern- 
ment of  one  man ;  which,  as  it  is  attended  with  the  common 
servitude  of  all,  except  the  single  individual  to  whose  will  all 
others  are  subjected,  has  never  been  so  highly  approved  by 
heroic  and  noble  minds.  But  the  Scripture,  on  the  contrary, 
to  correct  these  unjust  sentiments,  expressly  affirms,  that  it  is 
by  the  providence  of  Divine  wisdom  that  kings  reign,  and  par- 
ticularly commands  us  to  "  honour  the  king."  (w) 

VIII.  And  for  private  men,  who  have  no  authority  to  delibe- 
rate on  the  regulation  of  any  public  affairs,  it  would  surely  be 
a  vain  occupation  to  dispute  which  would  be  the  best  form  o( 
government  in  the  place  where  they  live.  Besides,  this  could 
not  be  simply  determined,  as  an  abstract  question,  without 
great  impropriety,  since  the  principle  to  guide  the  decision 
must  depend  on  circumstances.  And  even  if  we  compare  the 
different  forms  together,  without  their  circumstances,  their  ad- 
vantages are  so  nearly  equal,  that  it  will  not  be  easy  to  discover 
of  wliJch  the  utility  preponderates.  Tlie  forms  of  civil  govrvn- 
ment  are  considered  to  be  of  three  kinds:  Monarchy,  which  is 

(t)  1  Sam.  viii.  7.  (p)  Luke  x.xii.  2.5,  26. 

(w)  Rom.  xiii.  1,  &c.    Prov.  viii.  15.     1  Pet.  ii.  13,  14,  17. 


640  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

the  dominion  of  one  person,  whether  called  a  king,  or  a  duke, 
or  any  other  title  ;  Aristocracy,  or  the  dominion  of  the  prin- 
cipal persons  of  a  nation  ;  and  Democracy,  or  popular  govern- 
ment, in  which  the  power  resides  in  the  people  at  large.  It  is 
true  that  the  transition  is  easy  from  monarchy  to  despotism  ; 
it  is  not  much  more  difficult  from  aristocracy  to  oligarchy,  or 
the  faction  of  a  few  ;  but  it  is  most  easy  of  all  from  democracy 
to  sedition.  Indeed,  if  these  three  forms  of  government,  which 
are  stated  by  philosophers,  be  considered  in  themselves,  I  shall 
by  no  means  deny,  that  either  aristocracy,  or  a  mixture  of 
aristocracy  and  democracy,  far  excels  all  others ;  and  that 
indeed  not  of  itself,  but  because  it  very  rarely  happens  that 
kings  regulate  themselves  so  that  their  will  is  never  at  variance 
with  justice  and  rectitude ;  or,  in  the  next  place,  that  they  are 
endued  with  such  penetration  and  prudence,  as  in  all  cases  to 
discover  what  is  best.  The  vice  or  imperfection  of  men  there- 
fore renders  it  safer  and  more  tolerable  for  the  government  to 
be  in  the  hands  of  many,  that  they  may  afl'ord  each  other 
mutual  assistance  and  admonition,  and  that  if  any  one  arrogate 
to  himself  more  than  is  right,  the  many  may  act  as  censors  and 
masters  to  restrain  his  ambition.  This  has  always  been  proved 
by  experience,  and  the  Lord  confirmed  it  by  his  authority, 
when  he  established  a  government  of  this  kind  among  the 
people  of  Israel,  with  a  view  to  preserve  them  in  the  most 
desirable  condition,  till  he  exhibited  in  David  a  type  of  Christ. 
And  as  I  readily  acknowledge  that  no  kind  of  government  is 
more  happy  than  this,  where  liberty  is  regulated  with  becoming 
moderation,  and  properly  established  on  a  durable  basis,  so  also 
I  consider  those  as  the  most  happy  people,  who  are  permitted 
to  enjoy  such  a  condition  ;  and  if  they  exert  their  strenuous 
and  constant  efforts  for  its  preservation  and  retention,  I  admit 
that  they  act  in  perfect  consistence  with  their  duty.  And  to 
this  object  the  magistrates  likewise  ought  to  apply  their  greatest 
diligence,  that  they  sutler  not  the  liberty,  of  which  they  are 
constituted  guardians,  to  be  in  any  respect  diminished,  much 
less  to  be  violated  :  if  they  are  inactive  and  unconcerned  about 
this,  they  are  perfidious  to  their  office,  and  traitors  to  their 
country.  But  if  those,  to  whom  the  will  of  God  has  assigned 
another  form  of  government,  transfer  this  to  themselves  so  as 
to  be  tempted  to  desire  a  revolution,  the  very  thought  will  be 
not  only  foolish  and  useless,  but  altogether  criminal.  If  wo 
limit  not  our  views  to  one  city,  but  look  round  and  take  a 
comprehensive  survey  of  the  whole  world,  or  at  least  extend 
our  observations  to  distant  lands,  we  shall  certainly  find  it  to 
be  a  wise  arrangement  of  Divine  Providence  that  various  coun- 
tries are  governed  by  dilferent  forms  of  civil  polity  ;  for  they 
are  admirably  held  together  with  a  certain  inequality,  as  the 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RKLIGION.  G4  1 

elements  are  combined  in  very  unequal  proportions.  All  these 
remarks,  however,  will  be  unnecessary  to  those  who  are  satis- 
fied with  the  will  of  the  Lord.  For  if  it  be  his  pleasure  to 
appoint  kings  over  kingdoms,  and  senators  or  other  magistrates 
over  free  cities,  it  is  our  duty  to  be  obedient  to  any  governors 
whom  God  has  established  over  the  places  in  which  we  reside. 
IX.  Here  it  is  necessary  to  state  in  a  brief  manner  the  nature 
of  the  office  of  magistracy,  as  described  in  the  word  of  God, 
and  wherein  it  consists.  If  the  Scripture  did  not  teach  that 
this  office  extends  to  both  tables  of  the  law,  we  might  learn  it 
from  heathen  writers  ;  for  not  one  of  them  has  treated  of  the 
office  of  magistrates,  of  legislation,  and  civil  government,  with- 
out beginnmg  with  religion  and  Divine  worship.  And  thus 
they  have  all  confessed  that  no  government  can  be  happily 
constituted,  unless  its  first  object  be  the  promotion  of  piety, 
and  that  all  laws  are  preposterous  which  neglect  the  claims  of 
God,  and  merely  provide  for  the  interests  of  men.  Therefore, 
as  religion  holds  the  first  place  among  all  the  philosophers,  and 
as  this  has  always  been  regarded  by  the  universal  consent  of 
all  nations.  Christian  princes  and  magistrates  ought  to  be 
ashamed  of  their  indolence,  if  they  do  not  make  it  the  object 
of  their  most  serious  care.  We  have  already  shown  that  this 
duty  is  particularly  enjoined  upon  them  by  God  ;  for  it  is  rea- 
sonable that  they  should  employ  their  utmost  efforts  in  asserting 
and  defending  the  honour  of  him,  whose  vicegerents  they  are, 
and  by  whose  favour  they  govern.  And  the  principal  com- 
mendations given  in  the  Scripture  to  the  good  kings  are  for 
having  restored  the  worship  of  God  when  it  had  been  corrupted 
or  abolished,  or  for  having  devoted  their  attention  to  religion, 
that  it  might  flourish  in  purity  and  safety  under  their  reigns. 
On  the  contrary,  the  sacred  history  represents  it  as  one  of  the 
evils  arising  from  anarchy,  or  a  want  of  good  government,  that 
when  "  there  was  no  king  in  Israel,  every  man  did  that  which 
was  right  in  his  own  eyes."  (.r)  These  things  evince  the  folly 
of  those  who  would  wish  magistrates  to  neglect  all  thoughts  of 
God,  and  to  confine  themselves  entirely  to  the  administration 
of  justice  among  men;  as  though  God  appointed  governors  m 
his  name  to  decide  secular  controversies,  and  disregarded  that 
which  is  of  far  greater  importance  —the  pure  Avorship  of  himself 
according  to  the  rule  of  his  law.  But  a  rage  for  universal  m- 
novation,  and  a  desire  to  escape  with  impunity,  instigate  men 
of  turbulent  spirits  to  wish  that  all  the  avengers  of  violated 
piety  were  removed  out  of  the  world.  With  respect  to  the 
second  table,  Jeremiah  admonishes  kings  in  the  following 
manner :   "  Execute  ye  judgment  and  righteousness,  and  dc- 

(z)  Judges  xxi.  25. 
VOL.    II.  81 


642  INfiTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

liver  the  spoiled  out  of  the  hand  of  the  oppressor  ;  and  do  no 
wrong,  do  no  violence  to  the  stranger,  the  fatherless,  nor  the 
widow,  neither  shed  innocent  hlood."  {y)  To  the  same  pur- 
pose is  the  exhortation  in  the  eighty-second  psalm  :  "  Defend 
the  poor  and  fatherless  :  do  justice  to  the  afflicted  and  needy  : 
deliver  the  poor  and  needy:  rid  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
wicked."  (2;)  And  Moses  "charged  the  judges"  whom  he 
appointed  to  supply  his  place,  saying,  "  Hear  the  causes 
between  your  brethren,  and  judge  righteously  between  every 
man  and  his  brother,  and  the  stranger  that  is  with  him :  ye 
shall  not  respect  persons  in  judgment ;  but  ye  shall  hear  the 
small  as  well  as  the  great ;  ye  shall  not  be  afraid  of  the  face 
of  man  :  for  the  judgment  is  God's."  (a)  I  forbear  to  remark 
the  directions  given  by  him  in  another  place  respecting  their 
future  kings:  "He  shall  not  multiply  horses  to  himself; 
neither  shall  he  greatly  multiply  to  himself  silver  and  gold  ; 
his  heart  shall  not  be  lifted  up  above  his  brethren  ;  he  shall 
read  in  the  law  all  the  days  of  his  life  ;  "  {h)  also  that  judges 
show  no  partiality,  nor  take  bribes,  with  similar  injunctions, 
which  abound  in  the  Scriptures  ;  because,  in  describing  the 
office  of  magistrates  in  this  treatise,  my  design  is  not  so  much 
to  instruct  magistrates  themselves,  as  to  show  to  others  what 
magistrates  are,  and  for  what  end  God  has  appointed  them. 
We  see,  therefore,  that  they  are  constituted  the  protectors  and 
vindicators  of  the  public  innocence,  modesty,  probity,  and 
tranquillity,  whose  sole  object  it  ought  to  be  to  promote  the 
common  peace  and  security  of  all.  Of  these  virtues,  David 
declares  that  he  will  be  an  example,  when  he  shall  be  exalted 
to  the  royal  throne.  "I  will  set  no  wicked  thing  before  mine 
eyes.  I  will  not  know  a  wicked  person.  ^Vhoso  privily 
slandereth  his  neighbour,  hnn  will  I  cut  otf :  him  that  hath  a 
high  look  and  a  proud  heart  will  I  not  suffer.  Mine  eyes  shall 
be  upon  the  faithful  of  the  land,  that  they  may  dwell  with  me  : 
he  that  walketh  in  a  perfect  way,  he  shall  serve  me."  (c)  But 
as  they  cannot  do  this,  unless  they  defend  good  men  from  the 
injuries  of  the  wicked,  and  aid  the  oppressed  by  their  relief 
and  protection,  they  are  likewise  armed  with  poAver  for  the 
suppression  of  crimes,  and  the  severe  punishment  of  malefac- 
tors, whose  wickedness  disturbs  the  public  peace.  For  expe- 
rience fully  verifies  the  observation  of  Solon  :  "  That  all  states 
are  supported  by  reward  and  punishment ;  and  that  when  these 
two  things  are  removed,  all  the  discipline  of  human  societies  is 
broken  and  destroyed."  For  the  minds  of  many  lose  their  re- 
gard for  equity  and  justice,  unless  virtue  be  rewarded  with  due 

(7/)  Jer.  xxii.  3.  (:)  Psalm  Ixxxii.  3,  4. 

(a)  Deut.  i.  16,  17.  (b)  Deut.  xvii.  16,  17,  19,  20.  (c)  Psalm  ci.  3—6. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  043 

honour ;  nor  can  the  violence  of  the  wicked  be  restrained,  un- 
less crimes  are  followed  by  severe  punishments.  And  these 
two  parts  are  included  in  the  injunction  of  tlie  prophet  to  kings 
and  other  governors,  to  "execute  judgment  and  righteous- 
ness." {d)  Righteousness  means  the  care,  patronage,  defence, 
vmdication,  and  liberation  of  the  innocent :  judgment  imports 
the  repression  of  the  audacity,  the  coercion  of  the  violence,  and 
the  punishment  of  the  crimes,  of  the  impious. 

X.  But  here,  it  seems,  arises  an  important  and  dillicult  ques- 
tion. If  by  the  law  of  God  all  Christians  are  forbidden  to  kill,  (e) 
and  the  prophet  predicts  respecting  the  Church,  that  "  they 
shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  my  holy  mountain,  saith  the 
Lord,  "(/)  how  can  it  be  compatible  with  piety  for  magis- 
trates to  shed  blood  ?  But  if  we  understand,  that  in  the  in- 
fliction of  punishments,  the  magistrate  does  not  act  at  all  from 
himself,  but  merely  executes  the  judgments  of  God,  we  shall 
not  be  embarrassed  with  this  scruple.  The  law  of  the  Lord 
commands,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  "  but  that  homicide  may 
not  go  unpunished,  the  legislator  himself  puts  the  sword  into 
the  hands  of  his  ministers,  to  be  used  against  all  homicides,  {g) 
To  hurt  and  to  destroy  are  incomjmtible  with  the  character  of 
ihe.  godly ;  but  to  avenge  the  afflictions  of  the  righteous  at 
the  command  of  God,  is  neither  to  hurt  nor  to  destroy.  There- 
fore it  is  easy  to  conclude  that  in  this  respect  magistrates  are 
not  subject  to  the  connnon  law  ;  by  which,  though  the  I<ord 
binds  the  hands  of  men,  he  does  not  bind  his  own  justice,  which 
he  exercises  by  the  hands  of  magistrates.  So,  when  a  prince 
forbids  all  his  subjects  to  strike  or  wound  any  one,  he  does  not 
prohibit  his  officers  from  executing  that  justice  which  is  par- 
ticularly committed  to  them.  I  sincerely  wish  that  this  con- 
sideration were  constantly  in  our  recollection,  that  nothing  is 
done  here  by  the  temerity  of  men,  but  every  thing  by  the 
authority  of  God,  who  commands  it,  and  under  whose  guidance 
we  never  err  from  the  right  way.  For  we  can  find  no  valid 
objection  to  the  infliction  of  public  vengeance,  unless  the  jus- 
tice of  God  be  restrained  from  the  punishment  of  crimes.  But 
if  it  be  unlawful  for  us  to  impose  restraints  upon  him,  wliy  do 
we  calumniate  his  ministers?  Paul  says  of  the  magistrate, 
that  "He  beareth  not  the  sword  in  vain  ;  for  he  is  the  nhnis- 
ter  of  God,  a  revenger  to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth 
evil."  (/i)  Therefore,  if  princes  and  other  governors  know  that 
nothing  will  be  more  acceptable  to  God  than  their  obedience, 
and  if  "they  desire  to  approve  their  piety,  justice,  and  integrity 
before  God,  let  them  devote  themselves  to  this  duty.     Thu 

(d)  Jer.  xxn.  3.  (c)  Exod.  xx.  13.  (/)  ls»i»h  xi.  0  •  Ixv.  25. 

(^)  Gen.  ix.  6.     Exod.  xxi.  12.  (/<)  l^om.  x.n.  4. 


644  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

motive  influenced  Moses,  when,  knowing  himself  to  be  destined 
to  become  the  Hberator  of  his  peo])le  by  the  power  of  the  Lord, 
"  he  slew  the  Egyptian  ;  "  (?)  and  when  he  punished  the  idola- 
try of  the  people  by  the  slaughter  of  three  thousand  men  in 
one  day.  (/r)  The  same  motive  actuated  David,  when,  at  the 
close  of  his  life,  he  commanded  his  son  Solomon  to  put  to  death 
Joab  and  Shimei.  (Z)  Hence,  also,  it  is  enumerated  among 
the  virtues  of  a  king,  to  "  destroy  all  the  wicked  of  the  land, 
that  he  may  cut  oft'  all  wicked  doers  from  the  city  of  the 
Lord."  (m)  The  same  topic  furnishes  the  eulogium  given 
to  Solomon  :  "  Thou  lovest  righteousness,  and  hatest  wicked- 
ness." (w)  How  did  the  meek  and  placid  disposition  of  Moses 
burn  with  such  cruelty,  that,  after  having  his  hands  imbrued 
in  the  blood  of  his  brethren,  he  continued  to  go  through  the 
camp  till  three  thousand  were  slain  ?  How  did  David,  who 
discovered  such  humanity  all  his  lifetime,  in  his  last  moments 
bequeath  such  a  cruel  injunction  to  his  son  respecting  Joab  ? 
"  Let  not  his  hoar  head  go  down  to  the  grave  in  peace  ;  "  and 
respecting  Shimei  :  "  His  hoar  head  bring  down  to  the  grave 
with  blood."  Both  Moses  and  David,  in  executing  the  ven- 
geance committed  to  them  by  God,  by  this  severity  sancti- 
fied their  hands,  which  would  have  been  defiled  by  lenity. 
Solomon  says,  "It  is  an  abomination  to  kings  to  commit  wick- 
edness; for  the  throne  is  established  by  righteousness."  (o) 
Again  :  "  A  king  that  sitteth  in  the  throne  of  judgment,  scat- 
tereth  away  all  evil  with  his  eyes."  (jt))  Again:  "A  wise 
king  scattereth  the  wicked,  and  bringeth  the  wheel  over 
them."  (q)  Again  :  "  Take  away  the  dross  from  the  silver, 
and  there  shall  come  forth  a  vessel  for  the  finer.  Take  away 
the  wicked  from  before  the  king,  and  his  throne  shall  be  esta- 
blished in  righteousness."  (;-)  Again:  "  He  that  justifieth  the 
wicked,  and  he  that  condemneth  the  just,  even  they  both  are 
an  abomination  to  the  Lord."  (s)  Again :  "  An  evil  man 
seeketh  only  rebellion  ;  therefore  a  cruel  messenger  shall  be 
sent  against  him."  (t)  Again  :  "  He  that  saith  unto  the 
wicked,  Thou  art  righteous ;  him  shall  the  people  curse, 
nations  shall  abhor  him."  [u)  Now,  if  it  be  true  justice  for 
them  to  pursue  the  wicked  with  a  drawn  sword,  let  them 
sheathe  the  sword,  and  keep  their  hands  from  shedding  blood, 
while  the  swords  of  desperadoes  are  drenched  in  murders ;  and 
they  will  be  so  far  from  acquiring  the  praise  ■  of  goodness 
and  justice  by  this  forbearance,  that  they  will  involve  them- 
selves in  the  deepest  impiety.     There  ought  not,  however,  to 

(0    Exod.  ii.  12.  («)  Psalm  xlv.  7.  (r)  Prov.  xxv.  4,  5. 

(/i)  Exod.  xxxii.  26—28.  (o)  Prov.  xvi.  12.  (s)  Prov.  xvu.  15. 

(/)    1  Kings  ii.  5— 9.  (;/)  Prov.  xx.  8.  (OProv.xvii.il. 

(m)  Psalm  ci.  8.  (q)  Prov.  xx.  26.  («)  Prov.  xxiv.  24. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  615 

be  any  excessive  or  unreasonable  severity,  nor  ought  any  cause 
to  be  given  for  considering  the  tribunal  as  a  gibbet  prepared 
for  all  who  are  accused.  For  I  am  not  an  advocate  for  un- 
necessary cruelty,  nor  can  I  conceive  the  possibihty  of  an 
equitable  sentence  being  pronouuced  without  mercy  ;  of  which 
Solomon  affirms,  that  "  mercy  and  truth  preserve  the  king  ; 
and  his  throne  is  upholden  by  mercy."  (v)  Yet  it  behoves  the 
magistrate  to  be  on  his  guard  against  both  these  errors  ;  that 
he  do  not,  by  excessive  severity,  wound  rather  than  heal ;  or, 
through  a  superstitious  affectation  of  clemency,  fall  into  a  mis- 
taken humanity,  which  is  the  worst  kind  of  cruelty,  by  indulg- 
ing a  weak  and  ill-judged  lenity,  to  the  detriment  of  multitudes. 
For  it  is  a  remark  not  without  fouudation,  that  was  anciently 
applied  to  the  government  of  Nerva,  that  it  is  bad  to  live 
under  a  prince  who  permits  nothing,  but  much  worse  to  live 
under  one  who  permits  every  thing. 

XI.  Now,  as  it  is  sometimes  necessary  for  kings  and  nations 
to  take  up  arms  for  the  infliction  of  such  public  vengeance,  the 
same  reason  will  lead  us  to  infer  the  lawfulness  of  wars  wliich 
are  undertaken  for  this  end.  For  if  they  have  been  intrusted 
with  power  to  preserve  the  tranquillity  of  their  own  territories, 
to  suppress  the  seditious  tumults  of  disturbers,  to  succour  the 
victims  of  oppression,  and  to  punish  crimes,  —  can  they  exert 
this  power  for  a  better  purpose,  than  to  repel  the  violence  of 
him  who  disturbs  both  the  private  repose  of  individuals  and 
the  general  tranquillity  of  the  nation  ;  who  excites  insurrec- 
tions, and  perpetrates  acts  of  oppression,  cruelty,  and  every 
species  of  crime  ?  If  they  ought  to  be  the  guardians  and  de- 
fenders of  the  laws,  it  is  incumbent  upon  them  to  defeat  the 
eftbrts  of  all  by  whose  injustice  the  discipline  of  the  laws  is 
corrupted.  And  if  they  justly  punish  those  robbers,  whose  in- 
juries have  only  extended  to  a  few  persons,  shall  they  suffer 
a  whole  district  to  be  plundered  and  devastated  with  impunity  ? 
For  there  is  no  difference,  whether  he,  who  in  a  hostile  man- 
ner invades,  disturbs,  and  plunders  the  territory  of  another  to 
which  he  has  no  right,  be  a  king,  or  one  of  the  meanest  of 
mankind  :  all  persons  of  this  description  are  eciually  to  be  con- 
sidered as  robbers,  and  ought  to  be  punished  as  such.  It  is 
the  dictate  both  of  natural  equity,  and  of  the  nature  of  the 
office,  therefore,  that  princes  are  armed,  not  only  to  restrain  the 
crimes  of  private  individuals  by  judicial  punishments,  but  also 
to  defend  the  territories  committed  to  their  charge  by  going 
to  war  against  any  hostile  aggression;  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  in 
many  passages  of  Scripture,  declares  such  wars  to  be  lawful. 

XII.  If  it  be  objected  that  the  New  Testament  contains  no 

(r)  Prov.  XX.  28. 


646  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

precept  or  example,  which  proves  war  to  be  lawful  to  Chris- 
tians, I  answer,  first,  that  the  reason  for  waging  war  which 
existed  in  ancient  times,  is  equally  valid  in  the  present  age  ; 
and  that,  on  the  contrary,  there  is  no  cause  to  prevent  prnices 
from  defending  their  subjects.  Secondly,  that  no  express  de- 
claration on  this  subject  is  to  be  expected  in  the  writings  of  the 
apostles,  whose  design  was,  not  to  organize  civil  governments, 
but  to  describe  the  spiritual  kingdom  of  Christ.  Lastly,  that 
in  those  very  writings  it  is  implied  by  the  way,  that  no  change 
has  been  made  in  this  respect  by  the  coming  of  Christ.  "  For," 
to  use  the  words  of  Augustine,  "  if  Christian  discipline  con- 
demned all  wars,  the  soldiers  who  inquired  respecting  their 
salvation  ought  rather  to  have  been  directed  to  cast  away  their 
arms,  and  entirely  to  renounce  the  military  profession  ;  where- 
as the  advice  given  them  was,  '  Do  violence  to  no  man,  neither 
accuse  any  falsely;  and  be  content  with  your  wages.'  (?<;)  An 
injunction  to  be  content  witii  their  wages  was  certainly  not  a 
prohibition  of  the  military  life."  But  here  all  magistrates 
ought  to  be  very  cautious,  that  they  follow  not  in  any  respect 
the  impulse  of  their  passions.  On  the  contrary,  if  punish- 
ments are  to  be  inflicted,  they  ought  not  to  be  precipitated 
with  anger,  exasperated  with  hatred,  or  inflamed  with  implaca- 
ble severity  :  they  ought,  as  Augustine  says,  "  to  commiserate 
our  common  nature  even  in  him  whom  they  punish  for  his 
crime."  Or,  if  arms  are  to  be  resorted  to  against  an  enemy,  that 
is,  an  armed  robber,  they  ought  not  to  seize  a  trivial  occasion, 
nor  even  to  take  it  when  presented,  unless  they  are  driven  to 
it  by  extreme  necessity.  For,  if  it  be  our  duty  to  exceed  what 
was  required  by  that  heathen  writer  who  maintained  that  the 
evident  object  of  war  ought  to  be  the  restoration  of  peace,  cer- 
tainly we  ought  to  make  every  other  attempt  before  we  have 
recourse  to  the  decision  of  arms.  In  short,  in  both  cases  they 
must  not  sufl"er  themselves  to  be  carried  away  by  any  private 
motive,  but  be  wholly  guided  by  public  spirit  ;  otherwise  they 
grossly  abuse  their  power,  which  is  given  tbem,  not  for  their 
own  particular  advantage,  but  for  the  benefit  and  service  of 
others.  Moreover,  on  this  right  of  war  depends  the  lawfulness 
of  garrisons,  alliances,  and  other  civil  munitions.  By  garri- 
sons, I  mean  soldiers  who  are  stationed  in  towns  to  defend  the 
boundaries  of  a  country.  By  alliances,  I  mean  confederations 
which  are  made  between  neighbouring  princes,  that,  if  any  dis- 
turbance arise  in  their  territories,  they  will  render  each  other 
mutual  assistance,  and  will  unite  their  forces  together  for  the 
common  resistance  of  the  common  enemies  of  mankind.  By 
civil  innnitions,  I  mean  all  the  provisions  which  are  employed 
in  the  art  of  war. 

{w)  Luke  iii.  14. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  Q\J 

XIII.  In  the  last  place,  I  think  it  necessary  to  add,  that 
tributes  and  taxes  are  the  legitimate  revenues  of  princes ; 
which,  indeed,  they  ought  principally  to  employ  in  sustaining 
the  public  expenses  of  their  office,  but  which  they  may  like- 
wise use  for  the  support  of  their  domestic  splendour,  wliich  is 
closely  connected  with  the  dignity  of  the  government  that 
they  hold.  Thus  we  see  that  David,  Jehoshaphat,  Hezekiah, 
Josiah,  and  other  pious  kings,  and  likewise  Joseph  and  Daniel, 
without  any  violation  of  piety,  on  account  of  the  office  which 
they  filled,  lived  at  the  public  expense  ;  and  we  read  in  Ezekicl 
of  a  very  ample  portion  of  land  being  assigned  to  the  kings  ;  (x) 
in  which  passage,  though  the  prophet  is  describing  the  spiritual 
kingdom  of  Christ,  yet  he  borrows  the  model  of  it  from  the 
legitimate  kingdoms  of  men.  On  the  other  hand,  princes 
themselves  ought  to  remember,  that  their  finances  are  not  so 
much  private  incomes,  as  the  revenues  of  the  whole  people, 
according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  (y)  and  therefore  cannot 
be  lavished  or  dilapidated  without  manifest  injustice  ;  or,  rather, 
that  they  are  to  be  considered  as  the  blood  of  the  people,  not  to 
spare  which  is  the  most  inhuman  cruelty  ;  and  their  various 
im])osts  and  tributes  ought  to  be  regarded  merely  as  aids  of  the 
public  necessity,  to  burden  the  people  with  which,  without 
cause,  would  be  tyrannical  rapacity.  These  things  give  no 
encouragement  to  princes  to  indulge  profusion  and  luxury  ;  and 
certainly  there  is  no  need  to  add  fuel  to  their  passions,  which 
of  themselves  are  more  than  sufficiently  inflamed  ;  but,  as  it  is 
of  very  great  importance,  that  whatever  they  undertake  they 
attempt  it  with  a  pure  conscience  before  God,  it  is  necessary, 
in  order  to  their  avoiding  vain  confidence  and  contempt  of 
God,  that  they  be  taught  how  far  their  rights  extend.  Nor  is 
this  doctrine  useless  to  private  persons,  who  learn  from  it  not  to 
pronounce  rash  and  insolent  censures  on  the  expenses  of  princes, 
notwithstanding  they  exceed  the  limits  of  common  life. 

XIV.  From  the  magistracy,  we  next  proceed  to  the  laws, 
which  are  the  strong  nerves  of  civil  polity,  or,  according  to  an 
appellation  which  Cicero  has  borrowed  from  Plato,  the  souls  of 
states,  without  which  magistracy  cannot  subsist,  as,  on  the 
other  hand,  without  magistrates  laws  are  of  no  force.  No  ob- 
servation, therefore,  can  be  more  correct  than  this,  that  the  law 
is  a  silent  magistrate,  and  a  magistrate  a  speaking  law.  Though 
I  have  promised  to  show  by  what  laws  a  Christian  state  ought 
to  be  regulated,  it  will  not  be  reasonable  for  any  person  to 
expect  a  long  discussion  respecting  the  best  kind  of  laws  ; 
which  is  a  subject  of  immense  extent,  and  foreign  from  our 
present  object.     I  will   brielly  remark,  however,  by  the  way, 

(z)  Ezek.  xlviii.  21,  22.  (y)  Rom.  xiii.  G. 


648  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

what  laAvs  it  may  piously  use  before  God,  and  be  rightly 
governed  by  among  men.  And  even  this  I  would  have  pre- 
ferred passing  over  in  silence,  if  I  did  not  know  that  it  is  a 
point  on  which  many  persons  run  into  dangerous  errors.  For 
some  deny  that  a  state  is  well  constituted,  which  neglects  the 
polity  of  Moses,  and  is  governed  by  the  common  laws  of  na- 
tions. The  dangerous  and  seditious  nature  of  this  opinion  I 
leave  to  the  examination  of  others  ;  it  will  be  sufficient  for  me 
to  have  evinced  it  to  be  false  and  foolish.  Now,  it  is  necessary 
to  observe  that  common  distinction,  which  distributes  all  the 
laws  of  God  promulgated  by  Moses  into  moral,  ceremonial,  and 
judicial  ;  and  these  different  kinds  of  laws  are  to  be  distinctly 
examined,  that  we  may  ascertain  what  belongs  to  us,  and  what 
does  not.  Nor  let  any  one  be  embarrassed  by  this  scruple,  that 
even  the  ceremonial  and  judicial  precepts  are  included  in  the 
moral.  For  the  ancients,  who  first  made  this  distinction, 
were  not  ignorant  that  these  two  kinds  of  precepts  related  to 
the  conduct  of  moral  agents ;  yet,  as  they  might  be  changed 
and  abrogated  without  aftecting  the  morality  of  actions,  there- 
fore they  did  not  call  them  moral  precepts.  They  particularly 
applied  this  appellation  to  those  precepts  without  which  there  can 
be  no  real  purity  of  morals,  nor  any  permanent  rule  of  a  holy  life. 
XV.  The  moral  law,  therefore,  with  which  I  shall  begin, 
being  comprised  in  two  leading  articles,  of  which  one  sim- 
ply commands  us  to  worship  God  with  pure  faith  and  piety, 
and  the  other  enjoins  us  to  embrace  men  with  sincere  love, — 
this  law,  I  say,  is  the  true  and  eternal  rule  of  righteousness, 
prescribed  to  men  of  all  ages  and  nations,  who  wish  to  conform 
their  lives  to  the  will  of  God.  For  this  is  his  eternal  and  im- 
mutable will,  that  he  himself  be  worshipped  by  us  all,  and  that 
we  mutually  love  one  another.  The  ceremonial  law  was  the 
pupilage  of  the  Jews,  with  which  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  exer- 
cise that  people  during  a  state  resembling  childhood,  till  that 
"  fulness  of  the  time  "  should  come,  (z)  when  he  would  fully 
manifest  his  wisdom  to  the  world,  and  would  exhibit  the  reality 
of  those  things  which  were  then  adumbrated  in  figures.  The 
judicial  law,  given  to  them  as  a  political  constitution,  taught 
them  certain  rules  of  equity  and  justice,  by  which  they  might 
conduct  themselves  in  a  harmless  and  peaceable  manner  towards 
each  other.  And  as  that  exercise  of  ceremonies  properly  rela- 
ted to  the  doctrine  of  piety,  inasmuch  as  it  kept  the  .Jewish 
Church  in  the  worship  and  service  of  God,  which  is  the  first 
article  of  the  moral  law,  and  yet  was  distinct  from  piety  itself, 
so  these  judicial  regulations,  though  they  had  no  other  end 
than  the  preservation  of  that  love,  which  is  enjoined  hi  the 

(;)  Gal.  iii.  24  ;  iv.  4. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  (349 

eternal  la^V  of  God,  yet  had  something  which  distinguished 
them  from  that  precept  itself.  As  the  ceremonies,  therefore, 
might  be  abrogated  without  any  violation  or  injury  of  piety,  so 
the  precepts  and  duties  of  love  remain  of  perpetual  obliration, 
notwithstanding  the  abolition  of  all  these  judicial  ordinances. 
If  this  be  true,  certainly  all  nations  are  left  at  liberty  to  enact 
such  laws  as  they  shall  find  to  be  respectively  expedient  lor 
them  ;  provided  tliey  be  framed  according  to  that  perpetual  rule 
of  love,  so  that,  though  they  vary  in  form,  they  may  liave  the 
same  end.  For  those  barbarous  and  savage  laws  whicli  re- 
warded theft  and  permitted  promiscuous  concubinage,  witli 
others  still  more  vile,  execrable,  and  absurd,  I  am  very  far 
from  thinking  ought  to  be  considered  as  laws  ;  since  they  are 
not  only  violations  of  all  righteousness,  but  outrages  against 
humanity  itself 

XVI.  What  I  have  said  will  be  more  clearly  understood,  if 
in  all  laws  we  properly  consider  these  two  things  —  the  consti- 
tution of  the  law  and  its  equity,  on  the  reason  of  which  the 
constitution  itself  is  founded  and  rests.  Equity,  being  natural, 
is  the  same  to  all  mankind  ;  and  consequently  all  laws,  on 
every  subject,  ought  to  have  the  same  equity  for  their  end. 
Particular  enactments  and  regulations,  being  connected  with 
circumstances,  and  partly  dependent  upon  them,  may  be  differ- 
ent in  different  cases  without  any  impropriety,  provided  they 
are  all  equally  directed  to  the  same  object  of  equity.  Now,  as 
it  is  certain  that  the  law  of  God,  which  we  call  the  moral  law, 
is  no  other  than  a  declaration  of  natural  law,  and  of  that 
conscience  which  has  been  engraven  by  God  on  the  minds 
of  men,  the  whole  rule  of  this  equity,  of  wliich  we  now 
speak,  is  prescribed  in  it.  This  equity,  therefore,  must  alone 
be  the  scope,  and  rule,  and  end,  of  all  laws.  Whatever  laws 
shall  be  framed  according  to  that  rule,  directed  to  that  ob- 
ject, and  limited  to  that  end,  there  is  no  reason  why  we 
should  censure  them,  however  they  may  differ  from  the  Jewish 
law  or  from  each  other.  The  law  of  God  forbids  theft.  What 
punishment  was  enacted  for  thieves,  among  the  Jews,  may 
be  seen  in  the  book  of  Exodus,  (a)  The  most  ancient  laws 
of  other  nations  punished  theft  by  requiring  a  compensation 
of  double  the  value.  Subsequent  laws  made  a  distinction 
between  open  and  secret  theft.  Some  proceeded  to  banish- 
ment, some  to  flagellation,  and  some  to  the  punishment  ol 
death.  False  witness  was  punished,  among  the  Jews,  with 
the  same  punishment  as  such  testimony  would  have  caused  to 
be  inflicted  on  the  person  against  whom  it  was  given  ;(6)  in 
some  countries  it  was  punished  with  infamy,  in  others  with 
hanging,  in  others  with  crucifixion.      All  laws  agree  in  pu- 

(a)  Exod.  xxii.  1,  &c.  (*)  Deut.  lii.  18, 19. 

VOL.  II.  82 


650  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV 

iiisliing  murder  with  death,  though  in  several  different  forms. 
The  ])unishmeiits  of  adulterers  in  different  countries  have  been 
attended  with  different  degrees  of  severity.  Yet  we  see  how, 
amidst  this  diversity,  they  are  all  directed  to  the  same  end. 
For  they  all  agree  in  denouncing  punishment  against  those 
crimes  which  are  condemned  by  the  eternal  law  of  God ;  such 
as  murders,  thefts,  adulteries,  false  testimonies,  though  there  is 
not  a  uniformity  in  the  mode  of  punishment ;  and,  indeed,  this 
is  neither  necessary,  nor  even  expedient.  One  country,  if  it 
did  not  inflict  the  most  exemplary  vengeance  upon  murderers, 
would  soon  be  ruined  by  murders  and  robberies.  One  age 
requires  the  severity  of  punishments  to  be  increased.  If  a 
country  be  disturbed  by  any  civil  commotion,  the  evils  which 
generally  arise  from  it  must  be  corrected  by  new  edicts.  In 
time  of  war  all  humanity  would  be  forgotten  amidst  the  din  of 
arms,  if  men  were  not  awed  by  more  than  a  common  dread  of 
punishment.  During  famine  and  pestilence,  unless  greater 
severity  be  employed,  every  thing  will  fall  into  ruin.  One 
nation  is  more  prone  than  others  to  some  particular  vice,  unless 
it  be  most  rigidly  restrained.  What  malignity  and  envy  against 
the  public  good  will  be  betrayed  by  him  who  shall  take  offence 
at  such  diversity,  which  is  best  adapted  to  secure  the  obser- 
vance of  the  law  of  God  ?  For  the  objection  made  by  some, 
that  it  is  an  insult  to  the  law  of  God  given  by  Moses,  when  it 
is  abrogated,  and  other  laws  are  preferred  to  it,  is  without  any 
foundation  ;  for  neither  are  other  laws  preferred  to  it,  when 
they  are  more  approved,  not  on  a  simple  comparison,  but  on 
account  of  the  circumstances  of  time,  place,  and  nation  ;  nor  do 
we  abrogate  that  which  was  never  given  to  us.  For  the  Lord 
gave  not  that  law  by  the  hand  of  Moses  to  be  promulgated 
among  all  nations,  and  to  be  universally  binding ;  but  after 
having  taken  the  Jewish  nation  into  his  special  charge,  pa- 
tronage, and  protection,  he  was  pleased  to  become,  in  a  peculiar 
manner,  their  legislator,  and,  as  became  a  wise  legislator,  in  all 
the  laws  which  he  gave  them,  he  had  a  special  regard  to  their 
peculiar  circumstances. 

XVII.  It  now  remains  for  us,  as  we  proposed,  in  the  last 
place,  to  examine  what  advantage  the  common  society  of 
Christians  derives  from  laws,  judgments,  and  magistrates  ;  with 
which  is  connected  another  question  —  what  honour  private  per- 
sons ought  to  render  to  magistrates,  and  how  far  their  obedience 
ought  to  extend.  Many  persons  suppose  the  office  of  magis- 
tracy to  be  of  no  use  among  Christians,  for  that  they  cannot, 
consistently  with  piety,  apply  for  their  assistance,  because  they 
are  forbidden  to  have  recourse  to  revenge  or  litigation.  But  as 
Paul,  on  the  contrary,  clearly  testifies  that  the  magistrate  is 
"  the  minister  of  God  to  us  for  good,"  (c)  we  understand  from 

(c)  Rom.  xiii.  4. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  G51 

this  that  he  is  divinely  appointed,  in  order  that  wc  may  be  do  - 
fended  by  his  power  and  protection  against  the  muUce  and 
mjuries  of  wicked  men,  and  may  lead  peaceable  and  secnra 
lives.  But  if  it  be  in  vain  that  he  is  given  to  us  by  the  Lord 
for  our  protection,  unless  it  be  lawful  for  us  to  avail  ourselves 
of  such  an  advantage,  it  clearly  follows  that  we  may  appeal  to 
him,  and  apply  for  his  aid,  without  any  violation  of  })icty. 
But  here  I  have  to  do  with  two  sorts  of  persons  ;  for  there  are 
multitudes  inflamed  with  such  a  rage  for  litigation,  tiiat  they 
never  have  peace  in  themselves,  unless  they  are  in  contention 
with  others  ;  and  they  commence  their  lawsuits  with  a  mortal 
bitterness  of  animosities,  and  with  an  infuriated  cupidity  of 
revenge  and  injury,  and  pursue  them  with  an  implacable  ob- 
stinacy, even  to  the  ruin  of  their  adversary.  At  the  same  time, 
that  they  may  not  be  thought  to  do  any  thing  wrong,  they 
defend  this  perverseness  under  the  pretext  of  seeking  justice. 
But,  though  it  is  allowable  for  a  man  to  endeavour  to  obtain 
justice  from  his  neighbour  by  a  judicial  process,  he  is  not 
therefore  at  liberty  to  hate  him,  or  to  cherish  a  desire  to  hurt 
him,  or  to  persecute  him  without  mercy. 

XVIII.  Let  such  persons,  therefore,  understand,  that  judicial 
processes  are  lawful  to  those  who  use  them  rightly;  and  that 
the  right  use,  both  for  the  plaintiff  and  for  the  del'endant,  is  this  : 
First,  if  the  plaintiff,  being  injured  either  in  his  person  or  hi  his 
property,  has  recourse  to  the  protection  of  the  magistrate,  states 
his  complaint,  makes  a  just  and  equitable  claim,  but  without 
any  desire  of  injury  or  revenge,  without  any  asperity  or  hatred, 
without  any  ardour  for  contention,  but  rather  prepared  to  waive 
his  right,  and  to  sustain  some  disadvantage,  than  to  cherish 
enmity  against  his  adversary.  Secondly,  if  the  defendant, 
being  summoned,  appears  on  the  day  appointed,  and  defends  his 
cause  by  the  best  arguments  in  his  power,  without  any  bitter- 
ness, but  with  the  simple  desire  of  maintaining  his  just  right. 
On  the  contrary,  when  their  minds  are  filled  with  malevolence, 
corrupted  with  envy,  incensed  with  wrath,  stimulated  with 
revenge,  or  inflamed  with  the  fervour  of  contention,  so  as  to 
diminish  their  charity,  all  the  proceedings  of  the  justcst  cause 
are  inevitably  wicked.  For  it  ought  to  be  an  established 
maxim  with  all  Christians,  that  however  just  a  cause  may  be, 
no  lawsuit  can  ever  be  carried  on  in  a  proper  manner  by  any 
man,  who  does  not  feel  as  much  benevolence  and  afl'c^ction 
towards  his  adversary,  as  if  the  business  in  dispute  liad  already 
been  settled  and  terminated  by  an  amicable  adjustment.  Some, 
perhaps,  will  object,  that  sucli  moderation  in  lawsuits  is  lai 
from  being  ever  practised,  and  that  if  one  instance  ot  it  were 
to  be  found,  it  would  be  regarded  as  a  prodigy.  I  confess, 
indeed,  that,  in  the  corruption  of  these  times,  the  example  ol  an 


652  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

upright  litigator  is  very  rare ;  but  the  thing  itself  ceases  not  to 
be  good  and  pure,  if  it  be  not  defiled  by  an  adventitious  evil. 
But  when  we  hear  that  the  assistance  of  the  magistrate  is  a 
holy  gift  of  God,  it  behoves  us  to  use  the  more  assiduous 
caution  that  it  be  not  contaminated  by  our  guilt. 

XIX.  Those  who  positively  condemn  all  controversies  at 
law,  ought  to  understand  that  they  thereby  reject  a  holy  ordi- 
nance of  God,  and  a  gift  of  the  number  of  those  which  may 
be  "  pure  to  the  pure  ;  "  unless  they  mean  to  charge  Paul  with 
a  crime,  who  repelled  the  calumnies  of  his  accusers,  exposing 
their  subtlety  and  malice  ;  who,  before  his  judges,  asserted  his 
right  to  the  privileges  of  a  Roman  citizen  ;  and  who,  when  he 
found  it  necessary,  appealed  from  an  unjust  governor  to  the 
tribunal  of  Caesar.  It  is  no  objection  to  this  that  all  Christians 
are  forbidden  the  desire  of  revenge,  which  we  also  wish  to 
banish  to  the  greatest  distance  from  all  Christian  judicatures. 
For,  in  a  civil  cause,  no  man  proceeds  in  the  right  way,  who 
does  not,  with  innocent  simplicity,  commit  his  cause  to  the 
judge  as  to  a  public  guardian,  without  the  least  thought  of  a 
mutual  retaliation  of  evil,  which  is  the  passion  of  revenge. 
And  in  any  more  important  or  criminal  action  we  require 
the  accuser  to  be  one  who  goes  into  the  court,  influenced  by 
no  desire  of  revenge,  affected  by  no  resentment  of  private  in- 
jury, and  having  no  other  motive  than  to  resist  the  attempts  of 
a  mischievous  man,  that  he  may  not  injure  the  public.  But  if 
a  vindictive  spirit  be  excluded,  no  offence  is  committed  against 
that  precept  by  which  revenge  is  forbidden  to  Christians.  It 
may  probably  be  objected,  that  they  are  not  only  forbidden  to 
desire  revenge,  but  are  also  commanded  to  wait  for  the  hand  of 
the  Lord,  who  promises  that  he  will  assist  and  revenge  the  af- 
flicted and  oppressed,  and  therefore  that  those  who  seek  the  inter- 
ference of  the  magistrate  on  behalf  of  themselves  or  others,  anti- 
cipate all  that  vengeance  of  the  celestial  protector.  But  this  is 
very  far  from  the  truth.  For  the  vengeance  of  the  magistrate 
is  to  be  considered,  not  as  the  vengeance  of  man,  but  of  God, 
which,  according  to  the  testimony  of  Paul,  he  exercises  by  the 
ministry  of  men  for  our  good. 

XX.  Nor  do  we  any  more  oppose  the  prohibition  and  in- 
junction of  Christ,  "  Resist  not  evil  ;  but  whosoever  shall 
smite  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the  other  also ;  and 
if  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the  law,  and  take  away,  thy  coat,  let 
him  have  thy  cloak  also."  (d)  In  this  passage,  indeed,  he 
requires  the  minds  of  his  servants  to  be  so  far  from  cherishing 
a  desire  of  retaliation,  as  rather  to  suffer  the  repetition  of  an 
injury  against  themselves  than  to  wish  to  revenge  it  j  nor  do 

((/)  Matt.  V.  39,  40. 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  653 

we  dissuade  them  from  this  patience.  For  it  truly  behoves 
Christians  to  be  a  people,  as  it  were,  formed  to  bear  injuries 
and  reproaches,  exposed  to  the  iniquity,  impostures,  and  ridi- 
cule of  the  worst  of  mankind  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  they  ought 
to  be  patient  under  all  these  evils  ;  that  is  to  say,  so  calm  and 
composed  in  their  minds,  that,  after  having  suffered  one  aflhction, 
they  may  prepare  themselves  for  another,  expecting  nothing 
all  their  lifetime  but  to  bear  a  perpetual  cross.  At  the  same 
time,  they  are  required  to  bless  and  pray  for  them  from  whom 
they  receive  curses,  to  do  good  to  them  from  whom  they  ex- 
perience injuries,  (e)  and  to  aim  at  that  Avhich  constitutes 
their  only  victory,  to  "overcome  evil  with  good."  (/)  With 
this  disposition  they  will  not  demand  "  an  eye  for  an  eye,  and 
a  tooth  for  a  tooth,"  as  the  Pharisees  taught  their  disciples  to 
desire  revenge  ;  but,  as  we  are  instructed  by  Christ,  they  will 
suffer  injuries  in  their  persons  and  property  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  be  ready  to  forgive  them  as  soon  as  they  are  com- 
mitted, (g)  Yet  this  equanimity  and  moderation  will  be  no 
obstacle,  but  that,  without  any  breach  of  friendsliip  towards 
their  enemies,  they  may  avail  themselves  of  the  assistance  of 
the  magistrate  for  the  preservation  of  their  property ;  or,  from 
zeal  for  the  public  good,  may  bring  a  pestilent  offender  to 
justice,  though  they  know  he  can  only  be  punished  with 
death.  For  it  is  very  correctly  explained  by  Augustine,  that 
the  end  of  all  these  precepts  is,  "  that  a  just  and  pious  man 
should  be  ready  to  bear  with  patience  the  wickedness  of  those 
whom  he  desires  to  become  good  ;  rather  in  order  that  the 
number  of  the  good  may  increase,  not  that  with  s:imil»ir 
wickedness  he  may  himself  join  the  number  of  the  evil ;  and 
in  the  next  place,  that  they  relate  to  the  internal  alTection  of 
the  heart  more  than  to  the  external  actions  ;  in  order  that  in 
the  secrecy  of  our  minds  we  may  feel  yiatience  and  benevolence, 
but  in  our  outward  conduct  may  do  that  which  we  see  tends  to 
the  advantage  of  those  to  whom  we  ought  to  feel  benevolent 
affections." 

XXI.  The  objection  which  is  frequently  alleged,  that  law- 
suits are  universally  condemned  by  Paul,  has  no  foundation  in 
truth,  (h)  It  may  be  easily  understood  from  his  words,  that 
in  the  Church  of  the  CornUhians  there  was  an  immoderate 
rage  for  litigation,  so  that  they  exposed  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
and  all  the  religion  which  they  professed,  to  the  cavils  and  re- 
proaches of  the  mipious.  The  first  thing  which  Paul  repre- 
hended in  them  was,  that  the  intemperance  of  their  dissensions 
brought  the  gospel  into  discredit  among  unbelievers.     And  tlie 

(e)    Matt.  V.  44.  (g)  Mntt.  v.  3.S-40. 

(/)  Rom  xii.  21  {!')  1  Cor.  vi.  1-6. 


654  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK  IV. 

next  thing  was,  that  they  had  such  ahercations  among  them, 
hrethrcn  with  brethren  ;  for  they  were  so  far  from  bearing  an 
injury,  that  they  coveted  each  other's  property,  and  molested 
and  injured  one  another  without  any  provocation.  It  was 
against  that  rage  for  htigation,  therefore,  that  he  inveighed,  and 
not  absohitely  against  all  controversies.  But  he  pronounces  it 
to  be  altogether  a  vice  or  a  weakness,  that  they  did  not  suffer 
the  injury  or  loss  of  their  property  rather  than  to  proceed  to 
contentions  for  the  preservation  of  it :  when  they  were  so  dis- 
turbed or  exasperated  at  every  loss  or  injury,  that  they  had 
recourse  to  lawsuits  on  the  most  trivial  occasions,  he  argues  that 
this  proved  their  minds  to  be  too  irritable,  and  not  sutiiciently 
patient.  It  is  certainly  incumbent  on  Christians,  in  all  cases, 
to  prefer  a  concession  of  their  right  to  an  entrance  on  a  lawsuit ; 
from  which  they  can  scarcely  come  out  without  a  mind  exas- 
perated and  inflamed  with  enmity  to  their  brother.  But  when 
one  sees  that,  without  any  breach  of  charity,  he  may  defend 
his  property,  the  loss  of  which  would  be  a  serious  injury  to 
hini ;  if  he  do  it,  he  commits  no  offence  against  that  sentence 
of  Paul.  In  a  word,  as  we  hav^e  observed  at  the  beginning, 
charity  will  give  every  one  the  best  counsel  ;  for,  whatever 
litigations  are  undertaken  without  charity,  or  are  carried  to  a 
degree  inconsistent  with  it,  we  conclude  them,  beyond  all  con- 
troversy, to  be  unjust  and  wicked. 

XXII.  The  first  duty  of  subjects  towards  their  magistrates 
is  to  entertain  the  most  honourable  sentiments  of  their  function, 
which  they  know  to  be  a  jurisdiction  delegated  to  them  from 
God,  and  on  that  account  to  esteem  and  reverence  them  as 
God's  ministers  and  vicegerents.  For  there  are  some  persons 
to  be  found,  who  show  themselves  very  obedient  to  their 
magistrates,  and  have  not  the  least  wish  that  there  were  no 
magistrates  for  them  to  obey,  because  they  know  them  to  be 
so  necessary  to  the  public  good  ;  but  who,  nevertheless,  con- 
sider the  magistrates  themselves  as  no  other  tlian  necessary  evils. 
But  something  more  than  this  is  required  of  us  by  Peter,  when 
he  commands  us  to  "  honour  the  king ;  "  (i)  and  by  Solomon, 
when  he  says,  "  Fear  thou  the  Lord  and  the  king;  "(/,•)  for 
Peter,  under  the  term  honour,  comprehends  a  sincere  and  candid 
esteem  ;  and  Solomon,  by  connecting  the  king  with  the  Lord, 
attributes  to  him  a  kind  of  sacred  veneration  and  dignity.  It 
is  also  a  remarkable  commendation  of  magistrates  which  is 
given  by  Paul,  when  he  says,  that  we  "  must  needs  be  sub- 
ject, not  only  for  wrath,  but  also  for  conscience  sake  ;  "(/)  by 
which  he  means,  that  subjects  ought  to  be  induced  to  submit  to 
princes  and  governors,  not  merely  from  a  dread  of  their  power, 

(t)  1  Peter  ii.  17.  (k)  Prov.  xxjv.  2L  (0  Rom.  liii.  5. 


CHAP.    XX.j  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  655 

as  persons  are  accustomed  to  yield  to  an  armed  enemy,  who 
they  know  will  immediately  take  vengeance  upon  them  if 
they  resist ;  but  because  the  obedience  whicli  is  rendered  to 
princes  and  magistrates  is  rendered  to  God,  from  whom  they 
have  received  their  authority.  I  am  not  speaking  of  the 
persons,  as  if  the  mask  of  dignity  ought  to  palliate  or  excuse 
folly,  ignorance,  or  cruelty,  and  conduct  the  most  nefarious  and 
flagitious,  and  so  to  accpiire  for  vices  the  praise  due  to  virtues ; 
but  I  affirm  that  the  station  itself  is  worthy  of  honour  and 
reverence  ;  so  that,  whoever  our  governors  are,  they  ought  to 
possess  our  esteem  and  veneration  on  account  of  the  office 
which  they  fill. 

XXIII.  Hence  follows  another  duty,  that,  with  minds  dis- 
posed to  honour  and  reverence  magistrates,  subjects  ap[)rove 
their  obedience  to  them,  in  submitting  to  their  edicts,  in  paying 
taxes,  in  discharging  public  duties,  and  bearing  burdens  which 
relate  to  the  common  defence,  and  in  fulfilling  all  their  other 
commands.  Paul  says  to  the  Romans,  "  Let  every  soul  be 
subject  unto  the  higher  powers.  Whosoever  resisteth  the  power, 
resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God."  (w)  He  writes  to  Titus,  "  Put 
them  in  mhid  to  be  subject  to  principalities  and  powers,  to  obey 
magistrates,  to  be  ready  to  every  good  work."  (n)  Peter  ex- 
horts, "  Submit  yourselves  to  every  ordinance  of  man  for  the 
Lord's  sake ;  whether  it  be  to  the  king,  as  supreme ;  or  unto 
governors,  as  unto  them  that  are  sent  by  him  for  the  punish- 
ment of  evil-doers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well.''(o) 
Moreover,  that  subjects  may  testify  that  theirs  is  not  a  hypocrit- 
ical but  a  sincere  and  cordial  submission,  Paul  teaches,  that 
they  ought  to  pray  to  God  for  the  safety  and  prosperity  of 
those  under  whose  government  they  live.  "  I  exhort,"  he 
says,  "  that  supplications,  prayers,  intercessions,  and  giving  of 
thanks,  be  made  for  all  men  ;  for  kings,  and  for  all  that  are  in 
authority  ;  that  w^e  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all 
godliness  and  honesty."  (p)  Here  let  no  man  deceive  himself. 
For  as  it  is  impossible  to  resist  the  magistrate  without,  at  the 
same  time,  resisting  God  himself;  though  an  unarmed  magis- 
trate may  seem  to  be  despised  with  impunity,  yet  God  is  armed 
to  inflict  exemplary  vengeance  on  the  contempt  oflcrcd  to 
himself.  Under  this  obedience  I  also  include  the  moderation 
which  private  persons  ought  to  prescribe  to  themselves  m  rela- 
tion to  public  affairs,  that  they  do  not,  without  being  called 
upon,  intermeddle  with  atfairs  of  state,  or  rashly  intrude  them- 
selves into  the  office  of  magistrates,  or  undertake  any  tiling  ol 
a  public  nature.     If  there  be  any  thing  in  the  public  adminis- 

(m)  Rom.  xiii.  1,  2.  (")  }  l'!^^'  ."■  P<  ^^■ 

(«)    Titus  iii.l.  (p)llim.u.l,i. 


65Q  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    W. 

tration  which  requires  to  be  corrected,  let  them  not  raise  any 
tumults,  or  take  the  business  into  their  own  hands,  which  ought 
to  be  all  bound  in  this  respect,  but  let  them  refer  it  to  the  cog- 
nizance of  the  magistrate,  who  is  alone  authorized  to  regulate 
the  concerns  of  the  public.  I  mean,  that  they  ought  to  attempt 
nothing  without  being  commanded  ;  for  when  they  have  the 
command  of  a  governor,  then  they  also  are  invested  with  pub- 
lic authority.  For,  as  we  are  accustomed  to  call  the  coun- 
sellors of  a  prince  his  eyes  and  ears,  so  they  may  not  unaptly 
be  called  his  hands  whom  he  has  commissioned  to  execute 
his  commands. 

XXIV.  Now,  as  we  have  hitherto  described  a  magistrate 
who  truly  answers  to  his  title  ;  who  is  the  father  of  his  country, 
and,  as  the  poet  calls  him,  the  pastor  of  his  people,  the  guardian 
of  peace,  the  protector  of  justice,  the  avenger  of  innocence  ; 
he  would  justly  be  deemed  insane  who  disapproved  of  such  a 
government.  But,  as  it  has  happened,  in  almost  all  ages,  that 
some  princes,  regardless  of  every  thing  to  which  they  ought  to 
have  directed  their  attention  and  provision,  give  themselves 
up  to  their  pleasures  in  indolent  exemption  from  every  care  ; 
others,  absorbed  in  their  own  interest,  expose  to  sale  all  laws, 
privileges,  rights,  and  judgments;  others  plunder  the  public 
of  wealth,  which  they  afterwards  lavish  in  mad  prodigality  ,- 
others  commit  flagrant  outrages,  pillaging  houses,  violating  vir- 
gins and  matrons,  and  murdering  infants  ;  many  persons  cannot 
be  persuaded  that  such  ought  to  be  acknowledged  as  princes, 
whom,  as  far  as  possible,  they  ought  to  obey.  For  in  such 
enormities,  and  actions  so  completely  incompatible,  not  only 
with  the  office  of  a  magistrate,  but  with  the  duty  of  every 
man,  they  discover  no  appearance  of  the  image  of  God,  which 
ought  to  be  conspicuous  in  a  magistrate  ;  while  they  perceive 
no  vestige  of  that  minister  of  God  who  is  "  not  a  terror  to  good 
works,  but  to  the  evil,"  who  is  sent  "  for  the  punishment  of 
evil-doers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well  ;  "  nor  recog- 
nize that  governor,  whose  dignity  and  authority  the  Scripture 
recommends  to  us.  And  certainly  the  minds  of  men  have 
always  been  naturally  disposed  to  hate  and  execrate  tyrants  as 
much  as  to  love  and  reverence  legitimate  kings. 

XXV.  But,  if  we  direct  our  attention  to  the  word  of  God, 
it  will  carry  us  much  farther  ;  even  to  submit  to  the  government, 
not  only  of  those  princes  who  discharge  their  duty  to  us  with 
becoming  integrity  and  fidelity,  but  of  all  who  possess  the 
sovereignty,  even  thougli  they  perform  none  of  the  duties  of 
their  function.  For,  though  the  Lord  testifies  that  the  magis- 
trate is  an  eminent  gift  of  his  liberaHty  to  preserve  tlie  safety 
of  men,  and  prescribes  to  magistrates  themselves  the  extent 
of  their  duty,  yet  he  at  the  same  time  declares,  that  whatever 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  657 

be  their  characters,  they  have  their  government  only  from  him  ; 
that  those  who  govern  for  the  pubUc  good  are  true  specimens 
and  mirrors  of  his  beneficence  :  and  that  those  who  rule  in  an 
unjust  and  tyrannical  manner  are  raised  up  by  him  to  punish 
the  iniquity  of  the  people  ;  that  all  equally  possess  that  sacred 
majesty  with  which  he  has  invested  legitimate  authority.  1 
will  not  proceed  any  further  till  I  have  subjoined  a  few  testi- 
monies in  proof  of  this  point.  It  is  unnecessary,  however,  to 
labour  much  to  evince  an  impious  king  to  be  a  judgment  of 
God's  wrath  upon  the  world,  as  I  have  no  expectation  that  any 
one  will  deny  it :  and  in  this  we  say  no  more  of  a  king  than 
of  any  other  robber  who  plunders  our  property ;  or  adulterer 
who  violates  our  bed  ;  or  assassin  who  attempts  to  murder  us  ; 
since  the  Scripture  enumerates  all  these  calamities  among  the 
curses  inflicted  by  God.  But  let  us  rather  insist  on  the  proof 
of  that  which  the  minds  of  men  do  not  so  easily  admit;  that 
a  man  of  the  worst  character,  and  most  undeserving  of  all 
honour,  who  holds  the  sovereign  power,  really  possesses  that 
eminent  and  Divine  authority,  which  the  Lord  has  given  by 
his  word  to  the  ministers  of  his  justice  and  judgment  ;  and, 
therefore,  that  he  ought  to  be  regarded  by  his  subjects,  as  far 
as  pertains  to  public  obedience,  with  the  same  reverence  and 
esteem  which  they  would  show  to  the  best  of  kings,  if  such  a 
one  were  granted  to  them. 

XXVI.  In  the  first  place,  I  request  my  readers  to  observe 
and  consider  with  attention,  what  is  so  frequently  and  justly 
mentioned  in  the  Scriptures, — the  providence  and  peculiar 
dispensation  of  God  in  distributing  kingdoms  and  appoint- 
ing whom  he  pleases  to  be  kings.  Daniel  says,  '•  God  changeth 
the  times  and  the  seasons  :  he  removeth  kings  and  settcth  up 
kings."  (</)  Again:  "That  the  living  may  know  that  the 
Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men,  and  givetli  it  to 
whomsoever  he  will."  (r)  Passages  of  this  kind  abound 
throughout  the  Scriptures,  but  particularly  in  this  prophecy. 
Now,  the  character  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  who  conquered  Jerusa- 
lem, 'is  sufliciently  known,  that  he  was  an  invader  and  depopu- 
lator  of  the  territories  of  others.  Yet  by  the  mouth  of  Ezekiel 
the  Lord  declares  that  he  had  given  him  the  land  of  Kgypt,  as 
a  reward  for  the  service  which  he  had  performed  indevaslatmg 
Tyre,  (s)  And  Daniel  said  to  him,  "  Thou,  O  king,  art  a  king 
of  kings  ;  for  the  God  of  heaven  hath  given  thee  a  kingdom, 
power,  and  strength,  and  glory  ;  and  wheresoever  the  children 
of  men  dwell,  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and  the  lowls  of  the 
heaven,  hath  he  given  into  thine  hand,  and  hath  made  thee 
ruler  over  all."  (t)    Again  :  to  his  grandson  Belshazzar  Daniel 

(q)  Dan.  ii.  21.  (s)  Ezek.  T.Tix.  18-20. 

(r)  Dan.  iv.  17.  (0  Dan.  ii.  37,  3d. 

VOL.  II.  83 


658  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

said,  "  The  most  high  God  gave  Nebuchadnezzar  thy  father 
a  kingdom,  and  majesty,  and  glory,  and  honour  ;  and  for  the 
majesty  that  he  gave  him,  all  people,  nations,  and  languages, 
trembled  and  feared  before  him."  (v)  When  we  hear  that 
Nebuchadnezzar  was  placed  on  the  throne  by  God,  let  us, 
at  the  same  time,  call  to  mind  the  celestial  edicts  which 
command  us  to  fear  and  honour  the  king ;  and  we  shall  not 
hesitate  to  regard  the  most  iniquitous  tyrant  with  the  honour 
due  to  the  station  in  which  the  Lord  has  deigned  to  place 
him.  When  Samuel  denounced  to  the  children  of  Israel  what 
treatment  they  would  receive  from  their  kings,  he  said,  "  This 
will  be  the  manner  *  of  the  king  that  shall  reign  over  you  ;  he 
will  take  your  sons  and  appoint  them  for  himself,  for  his 
chariots,  and  to  be  his  horsemen,  and  to  ear  his  ground,  and  to 
reap  his  harvest,  and  to  make  his  instruments  of  war.  And  he 
will  lake  yoiu*  daughters  to  be  confectionaries,  and  to  be  cooks, 
and  to  be  bakers.  And  he  will  take  your  fields,  and  your  vine- 
yards, and  your  oliveyards,  even  the  best  of  them,  and  give  them 
to  his  servants.  And  he  will  take  the  tenth  of  your  seed,  and 
of  your  vineyards,  and  give  to  his  officers  and  to  his  servants. 
And  he  will  take  your  men-servants,  and  your  maid-servants, 
and  your  goodliest  young  men,  and  your  asses,  and  put  them 
to  his  work.  He  will  take  the  tenth  of  your  sheep  ;  and  ye 
shall  be  his  servants."  (lo)  Certainly  the  kings  would  not  do 
all  this  by  "  right,"  for  they  were  excellently  instructed  by 
the  law  to  observe  all  moderation  ;  but  it  was  called  a  "  right  " 
with  respect  to  the  people  who  were  bound  to  obey,  and  were 
not  at  liberty  to  resist  it.  It  was  just  as  if  Samuel  had  said. 
The  cupidity  of  your  kings  will  proceed  to  all  these  outrages, 
which  it  will  not  be  your  province  to  restrain ;  nothing  will 
remain  for  you,  but  to  receive  their  commands  and  to  obey 
them. 

XXVII.  But  the  most  remarkable  and  memorable  passage 
of  all  is  in  the  Prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  which,  though  it  is  rather 
long,  I  shall  readily  quote,  because  it  most  clearly  decides  the 
whole  question  :  "  I  have  made  the  eai-th,  the  man  and  the 
beast  that  are  upon  the  ground,  by  my  great  power  and  by  my 
outstretched  arm,  and  have  given  it  unto  whom  it  seemed  meet 
mito  me.  And  now  I  have  given  all  these  lands  into  the  hand 
of  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  king  of  Babylon,  my  servant.  And  all 
nations  shall  serve  him,  and  his  son,  and  his  son's,  son,  until  the 
very  time  of  his  land  come.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that 
the  nation  and  kingdom  which  will  not  serve  the  same  king 
of  Babylon,  that  nation  will  I  punish  with  the  sword,  and  with 
the  famine,  and  with  the  pestilence.     Therefore  serve  the  king 

(r)  Dan.  v.  18,  19.  (w)  1  Sam.  viii.  11—17. 

*  In  the  Latin  translation,  it  is  juj,  right. 


CHAP.    XX.J  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  659 

of  Babylon  and  live."  (x)  We  see  what  great  obedience  and 
honour  the  Lord  required  to  be  rendered  to  that  pestilent  and 
cruel  tyrant,  for  no  other  reason  than  because  he  possessed  the 
kingdom  ;  and  it  was  by  the  heavenly  decree  that  he  was 
seated  on  the  throne  of  the  kingdom,  and  exalted  to  that  resal 
majesty,  which  it  was  not  lawful  to  violate.  If  we  have  this 
constantly  present  to  our  eyes  and  impressed  upon  our  hearts, 
that  the  most  iniquitous  kings  are  placed  on  their  thrones  by 
the  same  decree  by  which  the  authority  of  all  kings  is  esta- 
blished, those  seditious  thoughts  will  never  enter  our  minds, 
that  a  king  is  to  be  treated  according  to  his  merits,  and  that  it 
is  not  reasonable  for  us  to  be  subject  to  a  king  who  does  not 
on  his  part  perform  towards  us  those  duties  which  his  office 
requires. 

XXVIII.  In  vain  will  any  one  object  that  this  was  a  special 
command  given  to  the  Israelites.  For  we  must  observe  the 
reason  upon  which  the  Lord  founds  it.  lie  says,  "  I  have 
given  these  lands  to  Nebuchadnezzar  ;  therefore  serve  him 
and  live."  To  whomsoever,  therefore,  a  kingdom  shall  evi- 
dently be  given,  we  have  no  room  to  doubt  that  subjection  is 
due  to  him.  And  as  soon  as  he  exalts  any  person  to  royal 
dignity,  he  gives  us  a  declaration  of  his  pleasure  that  he  shall 
reign.  The  Scripture  contains  general  testimonies  on  this 
subject.  Solomon  says,  "  For  the  transgression  of  a  land, 
many  are  the  princes  thereof"  (y)  Job  says,  "He  looseth  the 
bonds  of  kings,"  or  divests  them  of  their  power  ;  "  and  girdetli 
their  loins  with  a  girdle,"  (2)  or  restores  them  to  their  former 
dignity.  This  being  admitted,  nothing  remains  for  us  but  to 
serve  and  live.  The  prophet  Jeremiah  likewise  records  another 
command  of  the  Lord  to  his  people  :  "  Seek  the  peace  of  the 
city  whither  I  have  caused  you  to  be  carried  away  captives,  and 
pray  unto  the  Lord  for  it ;  for  in  the  peace  of  it  ye  shall  liave 
peace."  (rt)  Here,  we  see,  the  Israelites,  after  having  been 
stripped  of  all  their  property,  torn  from  their  habitations,  driven 
into  exile,  and  forced  into  a  miserable  servitude,  were  com- 
manded to  pray  for  the  prosperity  of  their  conqueror  ;  not  in 
the  same  manner  in  which  we  are  all  commanded  to  pray  for 
our  persecutors ;  but  that  his  kingdom  might  be  preserved  in 
safety  and  tranquillity,  and  that  they  might  live  in  prosi>erity 
under  him.  Thus  David,  after  having  been  already  designated 
as  king  by  the  ordination  of  God,  and  anointed  with  iiis  holy 
oil,  though  he  was  unjustly  persecuted  by  Saul,  without  having 
given  him  any  cause  of  otience,  nevertiieless  accounted  the 
person  of  his  pursuer  sacred,  because  the  Lord  had  consecrated 

(x    Jer.  xxvii.  5—9,  12.  (2)  Job  xii.  18. 

(y)  Prov.  xxviii.  2.  (a)  Jer.  xxix.  7. 


660  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV, 

it  by  the  royal  dignity.  "  And  he  said,  The  Lord  forbid  that 
I  should  do  this  thing  unto  my  master,  the  Lord's  anointed,  to 
stretch  forth  mine  hand  against  him,  seeing  he  is  the  anointed  of 
the  Lord."  Again  :  "  Mine  eye  spared  thee  ;  and  I  said,  I  will 
not  put  forth  mine  hand  against  my  lord ;  for  he  is  the  Lord's 
anointed."  (b)  Again  :  "  Who  can  stretch  forth  his  hand  against 
the  Lord's  anointed,  and  be  guiltless?  As  the  Lord  liveth,  the 
Lord  shall  smite  hmi  ;  or  his  day  shall  come  to  die,  or  he. shall 
descend  into  battle,  and  perish.  The  Lord  forbid  that  I  should 
stretch  forth  mine  hand  against  the  Lord's  anointed."  (c) 

XXIX.  Finally,  we  owe  these  sentiments  of  affection  and 
reverence  to  all  our  rulers,  whatever  their  characters  may  be ; 
which  I  the  more  frequently  repeat,  that  we  may  learn  not  to 
scrutinize  the  persons  themselves,  but  may  be  satisfied  with 
knowing  that  they  are  invested  by  the  will  of  the  Lord  with 
that  function,  upon  which  he  has  impressed  an  inviolable 
majesty.  But  it  will  be  said,  that  rulers  owe  mutual  duties  to 
their  subjects.  That  I  have  already  confessed.  But  he  who 
infers  from  this  that  obedience  ought  to  be  rendered  to  none 
but  just  rulers,  is  a  very  bad  reasoner.  For  husbands  owe 
mutual  duties  to  their  wives,  and  parents  to  their  children. 
Now,  if  husbands  and  parents  violate  their  obligations ;  if 
parents  conduct  themselves  with  discouraging  severity  and 
fastidious  moroseness  towards  their  children,  whom  they  are 
forbidden  to  provoke  to  wrath  ;  (d)  if  husbands  despise  and  vex 
their  wives,  whom  they  are  commanded  to  love  and  to  spare  as 
the  weaker  vessels  ;  (e)  does  it  follow  that  children  should  be 
less  obedient  to  their  parents,  or  wives  to  their  husbands  ? 
They  are  still  subject,  even  to  those  who  are  wicked  and 
unkind.  As  it  is  incumbent  on  all,  not  to  inquire  into  the 
duties  of  one  another,  but  to  confine  their  attention  respectively 
to  their  own,  this  consideration  ought  particularly  to  be  re- 
garded by  those  who  are  subject  to  the  authority  of  others. 
Wherefore,  if  we  are  inhumanly  harassed  by  a  cruel  prince  ;  if 
we  are  rapaciously  plundered  by  an  avaricious  or  luxurious  one  ; 
if  we  are  neglected  by  an  indolent  one  ;  or  if  we  are  persecuted, 
on  account  of  piety,  by  an  impious  and  sacrilegious  one,  —  let 
us  first  call  to  mind  our  transgressions  against  God,  which 
he  undoubtedly  chastises  by  these  scourges.  Thus  our  impa- 
tience will  be  restrained  by  humility.  Let  us,  in  the  next 
place,  consider  that  it  is  not  our  province  to  remedy  these  evils  ; 
and  that  nothing  remains  for  us,  but  to  implore  the  aid  of  the 
Lord,  in  whose  hand  arc  the  hearts  of  kings  and  the  revolutions 
of  kingdoms.    It  is  "  God  "  who  "  standeth  in  the  congregation 


(6)  1  Sam.  x.Tiv.  6,  11.  (d)  Ephes.  vi.  1.     Col.  iii.  21. 

(c)  1  Sam.  XX vi.  9—11.  (e)  ^phes.  v.  25     1  Pet.  iii.  7 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIfilON.  G61 

of  the  mighty,"  and  "judgeth  among  the  gods;"(/)  \v]inso 
presence  shall  confound  and  crush  all  kings  and  judges  of  tlie 
earth  who  shall  not  have  kissed  his  Son  ;  (g-)  "  tliat  decree 
unrighteous  decrees,  to  turn  aside  the  needy  from  judgment, 
and  to  take  away  the  right  from  the  poor,  that  widows  may  be 
their  prey,  and  that  they  may  rob  the  fatherless."  (/t) 

XXX.  And  here  is  displayed  his  wonderful  goodness,  and 
power,  and  providence  ;  for  sometimes  he  raises  up  some  of 
his  servants  as  public  avengers,  and  arms  them  with  his  com- 
mission to  punish  unrighteous  domination,  and  to  deliver  from 
their  distressing  calamities  a  people  who  have  been  unjustly 
oppressed :  sometimes  he  accomplishes  this  end  by  the  fury  of 
men  who  meditate  and  attempt  something  altogether  different. 
Thus  he  liberated  the  people  of  Israel  from  the  tyranny  of 
Pharaoh  by  Moses  ;  from  the  oppression  of  Chusan  by  Othniel  ; 
and  from  other  yokes  by  other  kings  and  judges.  Thus  he 
subdued  the  pride  of  Tyre  by  the  Egyptians  ;  the  insolence  of 
the  Egyptians  by  the  Assyrians  ;  the  haughtiness  of  the  Assyrians 
by  the  Chaldeans  ;  the  confidence  of  Babylon  by  the  Medes  and 
Persians,  after  Cyrus  had  subjugated  the  Medes.  The  ingra- 
titude of  the  kings  of  Israel  and  Judah,  and  their  impious  rebel- 
lion, notwithstanding  his  numerous  favours,  he  repressed  and 
punished,  sometimes  by  the  Assyrians,  sometimes  by  the  Babylo- 
nians. These  were  all  the  executioners  of  his  vengeance,  but 
not  all  in  the  same  manner.  The  former,  when  they  were 
called  forth  to  the  performance  of  such  acts  by  a  legitimate 
commission  from  God,  in  taking  arms  against  kings,  were  not 
chargeable  with  the  least  violation  of  that  majesty  with  which 
kings  are  invested  by  the  ordination  of  God  ;  but,  being  armed 
with  authority  from  Heaven,  they  punished  an  inferior  power 
by  a  superior  one,  as  it  is  lawful  for  kings  to  punish  their  in- 
ferior officers.  The  latter,  though  they  were  guided  by  the 
hand  of  God  in  such  directions  as  he  pleased,  and  performed 
his  work  without  being  conscious  of  it,  nevertheless  contem- 
plated in  their  hearts  nothing  but  evil. 

XXXI.  But  whatever  opinion  be  formed  of  the  acts  of  men, 
yet  the  Lord  equally  executed  his  work  by  them,  when  he 
broke  the  sanguinary  sceptres  of  insolent  kings,  and  over- 
turned tyrannical  governments.  Let  princes  hear  and  fear.  But, 
in  the  mean  while,  it  behoves  us  to  use  the  greatest  caution, 
that  we  do  not  despise  or  violate  that  authority  of  magistrates, 
which  is  entitled  to  the  greatest  veneration,  which  God  has  es- 
tablished by  the  most  solemn  connnands,  even  though  it  reside 
in  those  who  are  most  unworthy  of  it,  and  who,  as  far  as  in 
them  lies,  pollute  it  by  their  iniquity.     For  though  the  cor- 

(/)  Psalm  Ixxxii.  1.  (g)  Psalm  ii.  10-12.  (/.)  Isaiali.  x  1,  2. 


662  INSTITUTES    OF    THE  [bOOK    IV. 

rection  of  tyrannical  domination  is  the  vengeance  of  God,  v/e 
are  not,  therefore,  to  conclude  that  it  is  committed  to  us,  who 
have  received  no  other  command  than  to  obey  and  suffer. 
This  observation  I  always  apply  to  private  persons.  For  if 
there  be,  in  the  present  day,  any  magistrates  appointed  for  the 
protection  of  the  people  and  the  moderation  of  the  power  of 
kings,  such  as  were,  in  ancient  times,  the  Ephori,  who  were  a 
check  upon  the  kings  among  the  Lacedaamonians,  or  the  popu- 
lar tribunes  upon  the  consuls  among  the  Romans,  or  the  De- 
marchi  upon  the  senate  among  the  Athenians  ;  or  with  power 
such  as  perhaps  is  now  possessed  by  the  three  estates  in  every 
kingdom  when  they  are  assembled  ;  I  am  so  far  from  prohibit- 
ing them,  in  the  discharge  of  their  duty,  to  oppose  the  violence 
or  cruelty  of  kings,  that  I  affirm,  that  if  they  connive  at  kings 
in  their  oppression  of  their  people,  such  forbearance  involves 
the  most  nefarious  perfidy,  because  they  fraudulently  betray  the 
liberty  of  the  people,  of  which  they  know  that  they  have  been 
appointed  protectors  by  the  ordination  of  God. 

XXXII.  But  in  the  obedience  which  we  have  shown  to  be 
due  to  the  authority  of  governors,  it  is  always  necessary  to  make 
one  exception,  and  that  is  entitled  to  our  first  attention,  —  that  it 
do  not  seduce  us  from  obedience  to  him,  to  whose  will  the 
desires  of  all  kings  ought  to  be  subject,  to  whose  decrees  all 
their  commands  ought  to  yield,  to  whose  majesty  all  their 
sceptres  ought  to  submit.  And,  indeed,  how  preposterous  it 
would  be  for  us,  with  a  view  to  satisfy  men,  to  incur  the  dis- 
pleasure of  him  on  whose  account  we  yield  obedience  to  men  ! 
The  Lord,  therefore,  is  the  King  of  kings ;  who,  when  he  has 
opened  his  sacred  mouth,  is  to  be  heard  alone,  above  all,  for  all, 
and  before  all ;  in  the  next  place,  we  are  subject  to  those 
men  who  preside  over  us ;  but  no  otherwise  than  in  him. 
If  they  command  any  thing  against  him,  it  ought  not  to  have 
the  least  attention  ;  nor,  in  this  case,  ought  we  to  pay  any 
regard  to  all  that  dignity  attached  to  magistrates ;  to  which  no 
injury  is  done  when  it  is  subjected  to  the  unrivalled  and  supreme 
power  of  God.  On  this  principle  Daniel  denied  that  he  had 
committed  any  crime  against  the  king  in  disobeying  his  impi- 
ous decree  ;  (i)  because  the  king  had  exceeded  the  limits  of  his 
office,  and  had  not  only  done  an  injury  to  men,  but,  by  raising 
his  arm  against  God,  had  degraded  his  oAvn  authority.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  Israelites  arc  condemned  for  having  been  too 
submissive  to  the  impious  edict  of  their  king.  For  when  Jero- 
boam had  made  his  golden  calves,  in  compliance  with  his 
will,  they  deserted  the  temple  of  God  and  revolted  to  new 
superstitions.     Their   posterity  conformed  to  the   decrees    of 


CHAP.    XX.]  CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  QQ3 

their  idolatrous  kings  with  the  same  facility.  The  prophet 
severely  condemns  them  for  having  "  willingly  walked  after 
the  commandment :  "  (k)  so  far  is  any  praise  from  being  due 
to  the  pretext  of  hmnility,  with  which  courtly  flatterers  excuse 
themselves  and  deceive  the  unwary,  when  they  deny  that  it 
is  lawful  for  them  to  refuse  compliance  with  any  command 
of  their  kings  ;  as  if  God  had  resigned  his  right  to  mortal  men 
when  he  made  them  rulers  of  mankind;  or  as  if  earthly 
power  were  diminished  by  being  subordinated  to  its  author, 
before  whom  even  the  princii)alities  of  heaven  tremble  with 
awe,  I  know  what  great  and  present  danger  awaits  this 
constancy,  for  kings  cannot  bear  to  be  disregarded  without  the 
greatest  indignation  ;  and  "  the  wrath  of  a  king,"  says  Solomon, 
"is  as  messengers  of  death."  (Z)  But  since  this  edict  has 
been  proclaimed  by  that  celestial  herald,  Peter,  "  We  ought  to 
obey  God  rather  than  men,"  (m)  —  let  us  console  ourselves  with 
this  thought,  that  we  truly  perform  the  obedience  which  God 
requires  of  us,  when  we  suffer  any  thing  rather  than  deviate 
from  piety.  And  that  our  hearts  may  not  fail  us,  Paul  stimulates 
us  with  another  consideration  — that  Christ  has  redeemed  us  at 
the  immense  price  which  our  redemption  cost  him,  that  we  may 
not  be  submissive  to  the  corrupt  desires  of  men,  much  less  be 
slaves  to  their  impiety,  (n) 

(li)  Hos.  V.  11.  (n»)  Acts  v.  29. 

(Z)    Prov.  xvi.  14.  (n)  1  Cor.  vii.  23. 


END    OF    THE    INSTITUTES. 


INDEX 


PRINCIPAL    MATTERS 


The  first  number  indicates  the  Book ;  the  second,  the  Chapter. 


Adam's  fall,  the  cause  of  the  curse  inflicted  on  all  mankind,  and  of  their  degeneracy 

from  their  primitive  condition,  ii.  1. 
Angels,  their  creation,  nature,  names,  and  offices,  i.  14. 
Articles  of  faith,  power  of  the  Church  relating  to  them,  iv.  8,  9. 
Ascension  of  Christ,  i.  15. 

Baptism,  a  sacrament;  its  institution,  nature,  administration,  and  uses,  iv.  15. 

of  infants  perfectly  consistent  with  the  institution  of  Christ  and  the  nature 

of  the  sign,  iv.  16. 

Celibacy  of  priests,  iv.  12. 

of  monks  and  nuns,  iv.  13. 

Christ  proved  to  be  God,  i.  13. 

necessity  of  his  becoming  man  in  order  to  fulfil  the  office  of  a  mediator,  ii.  12. 

his  assumption  of  real  humanity,  ii.  13. 

the  union  of  the  two  natures  constituting  his  one  person,  ii.  14. 

the  only  Redeemer  of  lost  man,  ii.  6. 

the  consideration  of  his  three  offices,  prophetical,  regal,  and  sacerdotal,  neces- 
sary to  our  knowing  the  end  of  his  mission  from  the  Father,  and  the  benefits 
he  confers  on  us,  ii.  15. 
—  his  death,  resurrection,  and  ascension  to  heaven,  to  accomplish  our  salvation, 


ii.  16. 


truly  and  properly  said  to  have  merited  the  grace  of  God  and  salvation  for 

us,  ii.  17. 

imperfectly  revealed  to  the  Jews  under  the  law,  ii.  7,  9. 

clearly  revealed  only  in  the  gospel,  ii.  9. 

Christian  liberty,  its  nature  and  advantages,  iii.  19. 

Christian  life,  scriptural  arguments  and  exhortations  to  it,  iii.  G. 

summary  of  it,  iii.  7. 

Church,  the  necessity  of  our  union  with  the  true  Church,  iv.  1. 

true  and  fal.se  compared  and  distinguished,  iv.  2. 

teachers  and  ministers  of  the  Church,  their  election  and  office,  iv.  3. 

power  of  the,  relating  to  articles  of  faith,  iv.  8,  9. 

in  making  laws,  iv.  10. 

■ in  jurisdiction,    iv.  11. 

discipline  of  the  ;  censures  and  excommunication,  iv.  12. 

• state  of  the  ancient,  and  the  mode   of  government  practised  before  the 

Papacy,  iv.  4. 
■ ancient  form  of  its  government  entirely  subverted  by  the  Papal  tyranny, 

iv.  5. 
Confession,  auricular,  iii.  4. 

true,  iii.  4. 

Confirmation,  Papal,  iv.  19. 

Conscience,  its  nature  and  obligations,  iii.  19. 


INDEX.  665 

Cotncils,  their  authority,  iv.  9. 

Creition,  of  the    world  —  of  angels  ;  this  clearly  distinguishes  the  true  God  from 

all  fictitious  deities,  i.  14. 
Crois,  bearing  of,  a  branch  of  self-denial,  iii.  8. 

Dea.h  of  Christ,  ii.  15. 

Dep-avity,  human,  total,  ii.  3. 

Descent  of  Christ  into  hell,  ii.  IG. 

Devils,  their  existence,  power,  subtlety,  malignity,  i.  14. 

Discipline  of  the  Church,  iv.  12. 

Election,  eternal,  or  God's  predestination  of  some  to  salvation,  and  of  others  to 

destruction,  iii.  21. 

testimonies  of  Scripture  in  confirmation  of  this  doctrine,  iii.  22. 

a  refutation  of  the  calumnies  generally  but  unjustly  urged  against 

ihis  doctrine,  iii.  23. 

confirmed  by  the  divine  call,  iii.  24. 

Excanmunication,  iv.  12. 
Extrtme  unction,  iv.  19. 

Faith  defined,  and  its  properties  described,  iii.  2. 

,  justification  by  faith,  iii.  11. 

,  prayer  its  principal  exercise,  iii.  20. 

Fanaucism  of  discarding  the  Scripture,  under  the  pretence  of  resorting  to  imme- 

ciate  revelations,  subversive  of  every  principle  of  piety,  i.  9. 
Fastiig,  its  use  and  abuse,  iv.  12. 

Free-ivill  lost  by  the  fall ;  man  in  his  present  state  miserably  enslaved,  ii.  2. 
1 —  a  refutation  of  the  objections  commonly  urged  in  support  of  free-will,  ii.  5. 

God  truly  known  only  from  the  Scriptures,  i.  C. 

,vhat  kind  of  being  God  is ;  exclusively  opposed  in  the  Scripture  to  all  the 

teathen  deities,  i.  10. 
«ontradistinguished  from  idols  as  the  sole  and  supreme  object  of  worsliip, 

i.  12. 
. Escription  of  a  visible  form  to,  unlawful,  and  all  idolatry  a  defection  from  the 

tiue,  i.  11. 

Ilie  creator  of  the  universe,  i.  14. 

lis  preservation  and  support  of  the  world  by  his  power,  and  his  government 

of  every  part  of  it  by  his  providence,  i.  10. 

the  proper  use  and  advantages  of  this  doctrine,  i.  17. 

las  operations  in  the  hearts  of  men,  ii.  4. 

lis  use  of  the  agency  of  the  wicked,  without  the  least  stain  of  his  perfect  purity, 

i.  18. 

oie  Divine  essence  containing  three  persons,  i.  13. 

Gospel  and  law  compared  and  distinguished,  ii.  9,  10,  11. 

Goveriment  of  the  Church,  iv.  3,  4,  5. 

civil  ;  its  nature,  dignity,  and  advantages,  iv.  20. 

Holy  Spirit  proved  to  be  God,  i.  13.  ^    ,      o    ■  ,  j  .i 
—1 his  testimony  requisite  to  the  confirmation  of  the  Scripture,  and  the 

estiblishment  of  its  authority,  i.  7.  .    r  f>i      . 

. his  secret  and  special  operation  necessary  to  our  enjoyment  o    Christ 

and  all  his  benefits ;  this  operation  the  foundation  of  faith,  newness  of  hie,  and 

all  holy  exercises,  iii.  1. 

the  sin  against,  iii.  3. 

Humility  of  believers,  iii.  12. 

Idolatry  a  defection  from  the  true  God;  all  worship  of  images  idolatry,  i.  1. 
Image  of  God  in  man,  i.  15. 
Imposition  of  hands,  iv.  15. 
Indulgences  and  pardons,  iii.  5. 
Interc'ession  of  saints,  iii.  20. 

Judgment,  last,  iii.  25. 

Jurisdiction  of  the  Church,  iv.  H.  ,  ^      ,    •••    ,, 

Justification  by  faith  ;  the  name  and  thing  defined,  iii.  11. 

VOL.  II.  S4 


666  INDEX. 

Justification,  a  consideration  of  the  Divine  tribunal  necessary  to  a  serious  conviction 

of  gratuitous,  iii.   12. 

tilings  necessary  to  be  observed  in  gratuitous,  iii.  13. 

'  coniuiencement  and  continual  progress  of,  iii.  14. 

■ boasting  of  the  merit  of  worlis  equally  subversive  of  God's  glay  in 

gratuitous,  and  of  the  certainty  of  salvation,  iii.  15. 

a  refutation  of  the  injurious  calumnies  of  the  Papists  against  the  doc- 


trine here  maintained,  iii.  16. 
by  works,  the  promise  of  a  reward  no  argument  for,  iii.  17. 


Kingdom  of  Christ,  ii.  15. 

Knowledge  of  Christ,  imperfect  under  the  law,  ii.  7,  0. 

— — — ^^— clearly  unfolded  under  the  gospel,  ii.  9. 

of  God  connected  with  the  knowledge  of  ourselves,  i.  1. 

nature  and  tendency  of  it,  i.  2. 

naturally  implanted  in  the  human  mind,  i.  3. 

extinguished  or  corrupted,  partly  by  ignorance,  partly  by  wbked- 

ness,  i.  4. 

conspicuous  in  the  formation  and  government  of  the  work,  i.  5. 

efiectually  attained  only  from  the  Scripture,  i.  6. 

Law  of  Moses ;  its  office,  use,  and  end,  ii.  7. 

Laws  given  to  the  Jews  ;  moral,  ceremonial,  and  judicial,  iv.  20. 

Law,  moral,  an  exposition  of,  ii.  8. 

Law  and  gospel,  compared  and  distinguished,  ii.  9,  10,  11. 

Laws,  ecclesiastical,  iv.  10. 

civil  and  political,  iv.  20. 

L'berty,  Christian,  iii.  19. 
-Life,  Christian,  iii.  G,  7,  8. 

present,  and  its  supports,  right  use  of,  iii.  10. 

future,  meditation  on,  iii.  9. 

Lord's  prayer,  exposition  of,  iii.  20. 

Lord's  supper,  its  institution,  nature,  and  advantages,  iii.  17. 

not  only  profaned,  but  annihilated  by  the  Papal  mass,  iii.  13 

Man,  his  state  at  his  creation,  the  faculties  of  his  soul,  the  Divine  image,  fro-will, 
and  the  original  purity  of  his  nature,  i.  15. 

in  his  present  state,  despoiled  of  freedom  of  will,  and  subjected  to  a  miserable 

slavery,  ii.  2. 

every  thing  that  proceeds  from  his  corrupt  nature  worthy  of  condemiatiofi, 

ii.  3. 

his  mind  naturally  furnished  with  the  knowledge  of  God,  i.  3. 

the  knowledge  of  God  in  the  human  mind  extinguished  or  corrupted  b^  igno- 
rance and  wickedness,  i.  4. 

Magistracy,  iv.  20. 

Marriage,  ii.  8. 

Matrimony,  falsely  called  a  sacrament,  iv.  19. 

Mass,  the  Papal,  not  only  a  sacrilegious  profanation  of  the  Lord's  supper,  bu;  a  total 
annihilation  of  it,  iv.  18. 

Mediator.     See  Christ,  ii.  14. 

Merit  of  Christ,  ii.  17. 

of  works  disproved,  iii.  15,  18. 

Monks,  iv.  13. 

Neighbour,  love  of  our,  ii.  8. 
Nuns,  iv.  13. 

Oaths,  ii.  8. 

Offences  given  and  taken  ;  what  to  be  avoided,  iii.  19. 
Orders,  ecclesiastical,  no  sacrament,  iv.  19. 
Original  sin,  the  doctrine  of,  ii.  1. 

Pffidobaptism.     See  Baptism,  iv.  16. 

Papacy,  its  entire  subversion  of  the  ancientform  of  ecclesiastical  government,  i  v.  5. 

; —  its  rise  and  progress  to  its  present  eminence  attended   with  the  loss  of 

liberty  to  the  Church,  and  the  ruin  of  all  moderation,  iv.  7. 


INDEX.  GG7 

Papacy,  its  licentious  perversion  of  the  power  of  the  Churcli  respecting  articles  of 

faith,  to  the  corruption  of  all  puritj'  of  doctrine,  iv.  8. 
its  sophistry  and  jargon  concerning  repentance  utterly  inconsifitcnt   willi 

the  gospel,  iii.  4. 

its  corrupt  tenets  respecting  indulgences  and  purgatory,  iii.  fi. 

its  assumption  of  tlie  power  of  legislation,  tyranny  over  men's  minds,  and 

tortures  of  tiieir  bodies,  iv.  10. 

its  abuse  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Church,  iv.  11. 

its  corrupt  discipline,  censures,  and  excommunications,  iv.  12. 

its  unscriptural  vows,  iv.  115. 

its  sacrilegious  mass  an  annihilation  of  tiie  Lord's  supper,  iv.  18. 

its  five  ceremonies  falsely  called  sacraments,  proved  not  to  be  sacraments, 

iv.  19. 
its  characteristics  of  a  false  Church,  iv.  2. 


Penance  no  sacrament,  iv.  1!). 

Prayer,  the  principal  exercise  of  faith,  and  the  medium  of  our  daily  reception  of 

Divine  blessings,  iii.  20. 
Predestination.     See  Election,  iii.  21 — 24. 
Priesthood  of  Christ,  ii.  15. 

Promises  of  the  law  and  gospel,  Iiarmony  between  them,  iii.  17. 
Prophetical  office  of  Christ,  ii.  15. 
Providence  of  God  governs  the  world,  i.  16. 

proper  application  and  utility  of  this  doctrine,  i.  17. 

— ^-  contracts  no  impurity  from  its  control  and  use  of  the  agency 

of  the  wicked,  i.  18. 
Purgatory  exposed  and  disproved,  iii.  5. 

Reason  furnishes  proofs  to  establish  the  authority  of  the  Scripture,  i.  8. 
Redemption  necessary  in  consequence  of  the  fall,  ii.  1.  6. 

to  be  sought  only  in  Christ,  ii.  6. 

accomplished  by   the   death,  resurrection,  and   ascension  of  Clirist, 

ii.  16. 
Regeneration,  iii.  3. 
Repentance,  true,  always  accompanies  true  faith;  its  origin,  nature,  and  effecta, 

iii.  3.  .  

comprises  mortification  of  the  flesh  and  vivification  of  the  spirit,  m. 

6—10. 

the  sophistry  and  jargon  of  the  schools  on  this  subject  very  remote 


from  the  purity  of  the  gospel,  iii.  4. 
Reprobates,  tlie  destruction  of,  procured  by  themselves,  iii.  24. 
Resurrection  of  Christ,  ii.  16. 

final,  iii.  25. 

Reward  promised,  no  proof  of  justification  by  works,  iii.  18. 
Roman  See,  primacy  of,  iv.  C. 

Sabbath,  ii.  8. 

Sacraments  in  general,  iv.  14. 

■ —  in  particular,  iv.  15,  16 

ceremonies  falsely  so  called,  iv.  10 

Sacrifices,  legal,  ii.  7.  .       . 

.-  none  propitiatory  under  the  gospel  smce  that  of  Christ,  iv.  13- 

Saints,  invocation  and  intercession  of,  iii.  20. 
Salvation  for  lost  man  to  be  sought  only  in  Christ,  n.  G. 

. .  procured  by  Christ,  ii.  IG. 

Satisfactions  exposed,  iii.  4. 

Schismatics,   iv.  1.  ,     ,  .     .i      i         i  j r 

Scripture,  the  guidance  and  teaching  of  it  necessary  to  lead  to  the  knowledge  of 

!_'the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  requisite  to  its  confirmation  and  establishment 

of  its  authority,  i.  7.  „  ,     ^.,        •        •      •. 

the  dependence  of  its  authority  on  the  judgment  of  the  C  liurcli  an  impious 


fiction,  i.  7. 

rational  proofs  to  establish  its  authority, 


rejection  of  it,  under  tlie  pretence  of  resorting  to  immediate  revelations 


subversive  of  every  prineiple  of  piety 


exclusively  opposes  tlie  true  God  to  all  the  heathen  deities,  i 


10. 


668 


INDEX. 


Scripture  clearly  distinguishes  the  true  God  from  all  fictitious  ones,  in  the  creation 

of  the  universe,  i.  14. 
• teaches  the   unity  of  God,  and  the  existence  of  three  persons  in   the 

Divine  essence,  i.  13. 

Temptation,  iii.  20. 
Testament,  Old,  ii.  7. 
Testament,  New,  ii.  9. 

similarity  of  the  Old  and  New,  ii.  10. 

difference  of  the  Old  and  New,  ii.  11. 

'  harmony  between  tlie  promises  of  tiie  Old  and  New,  iii.  17. 

■ sacraments  of  the  Old  and  New,  iv.  14. 

Traditions,  human,  iv.   10. 
Transubstantiation  exposed,  iv.  10. 

Vocation  confirms  election,  iii.  24. 

Vows;  the  misery  of  rashly  making  them,  iv.  13. 

Wicked,  the  agency  of,  controlled  and  used  by  God,  i.  18. 

Works  merit  no  favour  from  God,  iii.  15. 

World  created  by  God,  i.  14. 

■ —  preserved  by  his  power,  and  governed  by  his  providence,  i.  16. 


The  quotations  from  different  Authors,  chiefly  the  fathers,  which  occur  in  this 
■work,  are  not  in  general  referred  to  in  the  margin ;  such  references  having  been 
considered  of  no  use,  except  to  persons  who  will  probably  be  furnisiied  with  the 
original,  in  which  they  are  all  inserted. 


